Tag: public relations

The Best PR Agency Horror Stories

Posted on by Dorothy Crenshaw

Whether you work in public relations or another service business, you probably have  your own horror stories. Today is the day to reflect on the scary moments of PR and how to avoid them – or just enjoy them, knowing that they’ll make a good story someday. Here are some of our scariest PR agency tales.

A priority press briefing — in an empty room

The pandemic shutdown was awful in many ways, but at least we didn’t have to worry about attendance at press events. As any PR person knows, you should be judicious about media events. And if you do decide on an announcement press conference, always book a smaller room than necessary, and be sure to manage client and stakeholder expectations about media attendance.

Yet, bad things still happen to good PR people. You do everything right in planning and hosting a press event, and nobody shows up. Years ago, when I was confronted with the empty press room as a young Account Supervisor, my boss ordered me to call a few people back at the office and make them come out to impersonate reporters. (We talked him out of it in the end.) And as wrong as that was, I understand the panic of a press briefing where no one shows. What can  you do? Not much, except avoid avoid letting an entire campaign hinge on an event. In today’s fragmented media environment, media attendance is rarely guaranteed.

The terrible, awful, no-good, very bad spokesperson

PR teams typically have a voice in the selection and preparation of a television media spokesperson for their campaign. But, what if the logical media spokesperson is the founder, and the founder can’t communicate? One team I was on spent days messaging, rehearsing, and scripting a client company founder, only to see one bungled interview after another. Despite best efforts, the founder responded to normal business questions with meandering, evasive answers peppered with statistics that weren’t true! The overall impression was terrible, and to make matters worse, no one wanted to tell him. Things improved only after we brought in an outside spokesperson for hire. But the damage was done.

Ghosted by that nice prospect

There a reason why we call radio silence after a new account pitch “ghosting” – because it’s horrifying. Everyone’s been in this situation. You decide to respond to a big RFP, you do your research and put forth best efforts to pitch and win the business. The chemistry is good! They laugh at your jokes and nod at your ideas! After a couple of weeks you hear — nothing. All your emails or calls seem to fall into a black hole.

What happened? Sometimes the company decides against retaining a PR firm, but they forget to tell you. Occasionally they’re not serious or just shopping for ideas (the worst.) Or maybe they just can’t handle telling the truth. Either way, it’s probably a sign to be more careful in evaluating the next RFP.

Gasp…there’s no there, there!

This could be a well-meaning client who wants to burnish their story with empty claims. Or it may be the enthusiastic founder who’s prone to exaggeration. Sometimes it’s a large and risk-averse company in a regulated industry that’s scared to release information. There’s either nothing the PR team can use as a story, or the client doesn’t want to tell it for mysterious reasons. If this disturbing problem persists, the client relationship will be short. The only way to avoid it is to ask the right questions at the asset, dig for answers and assets that make a difference, and hope for the best. For tips on getting to the heart of an elusive business story, see this post.

The devil’s in the details

A former colleague called in this story. She once led media outreach for a multi-city event for a men’s grooming product with a big budget and even bigger expectations. After securing interest in a particular market, she followed up with full information in the form of a media alert. — or so she thought. It turned out the details she shared were for an event that had taken place the week before, so the local press missed hers. As terrifying as it was, the situation had a happy ending of sorts. It seems the assignment editor was amused by the snafu and wrote about the event after the fact, resulting in a very good story. Lesson learned: the devil’s always in the details. Pay attention to the small stuff.

How To Run A Status Call Like A Boss: PR Tips

Posted on by Veronica Amenta

Regular “touch-base” calls are a PR agency staple. They’re typically how we sync up with a client, report on progress, and highlight opportunities within a PR engagement or program.

Weekly or biweekly meetings are not just markers of progress, though. They’re also how we get face time with team members and clients, develop a mutual rapport, and generally show our value. So how can PR teams run top-notch calls with the brands and teams they support – whether external or within the same organization?

