Tag: media relations

Tech PR Tips To Pitch Media Like A Boss

Posted on by Richard Etchison

Media relations is typically a key part of a good technology PR program. One thing entrepreneur-led startups and enterprise technology businesses have in common is a desire to generate positive earned media coverage in widely read publications from TechCrunch to BloombergBusinessWeek. Here are our best tips for maximizing public relations success for tech clients, straight from our Tech Practice leader Chris Harihar.

Save the phone for calls to mom

Don’t call. Email. After all, these are technology people, and many are digital natives.  If you don’t hear back from the journalist, follow up just once. Nothing can be gained by pestering writers – except resentment. PR pros should wait at least 24 hours before the follow-up message.  You’re not the only pitch in the inbox, after all.

Pitch a story – not your client

Tech journalists don’t want to read a thinly veiled advertisement for your company or product. They want good stories that are relevant to their readers. Your pitch must quickly and concisely show them the value of your story to their audience. Don’t ask them to have coffee with the CEO of your client company unless you outline why the story matters to them.

Brevity is the soul of tech

Tech media pitches need be no more than three lines. Get right to the point, and do it without ambiguity. Craft a concise, compelling subject line that hooks the reader. Tech writers get an email a minute, so they will judge its value in seconds. Save your novella for friends and family.

Become a trusted source

There’s no better way to forge a bond with a journalist than to support his or her work. Share non-self-promotional stuff about other companies that you think will be of interest to the writer, not just your own clients or company. Also, tech PR professionals should also be okay with being an industry expert quoted in stories; remember, good PR influences journalists, too!

Give them context

When pitching tech media, explain why your story matters. Give them some big-picture perspective. Tie your story to current category trends, themes, or industry conversations. Connect it to the reporter’s previous work if possible. This will pique their interest and give them a roadmap to your story or the next one.

Don’t neglect the smaller press

We know, every early-stage tech PR manager dreams of getting his or her company’s name into TechCrunch or The Verge. While a coup for any young company, it’s not the only way to get your story out. A positive piece in a relevant trade like AdExchanger or a targeted publication like CIO can not only reach the perfect audience, but it may influence larger publications.

Build long-term relationships

Some approach the media relations process like a sales person looking to close the deal. We prefer to treat tech journalists as collaborators. Go to events where they’re speaking on a panel and participate in the discussion. Introduce yourself, ask questions, offer informed opinions. “Touch” them before you pitch by engaging with their social media channels. Share non-self-promotional stories or quotes. Show that you respect the demands of their work, and that you are an equally professional PR person. They will treat you as such.

Pitch the right media

This is media relations 101 review, but it cannot be stressed enough. It’s never a good idea to carpet- bomb the tech mediascape and hope for a hit. Target those journalists who regularly write on the specific subject of your story. Get to know their reporting and follow them on social media. Think of tech reporters as people with interests that you can appeal to in your outreach. Research. Research. Repeat.

Six Steps to Better PR/Media Relationships

Posted on by Marijane Funess

Recently a journalist posted some basic advice for public relations people to improve media relationships. He said to “read stuff, then take it to reporters who like that stuff.”

That’s a little like Elmore Leonard advising writers to “try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.” Simple, yet true, and harder than it sounds.

Creating better relations between PR and journalism begins with PRs getting acquainted with the work of journalists in industries relevant to their clients. And in reporters respecting the role of PR professionals as managers of that relationship. Beyond that, there are some tactical ways for us to improve our outreach techniques to benefit clients.

Improved Media Relations Means Better Pitches

It starts with research

Call it something else if the word sounds too academic. But it pays to take the time to dig deeply into a reporter’s beat before sending a pitch they may find meaningless. This is best accomplished by reading what they write – not just posted pieces, but their social feeds and personal blog as well. It may sound creepy to hear that PR agencies keep a “dossier” on key reporters, but it’s all about knowing the territory. At the same time, we must know the story we’re pitching just as well. Bear in mind that any decent journalist will bring a degree of skepticism to even the most softball pitch. They will try the product we’re bragging about, vet the experts we’re offering (or seek their own), research the CEO’s background, and look at the company’s social media reviews. If it’s not airtight, it’s not ready to pitch.