First, cover the basics 

Before showing your strategic genius, nail the basics. The agenda should be brief, but it must cover all pending action items, the status of each, and relevant deadlines. Make sure it’s up-to-date; it’s easy to miss updates if you’re covering some of the same agenda items from week to week. Share the agenda with all parties at least an hour before the call. (Some teams will want it a day in advance, but we work on tight deadlines and like to make sure we capture any late-breaking items.) A last scan through the week’s emails and DMs is a good way to ensure everything is included.

Be punctual

Since many meetings happen on a video platform, it’s a good idea to log on a minute or two before the meeting begins to make sure everything is working.  Frequent lateness is unprofessional and creates the impression that you’re just squeezing things in rather than committing quality time.

Strive for full team participation

It’s our philosophy that each PR team member should have a speaking role in the meeting. That means all team members listen and stay engaged in the conversation. If a team member is very junior or new to the project, they can still participate with a little preparation. Once the call is over, always share a list of action items of deliverables from both sides to make sure next steps are clear and everyone is accountable.

Go beyond tactics

A PR agency is typically brought on to do more than secure media coverage. Often brands are looking for strategic guidance on how the PR or comms plan fits into their marketing calendar. Or, they may want to discuss how to make the biggest splash possible with any upcoming announcements. If a brand is new to PR or unfamiliar with the ins-and-outs of media relations, it’s time to walk through key items like announcement strategies, timelines and anticipated results.

Make the agenda tight, but not too tight

Long meetings are deadly, so we like a tight agenda. It’s helpful to include links to original planning documents to refresh everyone’s memory on goals and strategies that don’t need to be covered weekly. Yet for some calls we’ve created an agenda section that includes a couple of relevant articles from the week. It typically sparks a few minutes of discussion where we speak about trends, competitive moves, or good topics for rapid response pitches. An item that breaks the discussion from the day-to-day routine for a few minutes can be very useful for ideas, commentary, or just team alignment. Another useful agenda item – but only when used sparingly – is a 15-minute brainstorm for new ideas.

Share your expertise

Most meetings are opportunities to share timelines, potential targets and expected results – as well as the thinking behind those items. For example, PR teams have options for handling news. For an announcement, we may choose an “exclusive” approach, an “embargo” or a broad media outreach. To announce funding, we’ll typically take an exclusive approach followed by an embargo leading up to the launch date. This helps guarantee top-tier media coverage.

A half-hour sync meeting doesn’t need to delve into the process behind every decision, but we like to share our thinking to show value. A client might not know that we had a full team discussion about media strategy or messaging, but if they weren’t part of it, they should.

Troubleshoot

The agency-client partnership means being honest when it comes to ideas or tactics that aren’t working. PR teams should be candid if an approach isn’t successful, and be ready to offer alternatives. For example, we had a client that conducted a survey and when they shared the data we realized it wasn’t likely to attract media interest. After a discussion we were able to offer new ideas for data that were incorporated into the survey to strengthen its media appeal.

Add value 

For PR agencies, it’s second nature to want to show value, but it’s equally important for internal teams. Opportunities often arise beyond the typical quarterly plan, because the news cycle is always shifting. PR teams should look out for relevant angles and come prepared to each weekly call with potential new story ideas, or topics to brainstorm. This can be pivotal in driving sustained results and highlighting value.

Be curious

Flagging emerging news angles for rapid response can generate quick PR wins. The status call is an opportunity to ask questions about developments in certain areas of a business (e.g. hirings, product news, or case studies) that can be used to create news.

Brainstorming can also involve discussions with brand executives to get their POV for potential bylines or pitch ideas. The end of the year is a great time to pick an executive’s brain for 2023 predictions in their industry as many reporters typically run these types of stories in Q4.

Showcase your offerings

Status calls can offer a way to showcase new ways of enhancing media relations activities. Conference and award submissions, social media support, media training, analyst relations, long-form content development, research and events may apply here. It’s not a time to oversell or be pushy, but a way to flag the value of integrated offerings.

Overall, status calls are much more than updates from the previous week. When used well, a PR team can truly show their end-to-end value and 360-degree offerings as a company.

Press Release Quotes Don’t Have To Be Bad: A PR View

Posted on by Dorothy Crenshaw

A PR professional recently predicted the “death of the release quote” for 2023 on Twitter. If only.

Bland executive quotes are one of my all-time PR pet peeves. First of all, every news release doesn’t need to include a quote. And for releases that do need them, they’re too often overlong, boring, or repetitive. “We’re delighted to announce this partnership,” is a typical CEO comment. Of course the CEO thinks it’s a good thing. But how does it add to the story? Why not speak in more tangible terms about what the announcement means?

Here are my informal guidelines for making the PR world a better place through better executive quotes in press releases.

Add to the story

It bears repeating. If you’re announcing that two companies are partnering, don’t have the principals simply rehash what’s happening. Speak to the anticipated outcome, in specific terms. Name the strengths the partner brings to the table, or articulate the rationale for entering into it. Use words that add news value rather than simply taking up space.  “Awesome Data Co’s advanced data quality metrics will add a powerful new dimension to the insights we offer marketing clients, helping them drive engagement and making budgets work harder.” Or something like that.

Don’t be afraid to editorialize

Some of my PR peers disagree with me on this one, but if there’s ever an opportunity to editorialize in an otherwise factual news release, it’s with a quote. That’s the whole point of speaking on the record, after all. While the release should be written in journalistic style and contain the details of who, what when, etc., the quote is the color. Why not craft a comment that contains a metaphor, a bold prediction, or a milestone reached? It’s far more likely to be used, or to push a reporter to ask for a fresh comment from the company spokesperson.

Be visual

If there’s no way to comment in concrete terms about outcomes, a visual metaphor highlighting an aspect of the story can work. The same holds true in media interviews, where a visual quote is more likely to be used. One example we use in ad tech client trainings is a sentence like, “Compared to the black box offered by our data-analytics competitors, our process is a ‘glass box’ of transparency.” That one’s industry-specific, so not as exciting as a general news quote, but it evokes a mental image. I’m not sure who originally said, “Data is the new oil,” but the fact that so many people claim it is a sign of how powerful it is, and part of that power is visual.

Make it pithy

Similarly, an executive quote that goes on for a full paragraph and simply recaps the news in different words is not only repetitive, but boring. If you end up distributing the release on a newswire service, it’s also expensive. Instead, think about how the news solves problems or answers a need. A simple example: “Over 80 percent of single parents worry about how to pay for their children’s college education. This new financial literacy program is designed to turn that anxiety into action.”

Don’t quote everyone

If possible, don’t crowd the release with too many quotes. My personal rule is that no more than two executives should be quoted in a given news release. Of course this becomes tricky when announcing a partnership or joint venture involving more than two companies, and there are often internal, political reasons why stakeholders like board members are quoted. But in those cases, a quote sheet can be developed and sent as an attachment for media who want it.

Limit industry jargon

In the ad tech sector, where we work, jargon is practically a necessary evil. But even if you have to throw a few acronyms or buzzwords into the lead paragraph, it doesn’t mean the quote should contain them. In fact, shorter, punchier language is nearly always better and more quotable. A public quote works best when it addresses the story through the three “e”s – enlighten, explain, or evoke (an emotion or an image.)

How To Get A Fast Start On Your PR Campaign

Posted on by Sasha Dookhoo

At a top PR agency, winning a new client is when the real work starts. The same is true for internal PR or communications teams as they begin a new campaign. From understanding the sector or project, to organizing onboardings, media lists and pitches, startup can be a whirlwind. But, in many cases, a quick start for a new campaign or client helps build a long and successful relationship. It generates confidence, builds momentum, and drives enthusiasm on all sides.