Make sure your timing is right

Many a good story dies because journalists are human beings who won’t or can’t drop everything to make a hard deadline. Allow plenty of time to pitch anything with a seasonal hook; as many PR people know, media relations is a little like retail. Back-to-school ends in August, and holiday is put to bed by early fall. (One journalist recently reported that she received a Christmas pitch this week. Sounds premature, but who knows?) And before pitching a journalist, it’s wise to make sure he hasn’t just written a similar story in the past six months. Often clients think it’s a good idea to try to piggyback on something just published, but unless you’re bringing something truly fresh or taking the story in an unexpected direction, don’t pitch a “me-too” idea. It may be smart, however, to newsjack a hot topic by offering an example or expert commentary on a large breaking story. When the FBI announced that it was hiring technology talent to develop a type of wearable emergency alert system, we went out with a pitch about entrepreneurs who had already done just that. Our timely pitch resulted in a great Inc. Magazine story.

Pitch it short, sweet and smart

A colleague of mine with a terrific track record treats media pitches a little like tweets. He shoots for pitches no longer than 140 words. Media appreciate brevity, clarity and no wasted words, though not at the expense of sloppy writing. This goes for the subject line as well. A cardinal rule is to tailor a subject line to the writer’s beat and shoot for less than 60 characters with the key words up front – in the first three or four words. We’ve taken our cues from studies analyzing subject lines and often send other team members a test email to see if the subject line and pitch are still too wordy. Some journalists recommend dispensing with pleasantries, but that’s a judgment call. Some of my best media relationships have grown particularly friendly, so of course I’m going to ask about someone’s vacation or wish them a good weekend.

Know when to follow up or fold

The media follow-up discussion is a burning issue in public relations circles. Our rule of thumb is to follow up in a short email a couple of days after first pitching. If we don’t receive any response, we work to add something new to the original pitch and change up the subject line to reflect that. After a second round, if the silence is deafening, move on. In stories where journalists are interviewed about PR pet peeves, persistent follow-up is always highly ranked. By the same token, many journalists hate the phone and say pretty consistently, don’t call. Like many rules, however, this is not a hard and fast edict; if you sense a writer will take your calls and likes to chat, go for it. Every so often we even get calls from journalists who prefer to discuss a story the old fashioned way and that kind of contact is valuable.

Never lie

Establishing credibility and forging a good relationship with a journalist is all about trust. So, while some pitches may take license to get attention, once you’ve secured media interest, play it straight. Know who you will offer up for interviews and make sure they’re prepared. Don’t bait and switch. If you’ve quoted financials in a pitch, vet the numbers. And, if you’ve promised additional materials, images, or quotes by a certain time, make it happen. Most PR strategists would agree that you only get one strike with a contact before you’re added to their own personal “no-fly” list.

Put yourself in their shoes

Ah, the golden rule. The pool of journalists has been shrinking for the past decade. Arguably the universe of public relations professionals has not. This disparity means that journalists will always be pitched more story ideas than they could ever use. A writer friend told me that she often starts work with an in-box of 300 emails and is pretty certain that 99% of them are PR pitches. But don’t let that statistic scare you away from developing smart, on-target pitches for the right reporters. Just be painstaking when crafting each, because the same writer said that if a pitch is worthwhile, it will rise to the top.

Finally, this quote from a writer on what he likes best about his favorite PR people – what matters is: they actually speak to me like a human.

PR Pitches Journalists Will Love

Posted on by Marijane Funess

Recently an editor acquaintance of mine told a public relations seminar that she didn’t care how PR pros pitched her as long as they didn’t waste her time. OK, seems simple enough. Yet getting your approach just right can still be daunting, so we thought it a good time to revisit the rules for successful story pitching.

Keep your pitch under 200 words. Some at our agency would make the case for fewer, but there are instances where more is actually more, like a complicated new technology or a financing announcement with many players. However, the prevailing rule in our 140-character world is the shorter, the better.

Be prepared. Those of us who opt for minimal subject lines and two-sentence email pitches need to be prepared to answer all logical questions, arrange interviews, supply statistics or other data, and essentially close the sale. There’s nothing worse than having a journalist bite on a pitch for a time-sensitive story and have to spend a week digging up research or wrangling a client for an interview. Be ready to go.

Get strategic with your subject line. The same editor told me the simplest subject line is the best. If you know the editor well, go with “Hi Jane, it’s me.” If not, find a compelling few words that get the message across without being too clever. We occasionally look at email studies that analyzed thousands of pitches and provided recommendations on top-performing words (among them, “ideal” and “know”) and ones to avoid (“interactive” “data” some of  the lowest performers.) One of our most successful campaigns on behalf of a connected home air quality monitor included media outreach with this subject line: “‘Sick house’ facts you need to know.” Lesson learned.