Prep for the startup meeting

In tech PR, we like to say that there are no ‘silly questions;’ yet, many know it doesn’t hold true after a time. Despite the fact that tech moves like lightning, as PR pros, we’re expected to be knowledgeable about the sectors or industries we serve. When starting a new engagement, the kickoff call is a way to get the silly questions out of the way as the team soaks up critical background info.

On this initial call, the PR team should be a sponge. It’s the time to understand PR goals as well as business goals, and agree on how success will be measured for the program. The kickoff also serves to showcase team expertise and depth of understanding, both of the sector and of our trade. In advance of this meeting, study the landscape, key competitors, the plan or proposal (if it exists), and key assets for the client. A thorough review before the kickoff meeting will enable a more fruitful discussion, more pointed questions, and a deeper dive into the company’s background and its nuances. For more pointers about what to ask and how to gather assets, see Cliff’s post about startup protocol.

Go for “quick wins”

An earned media opportunity early in an engagement – even during week one! – goes a long way to build a strong partnership, especially for a new collaboration. The team should consider tapping friendly editors to see what they’re working on and how the client or stakeholders may be a resource. Perhaps they’re interested in a Q&A with the CEO or need a subject-matter expert for an upcoming story. These are all ways to land the first win and wow the client.

Reactive media opportunities can also help drive that first story. Every PR team should be following relevant industry news and updates daily, as the window for a strong newsjack is quite short. A review of existing content such as blogs, case studies and even growth stories and metrics can inspsire the first proactive pitch to drive an early earned media story.

Pay attention to details

Media lists may sound tedious, but a thoughtful approach to list-building can make all the difference in the progress of the media program. It’s key to ensure each editor or producer on the list is aligned with the sector, relevant industry topics, or issues that can be addressed by SMEs (subject-matter experts), which is critical in B2B PR. A keen look at reporter requests through HARO can also help move the needle for quick media opportunities.

The PR plan is usually the first piece of collateral a team shares with the client for review, so it should be well organized. The plan must include topics and publications that are relevant to the industry and important for company messaging. It should also provide context to reflect how the business or brand fits into the industry as well as adjacent niche stories they can address. Proactive angles must be timely and creative to resonate with media, but they should also align with key company messaging in order to support business goals.

Show your spirit

As PR professionals, we aim to surprise and delight our clients by showing proactivity and eagerness to work with them. But, the excitement of starting anew wears off swiftly. This is another reason why quick wins drive early momentum. Story research and proactive media outreach can happen simultaneously with onboarding. That first win is one big step, but a steady cadence of media opportunities will keep things running smoothly and support a productive partnership that generates glowing reviews. And, that positive word of mouth, in turn, can lead to a valuable reputation for good work and more wins in the future.

3 Streaming Trends PR Pros Should Watch

Posted on by Caty Posey

Streaming is booming. From the powerhouse Netflix, to more niche apps like horror channel Shudder, Connected TV (CTV), and Over the Top (OTT) usage has become a part of everyday life. There are now well over 200 streaming services available today with 85% of U.S. households having at least one video streaming service subscription. That makes things more interesting, and possibly more complicated, for those who work in PR for ad tech and entertainment brands. 

With advertisers taking notice of the growth, there’s been an uptick in brands adding streaming to their media ad spend strategy, resulting in more streaming-specific PR goals for adtech providers. In fact, it was reported that CTV ad spending is expected to increase to 40% by the end of this year, totaling over $14.4B, with it being forecasted to reach $29.5B by 2024. 

Even with the increase in spending, the advertising environment for streaming is still working out issues related to measurement and fragmentation of platforms. Effective navigation of the space is critical for the key players who want to establish a leadership position in the category and get ahead of the competition.

Here are three key trends PR professionals in media and ad tech need to be aware of while developing strategy.

AVOD channels increasing their reach

Subscriber fatigue is real and has been seen firsthand with Netflix losing a whopping 1 million users in Q2 2022. Deloitte Global even predicted that at least 150 million paid subscriptions for subscription-based video-on-demand (SVOD) channels will be canceled by the year’s end. We are seeing an increase of advertising-based video-on-demand (AVOD) channels, such as HappyKids, and Fawesome, popularity leading to adjustments ad strategies. A channel that had a small audience number last year, may have had an explosion in growth this year. By staying aware of where the viewers are, brands are able to adjust campaign strategies to meet the market. 

With many turning to AVOD channels to meet their entertainment needs, brands are fighting it out to capture these highly competitive ad spots. Large SVOD channels have since begun to pivot their strategy, turning to a hybrid business model. This, in turn, is leading to an even greater pool of streaming ad inventory.

The rise of subscription tiers 

Early this year, we saw Netflix and Disney+ announce plans to offer subscription tiers. By dipping their toes into the AVOD market, these previously SVOD-only services are hoping these new pricing options attract subscribers while adding advertising to their revenue stream. While the new ad options provide a lower price tag for viewers whose wallets are tightening, some view it as a step back into the dark days of cable. 

Another risk of rising inventory is ad saturation. Ad-supported CTV/OTT need to stay vigilant to prevent the streaming ad space from bursting, sending viewers in the opposite direction. Equally important, PR people who position executives for speaking and content opportunities must ensure they approach the space with up-to-the-minute knowledge.

Growth of CTV/OTT ad tech

CTV/OTT ad budgets have been rising to keep up with the increase in media consumption. We see this in the current political season in which CTV spend is predicted to reach $1.4B. The increase has in turn sparked new innovations in the technology. We’ve also seen an increase in solution and agency partners as well. Buying CTV is quite different from linear as it’s much more granular and requires deep audience knowledge. This is why having the right partner will ensure ad dollars are being effectively spent.

These three top trends are shaping the streaming landscape and, thus, its communications. But it’s a fast-moving space, so stay tuned for future developments! 

How Industry Speaking Opps Drive Thought Leadership

Posted on by Jordan Farbowitz

While many people think that a PR agency’s responsibilities boil down to announcements and media placement, we can’t discount the power of thought leadership for business executives, especially for B2B companies. 

Content is one of the engines for thought leadership, and there are many ways to get the story out, from posting on the company website to being a part of a group like the Forbes Business Council. But one of the best ways to drive influence and visibility for business leaders is to secure earned speaking engagements for them. While some events are pay-to-play, meaning a company has to sponsor the event to secure a slot, there are plenty of conferences that are open to all in the industry. Here’s why earned speaking opportunities are an important PR program element.

Exposure in the right environment

The exposure that results from a keynote or panel opportunity is especially important for leaders at companies that are not household names outside of their industries. Sharing a stage with prominent names offers exposure to prospects, partners, and media.

can also use conferences to elevate people lower down on the totem pole that still have ideas to share, ones that might have otherwise gone unheard. Speaking opportunities are not just for the highest of the higher-ups and it’s a great opportunity to give people a voice.

Credibility

Many executives are subject-matter experts, but they may not have had the chance to showcase their expertise to a large audience. Speaking at an event offers instant credibility and a chance to build a reputation as an expert resource. People will then be interested in what they have to say and what they can offer, which once again can lead to new business opportunities.

PR opportunities

Thought leadership can very easily go hand-in-hand with press releases and media placement, bringing together three main elements of PR programs. Because trade and business media typically cover the conferences and trade shows in their categories, a speaking slot can drive exposure to media and thus, interviews and features. A speaking gig can easily turn into a media story, with the PR team offering commentary to media or using a presentation to weigh in on a relevant issue. Additionally, the PR team can write a news release about the speech or post it on the company site to garner clicks and exposure. 

Great company

Speaking opportunities are more than just getting a leader on a stage. It allows them to participate in meaningful networking sessions where they meet peers with whom they can share knowledge and business tips. Conferences can be massive brainstorming sessions, and businesses can miss out on valuable contacts and insight if they’re absent. Of course, business leaders will attend relevant conferences even if they’re not speakers, but they gain extra prestige if they’re on stage, and being positioned with successful industry figures lends weight to their ideas and business brand.