Can your story be tied to a trend? If this sounds tried and true, it is. The best PR pros are voracious media consumers and this gives them insights into what’s current in pop culture, politics, tech breakthroughs and world events. The best pitches are often those that point out a connection to a hot trend. The week after the presidential inauguration, if you were fortunate enough to represent an expert on crowd science, for example, you likely hit the newsjacking jackpot.

We’ve got the beat. Demonstrating knowledge of journalist beats is one of the most direct routes to interest in a story idea. And it pays to go the extra mile to discern the subtleties that separate the beats. Dig deeper than a Cision listing to determine whether that “technology” reporter covers software or hardware, or whether a regional publication includes your client’s hometown or if that consumer reporter ever covers new products or only trends. This extra step can be the difference between a productive relationship and a snarky email schooling you on your media misstep.

Be fearless in your follow-up. If a reporter has opened the door to the possibility of a story but doesn’t commit right away, don’t give up. We don’t condone mindless pestering. We do advocate building on what has already been pitched to flesh out an angle even further. This approach can heighten the urgency of your story and help a fence-sitting journalist decide to cover. Upon launching a new wearable safety device, we received lukewarm interest from a writer who left it to us to “dazzle” him in some way. Within days, a story appeared covering the FBI’s search for tech talent to develop software that was basically identical to our client’s product. This was the newsworthy nudge the writer needed to craft this story.

A Public Relations Situation: Tips For Wrangling Reporters

Posted on by Marijane Funess

In our occasional series, “A Public Relations Situation,” we examine real-life PR agency incidents and how our team has dealt with them. In so doing, we can impart some words of wisdom that may help you avoid or manage your own PR “situation.”

Media relations is the bread and butter of most PR agencies, and therefore cultivating and managing journalist contacts is key. But, what do you do when a media contact behaves in an unexpected or unprofessional way? Obviously, you want to maintain the relationship while maintaining professionalism. Here are a few recent examples of “reporters gone rogue” and how we turned the potential lemons into lemonade.

When a media contact bypasses the agency

There are good reasons for clients to let their agency reps manage media strategy and handle initial journalist contact. We help prepare the client for an interview or interaction, keep everyone on the same page, and, yes, occasionally shield the client from awkward situations or even recommend against an interview when it’s not warranted. Above all, we may serve as negotiators for a mutually beneficial outcome, and media know that.  But we’ve all had episodes where the journalist goes around us. In one case a writer was unhappy with a story embargo and contacted the client to complain. The client handled it by promptly turning it back over to us, which was absolutely correct. The lesson here is to make sure everyone knows the PR agency’s role and the reasons for it.

When a reporter does an interview, then vanishes

This is probably the most frustrating  media predicament a PR team can encounter. You’ve gone the extra mile to craft a relevant story pitch, determine the best reporter, make the case and have it all come together with a terrific interview. Then, nothing. We recently experienced this “media ghosting” with a major story for a technology client. It became embarrassing to report back to the client each week that we had no information, but we were polite and persistent in our follow-up. After a few months our persistence paid off big time, in the form of a great story. While no PR person wants to annoy a reporter or burn a relationship, we need and deserve to be kept in the loop. So we advise being courteous, but assertive.

When a journalist won’t correct an error in a story

Hey, it happens. A reporter does a perfectly respectable job of covering your client’s story but trips up on a detail. It is a PR pro’s responsibility to reach out and ask for corrections. We aren’t talking here about misquotes (hard to prove if from a verbal interview) or the reporter that just hates your product but gives it an honest review. We mean errors – misspellings, wrong names, erroneous launch dates or incorrect background details. Most reporters will fix the problem in a timely way. Some, however, won’t. In our dealings with recalcitrant types, we’ve learned some tricks that help. Reach out as quickly as you can, communicate your request in a subject line if emailing to ensure the note is opened, and, of course, point out the error as politely as you can. Never “demand a retraction!” Have the correct information at the ready and follow up if you don’t get a response.

When a story is scrubbed

Once in a while, your greatest media relations fear is realized. A journalist covers your story – new product announcement, key funding round, etc. – but it never runs. This can be the result of the editor deciding there just isn’t enough “there there” or other, bigger news taking precedence. Whatever the cause, the best recourse is to have managed client expectations early on. The media are under no obligation to publish everything they express interest in and once in a while a story is scrubbed. The good news? Often the reporter who bears the bad news will feel encouraged to be receptive to your next query and a good relationship can come out of the situation.

When the story is great, but the headline isn’t

We once introduced a somewhat complicated new product feature for a tech client. A top publication wanted the exclusive and the reporter conducted an interview. Everything was perfect until we saw the misleading head. The reporter hadn’t really understood the concept so we thought if we provided some very clear explanations in a follow-up we might be able to get the title changed. In that case it worked. But that’s not always so. We were once told that a less-than-accurate headline for a B2B service story couldn’t be changed because the online pub had “set keywords we have to use in titles to grab readers.” We still say it’s always worth a try.

A Journalist’s POV: Questions From A PR Team

Posted on by Marijane Funess

iraapfel pr

Helping craft an executive’s opinions into a compelling story for publication is a gratifying part of public relations work. The best outcomes come from good relationships with discerning editors, such as Ira Apfel of the highly respected AFP (Association for Financial Professionals) publications, with whom we have had the pleasure of working. Read on for Ira’s insightful answers to our “questions from a PR team.”

What should go into a subject line that will make you open a query? Do you have any good/bad examples to share?  Unless you have a really catchy phrase (fear usually works), a good subject line should simply state what’s in the message. Exclude as much technical jargon as possible and all clichés. Just tell me what I’m about to read. Maybe I’ll read it, maybe I won’t. But if I do read the email and the topic does not live up to the subject line’s promise, or if it makes no sense, or if it is simply boring, then I am less likely to open your next email to me.
Current subject-line trend that I HATE: “Does it make sense to discuss this, Ira?” No, it doesn’t. Go away.

What do you look for in a byline submission and what should interested writers avoid? Avoid talking about your turnkey product solution. I have a theory that every product is a perfect solution to some customer out there. What really makes a difference is customer service, and that includes the vendor’s knowledge about the customer’s business and industry. So when I read byline submissions – and I read every one that comes in assuming I get past the subject line – I want to see if you understand my readers and their challenges and have advice for them. My readers have said in survey after survey that they don’t want a product pitch; they want insights. Here’s the good news: It’s not uncommon for vendors or consultants to write articles for my publication and then be contacted by my readers looking for expert advice – not a perfect turnkey solution.

What are some dos and don’ts for “pitching” you a story for one of your pubs? Take five minutes to poke around my organization’s website to understand what we do and better hone your pitch. Every day I receive email pitches about personal financial planning articles. Problem is, my readers do business financial planning – budgeting and forecasting for companies. So a pitch like this will not only be deleted immediately, it will lower my perception of you and make me less likely to open your next email. If you do believe your pitch is a good one for my readers, tell me so. When I read submissions I always ask, “Why should my readers care? What’s new or different in this article that they’ll want to know?” If your pitch doesn’t answer those basic questions, you need to start over.

“Why should my readers care” – that should always be the first question asked and answered in any media relations outreach.

Flawless PR Execution: How To Avoid 8 Media Relations Mistakes

Posted on by Dorothy Crenshaw

Most successful PR campaigns have one thing in common – a sound strategy. That’s where the best communicators commit substantial time and energy in advance of a launch.

Yet PR programs most often falter in the execution. This is where a PR or media relations campaign is most likely to be derailed, or simply to miss important opportunities.  Here are some of the most avoidable PR and media relations mistakes.

No communication between PR, sales and marketing.  Nobody wants publicity to hit before the hot new product is available or to place a feature story with outdated information. Yet it happens. To avoid mishaps that waste or undermine great coverage, make sure that the media relations plan is mapped in concert with sales and marketing, and that all parties coordinate regularly after the strategy and messaging are finalized.  Distribution or price changes, local-market retail events—all should be communicated to the PR team. In the same way, sales needed to be informed of high-profile earned media coverage so they can take advantage of them with customers or retailers.

Complacency after the “big hit.”  Nailed a New York Times feature?  Funding announcement in TechCrunch?  Now the work begins.  Other media outlets who aren’t direct competitors will probably want to cover the story.  An early print media piece in an influential publication can be the beginning of a great run.  Remember, broadcast news and morning shows often get their guest ideas from print news, so it’s a mistake to think the job is done after a single triumphant story or segment.