Content that has legs

Just as it sparks PR opportunities, content offered at an event is often high-quality or even provocative stuff that can be repurposed for marketing and visibility down the line. It can be used in direct marketing, particularly email newsletters, press materials, sales presentations, and internal sessions. And of course, it adds to the executive’s speaking portfolio that builds their case to speak at more events, which then leads to more PR opportunities.

There’s no doubt that a strong thought leadership strategy that results in consistent and high-level industry exposure can help turn an emerging company into a more visible brand and an established brand into a category leader.

Triggers, Myths And Archetypes For Powerful PR Storytelling

Posted on by Dorothy Crenshaw

A prospective client, an entrepreneur, was explaining why his company was looking for a PR firm.  The meeting was pretty routine until he mentioned that his new tech product was born of his great personal frustration with current software. Now, business software isn’t a sexy category, but never mind. The words that stayed with me were “born of frustration.” It was an emotional trigger.

In some ways, good storytelling is like fine art or even obscenity. People struggle to define it, but they insist, “I’ll know it when I see it.”

For me that day, the entrepreneur’s frustration caught my interest because it’s familiar. That simple beginning signaled a good story to come, because an emotional penny dropped and I wanted to hear more. The rest of the conversation made me think of the ways that traditional storytelling techniques and myths offer opportunities for communicators, especially in public relations.

PR’s own “hero’s journey”

Most of the stories PR and marketing campaigns craft for brands are familiar to students of Joseph Campbell, author of The Hero’s Journey, or Christopher Booker’s Seven Basic Plots. The Hero’s Journey has endured for a reason; we can all identify. The same goes for the classic David vs. Goliath tale and the rags-to-riches myth. We’ve heard those stories since childhood.

Those of us in PR and media relations have typically focused on identifying stories for someone else to tell – usually a reporter. But with the growth of branded content, our role has expanded. We’ve moved from targeting storytellers to telling the stories ourselves. So, like the hero of old who sets off on a quest that will test his abilities, we must rise to the occasion.

The good news is that the classic storytelling archetypes never go out of style. Here’s how they can help.

Facing the monster

Look at any superhero film to grasp this one. It goes back to ancient Greece but is still powerful. But how to translate it into business terms?  At its center is conflict. A startup is looking to take on a behemoth. A business leader is challenged by a personal disability or a lack of resources. Or, an everyman bucks a company or industry. It can be an ordinary Joe or the brilliant misfit who struggles to carve his own path. Examples are everywhere.  Thomas Edison failed 1000 times before succeeding. Beset by the demise of the DVD, Netflix cofounder Reed Hastings realized his model had to transform or die, and transform it did.

The “frustration” line that triggered my thought is what Kevin Rogers calls the “rebel yell” statement. It can be mild or strong, but it’s about being fed up and wanting to make a better product/company/workplace/world.  This works into the “monster” archetype as well as the quest, below.

The quest

This one is the quintessential myth and has many variants. It can be the classic entrepreneur’s quest for funding, for traction, or even for survival. We see it in the stories told by many high-growth technology businesses. It pays dividends because there’s some kind of quest at any and every stage. An entrepreneur might find early success in reaching growth milestones, only to see his business stall. Or, an established company (like IBM) seeks to reconnect with its heritage and adapt to a changing marketplace. Nvidia cofunder Jensen Huang, having weathered supply-chain shocks and market volatility brought about by the COVID pandemic, recently reflected on his personal journey. “Nobody would have believed it. First, you have to believe it, and then you have to help other people believe it. It could be a very long journey, but that’s okay.”

To hell and back: the voyage

Students of the Odyssey will recognize this one. It’s a little distinct from the quest because the hero undergoes a harrowing adventure but finds his way home and — most importantly — is changed by the experience. Think Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. The protagonist is left with a changed value system or a new outlook. The most famous business example? After Steve Jobs was fired from his own company, he bought a graphics division from Lucasfilm that became Pixar before returning to Apple with a new view of the market and a fresh determination to transform it.