A poor PR spokesperson.  A boring or unprepared brand spokesperson can stick a pin in a media interview faster than a deleted email pitch (see below).  Before any media contact, a spokesperson should be briefed on the opportunity and ready to tell the story in way that’s both natural and engaging. Don’t forget the pre-interview—typically conducted by a producer or PA to prep a broadcast segment. That’s an audition for the real thing, so don’t take it for granted.

Bad timing.  Meaning, late. This is the most mundane and probably the most common error in media pitching.  Timing is everything to a journalist, and the art of PR and media relations is in offering the story with enough lead time to take advantage of that seasonal news hook or to allow the chance to flesh out a piece with research and background interviews.  It’s a shame and a waste of talent to see a Labor Day story fall short because it’s late August already or to have your best sound bit go unused because someone waited to return a call.

Missing breaking news. This one’s an opportunity cost.  Piggybacking on a news story, or “newsjacking,” is made easier if you have a qualified expert – and if you act quickly.  You can bet that when news of the Ashley Madison hack hit, data security companies were offered for comment on the same day.  He who hesitates is the publicity loser.

Ignoring the media “exclusive.”  An “exclusive” means offering a key journalist first-use of a news item or interview.  It’s associated with major stories, but it applies equally to trade, B2B, and technology press.  The exclusive works well because the client often gets a larger story and the journalist gets it first.  Then a skilled PR and media relations pro will offer the news more broadly to maximize its reach.  Everybody wins.

Lazy pitching.   Sometimes the difference between an okay pitch and a great one comes down to research.  Diving into the category, the environment, the best customers, and the client’s own backstory is important.  With one of our startup clients, a colorful detail about an offer to sell his company to a competitor helped convince a fence-sitting reporter at the Wall Street Journal to dover his story.  It wouldn’t have come to light without a thorough debrief and some clever packaging.

Another lazy strategy is asking for coverage because “it would mean so much to the company.”  That’s unprofessional, and it’s a turnoff for any self-respecting journalist because if fails the most basic litmus test:  why should my readers/viewers care about this story?

Sloppy emails.  Spammy email practices are the top complaint of journalists flooded with bad PR apitches.  As the AOR (Agency of Record) for a group of technology content sites, we wade through hundreds of email pitches from PR people —a tedious but educational task.  Avoidable mistakes include the classic “Dear [XXX]”, (careless, and a red flag for any reporter who wants a personalized pitch); wrong names; multiple emails and wildly irrelevant pitches.  Time spent carefully vetting and prioritizing a list for a major story makes all the difference.

A version of this post originally ran on July 28, 2015 on MENGBlend.

5 Ways To Make That PR Strategy Decision

Posted on by Marijane Funess

Stymied by a leadership team who wants a strategic PR campaign but can’t articulate precise campaign goals or actions? It seems simple enough; the company is launching a new product or heading in a new direction, so the marketing folks want positive exposure. Now comes the hard part. Of course you’re seeking results that move the needle on new app downloads or web inquiries, but the program will live or die based on the strategy. If you’re faced with a team that can’t seem to form that strategy, try taking these steps.

Identify the true target. Some companies are eager to begin communicating before identifying their true target. For example, considering a consumer outreach campaign before achieving B2B buy-in. Smart counsel contends that rushing to market before setting the stage in the business and trade press can fail to generate consumer enthusiasm. Reaching this decision requires going the extra mile on target audience research to engage influencers and narrow-niche business press before going out to a broader audience.

Lead by example. Offer up some positive case studies in similar industries where a sharply honed PR strategy proved invaluable. For example, to improve an e-commerce company’s reputation in the nutrition space, the recommendation was to partner with a non-profit whose good works would provide a “halo effect” for the brand. Demonstrating positive results for another consumer product via a strategic alliance helped move management towards a decision.

Mold the messaging…and the messenger. The best messaging combines the company’s descriptive, internal language (not too jargony) with a PR pro’s appropriate turn of phrase, or “pithiness” where warranted. For example, when introducing a new medical device based on an old technology – ultrasound – a team we worked with coined the phrase “sustained acoustic medicine” or “sam.” The simple new terminology helped make the product and the message fresh. It also helped inform our choices for company spokespeople, both internal and external, from the dynamic young company co-founder to medical professionals with a similar profile.

Bring something new to the table. As the strategy begins to take shape, can your team bring one bold idea to the group to amplify? Real-time, near daily developments in social media make it the perfect category in which many companies can innovate. Find the perfect way to bring a corporate or product story to life, perhaps with video. Consider ephemeral Snapchat videos like these examples from GE’s recent #DRONEweek, or breathe new life into a Facebook campaign the way online retailer Chubbies is doing with its humorous 30-second spots.

Know what success looks like. Although KPIs vary from company to company and campaign to campaign, setting achievable PR metrics at the outset is always key. Start with quality media placements that deliver on message and SOV. Consider where the stories appeared – all the great placements in the world are of little value if your target doesn’t see or hear them. Most importantly, look at what business results can be tied back to media exposure – can a story be directly linked to a boost in website traffic? Result in social shares or a higher Klout score? Were downloads increased? Ideally these outcomes can be tracked back to a PR-related source. Include social shares in your metrics calculations as well.
Modern PR is less “static” and more dynamic than ever – and it all starts with a solid strategy.

6 Courses Colleges Should Teach PR Students

Posted on by Marijane Funess

Effective writing and media relations will always be mainstays of college public relations courses, but the business is always evolving, so curricula must do the same to produce the next generation of consumer or tech PR professionals. I recently gave a lecture on “real world” PR to a class of college juniors and was surprised that the coursework still focuses on securing traditional media. Here are some courses we’d like to see the forward-thinking professors offer their students.

Content Creation: Owned, Earned, Paid, Shared. At one time public relations was narrowly defined by traditional media relations, but that’s a bygone model. Today’s PR students need to know about the concentric circles that make up the different kinds of content that can promote brand visibility. In a nutshell, earned media refers to traditional media as well as blogger relations. Shared includes everything from online influencer engagement to social media platforms. Owned encompasses content under corporate control, like websites, white papers, or a Facebook page. Paid includes sponsored posts, tweets and lead generation. All categories overlap and share a common nexus that is “authority” – the right voice to tell the story.

Social Media Strategies. Sure, college students use Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook every day for personal use, but successful PR grads have to learn how to use the platforms to connect companies with customers. It’s imperative to know which channel best benefits which product/service – Instagram for food porn or travel lust, LinkedIn for exec bylines or career development, for example.  The social media landscape changes daily, it seems, so smart students also need to stay abreast of developments such as Snapchat’s new partnership in Truffle Pig, an agency that will offer a range of creative and content services.

Video Production. Much as today’s broadcast journalists have become their own “camera-people,” the savvy PR student needs to master the craft as well. The immediacy of video means being prepared to capture both staged moments (press interviews; company events) as well as genuinely spontaneous encounters or those that try to be, such as this effort from Gillette/Venus that may just try too hard.

Reading 101. Even if you don’t want to read this study on the positive cognitive effects of reading, suffice to say that nothing improves your writing more than reading. Students need to read everything – sure, they might think Buzzfeed supplies all they need to know – but branching into reading great literary or film criticism, well-constructed Op-Ed pieces and, you know, books, will all help make one a superior writer.

Writing for business. Many PR classes focus on journalistic writing, particularly press releases. Yet, every year more and more journalists and industry types question its relevance. What is never irrelevant is good, concise business writing. Whether it’s crafting a carefully worded missive to a testy business associate, trying to sell in a pricey plan to a marketing partner or simply setting up a meeting with a complicated agenda, PR students need to learn the basics of business writing.

Art of business relationships. Something else in public relations classes that goes untaught, the fine art of establishing and keeping good business relations. This can include thoughts on how to network, how to set up and run productive meetings and even the mastering of social skills. 


Download Now



Top Tips For A Successful PR Media Tour

Posted on by Eri Mizobe

As PR agency professionals we rely heavily on digital communication, but face-to-face interactions like “deskside” meetings can be invaluable. A well-executed media tour, or series of one-on-one meetings with journalists, can establish genuine, long-term relationships. While the media might not become your new weekend brunch besties (although maybe down the line!), deskside visits help you and your brand stay top of mind. Here are some tips for a successful media tour.

Schedule meetings smartly. Propose a few specific dates so editors can let you know right away if they’re available. Look up travel times between meetings and add at least 15 minutes for leeway. Double-check your routes; remember, Google Maps is not infallible!

Do your research. Compile an itinerary, and a concise overview of the reporter’s beat, his or her background, recent articles and details of the publication. Familiarize yourself with the publications and develop a solid grasp of news within relevant industries so you can carry a knowledgeable conversation.

Overprepare. Your client or spokesperson should understand the goals of the desksiders and feel comfortable addressing questions, including tough ones. If the product is complex, make sure they can explain it in simple terms by rehearsing beforehand. If your meeting involves a product demo, obviously it should be tweaked, tuned, or otherwise prepped, and be sure to check the wireless connection at your destination where possible.

Overcommunicate. Confirm meetings the day before, even if you’re sure that everything is lined up. If you’re running more than five minutes late, let the editor know. Ask editors if they have a hard stop, and politely inform them if you do. If you’re with a colleague and one of you tends to be chatty, agree upon a subtle or overt signal on when to wrap up.

Pack mindfully. As a PR rep, you are there primarily to enable the media relationship, but any small emergency will fall to you as well. Besides hard copies of the briefing book, consider bringing items like tissues, an extra portable phone battery, water, mints, granola bars or other snacks, and an umbrella. If driving, check small details like loading your EZ-Pass for cash-free toll roads or researching public parking near your destinations.

Be engaged. All that attention to small details beforehand will help you stay focused during the meeting, contribute where appropriate, and keep your spokesperson steered in the right direction if the conversation veers off. Pay special attention to your client or spokesperson’s comfort level and responses, and offer constructive feedback after each meeting to help prepare for the next one.

Follow up and stay in touch. Send thank-you notes the day after, either by email or snail mail. If editors requested additional materials, share in a timely manner. Let them know you enjoyed meeting them and would like to know about potential pieces. Connect via LinkedIn or Twitter – check in occasionally to see what they’re working on!

Don’t panic. Inevitably, things won’t go exactly as planned. Think quickly and remain confident, or at least pretend to be! Once, in the midst of conversing with a client, I realized I was leading us towards a different subway station than I had planned. Thankfully, I managed to improvise the route to our next desksider without my client noticing. No matter what, keep smiling, remain calm, and stay focused on your goal.

5 Reasons To Hire A PR Firm Today

Posted on by Marijane Funess

Thirty thousand new products are launched each year and 95% fail – for reasons as varied as bad timing, a cluttered market or just a poorly conceived idea. But one thing many successful new products have in common is a focused, well executed marketing plan that includes public relations. A good PR plan is never a panacea, but a sound, strategic campaign for a new product or service can help build brand awareness and positive word-of-mouth as well as help fuel trial. Here are five reasons companies need to consider hiring a PR firm today.

PR can tell the most in-depth story.  A typical article on a news website is about 800 words. A radio or TV interview might be three minutes. Each illustrates the rich and varied opportunities a PR placement provides to get into the fine points of a new entry and help explain how your product is different from the competition.

PR can turn on a dime. Got breaking news about your product or service? Nothing can move more quickly than PR person with a pitch and a press release! Unlike advertising with its multiple iterations, often lengthy approval and purchasing processes- once the client and the agency have approved the message and direction, the good, well-worded query to a reporter can produce results in the time it takes you to read this post!

PR begets more PR. Once an effective PR angle catches fire with one media outlet, others will want to cover. Yes, this is an open secret among professionals. So it follows that the savvy PR person takes the first coverage and tweaks the accompanying pitch to broaden the interest. For example, broadcast outlets may not be interested until a story hits print and a good vertical hit can often presage more general market media.

PR can extend a modest marketing budget creatively and with flair.  A good PR campaign can attract attention through so many cost-effective vehicles! The best campaigns have some combination of  kick-off “event” (though it may not be a physical press briefing) or clever deliveries to media as well as ongoing outreach that “slices and dices” business, trade, and consumer angles to extend coverage. Of course, the bloggers warrant their own PR efforts and a campaign targeting lifestyle, tech or other bloggers can be implemented very reasonably.

PR is the gift that keeps on giving. Every new line extension, company expansion or customer acquisition can be a reason to communicate to the right press. But the catch here is that earned media coverage can have a long gestation period. So, it pays to start early, and the benefit is that coverage often continues after the program concludes. A forward-thinking PR team is always looking for the next story and knows how to continuously “reboot” and give media a new angle to cover a company story.

Are we biased? Of course! But look around, there’s plenty of evidence that, with the right strategy and the proper team, PR is a wise marketing investment.