Rags to riches

This overlaps with “the quest” but is typically about the fruits of success and the reinvention that follows. Serial entrepreneurs like Elon Musk fall into this category. So do socially minded CEOs like Howard Schultz or Marc Benioff, who leverage unimaginable success to write new chapters for their business or to create wholly new ventures.

Riches to rags

Sallie Krawcheck has been called the most powerful woman on Wall Street. But when the former Citigroup and Bank of America executive launched Ellevest, a digital financial advisor for women, she tapped into her own investing mistakes. Krawcheck wove a narrative around her failure to sell her considerable Citibank stock when she knew she should have, resulting in headlines like, “How Sallie Krawcheck lost 80 Percent of Her Net Worth.” It’s a compelling story and a perfect platform for her new company.

Comedy

Comedy can translate into an irreverent company culture or an upstart attitude of irony. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that can have strong appeal. Brands who’ve embraced this archetype range from the friendly, yet sophisticated Warby Parker, to insurance providers like Geico and Allstate, who are willing to poke fun at their own industries.

Tragedy

A true tragedy is tough unless it has an upbeat or transformative ending. But stories with a tragic turn are powerful, especially if they morph into a call-to-action. We represent a tech company whose founder started the company after narrowly escaping a fatal terrorist bombing while vacationing in Israel. He rarely spoke about the incident but when he did, it was part of the transformation tale that pushed him to change his life and career.

The comeback

This is every business or individual that has weathered a reputation crisis, economic downturn or other near-death experience. It can be self-inflicted or driven by external forces, but it’s usually some of both. The most famous example, again, may be that of Apple and the professional and personal rebound of Steve Jobs. But history has plenty of other examples, from Marvel, which weathered bankruptcy only to hit pay dirt with the Spider Man franchise, to Best Buy, which created an omnichannel strategy out of the retail apocalypse of the last decade. Then there are the stories of resilience and adroitness through the COVID pandemic — Kroger and competitors pivoted to home delivery of groceries; fitness chains jumped into livestreaming; and luxury hotels offered day passes to people working from home. Not all thrived, but most survived. And each now has a powerful narrative behind them.

After all, who doesn’t love a good comeback story?

 

Have a story to tell? Contact us to learn more about working with our B2B tech PR firm. 

How Strategic PR Supports Employer Branding

Posted on by Dorothy Crenshaw

As the “Great Resignation” gives way to “Quiet Quitting,” worker engagement and employer branding is bigger than ever, and so is the PR that drives it.

That wasn’t always the case. Time was, we’d have a full-blown PR strategy meeting, and employee recruitment would be in an internal comms section, reduced to a single bullet point in a slide deck. Or it would be siloed in the HR department, who never spoke with PR or communications.

Today, employer branding is a business imperative. For any organization that prizes an engaged workforce and recruitment of talented and committed employees, their image as an employer is a make-or-break proposition. And the right PR program can amplify the efforts and outcomes for most organizations. Here’s what to keep in mind.

C-Level visibility is a talent magnet

A charismatic CEO is a powerful employer branding asset. So is a strong roster of articulate C-level executives. The CEO is often the public face of the enterprise, especially for entrepreneurial companies, so their participation is critical to successful employer PR. C-level thought leadership, driven by major media and conference speaking opportunities for senior leaders, sends a compelling message to employees and prospective recruits. It typically results in quality coverage on the business pages of news outlets that conveys the values, vision, and future plans of the organization. It can also humanize it through the real-life stories of the successful execs that have climbed the ranks over time. Who doesn’t want to work with business rockstars?

PR showcases workplace culture, credibly

In a candidate-driven market, culture matters. Talented employees are attracted to a standout workplace experience. That used to mean free lunches and a pet-friendly office, but today it’s more likely to reflect a sense of purpose, or a signature quality like innovation or inclusiveness. Most tech PR campaigns, for example, focus on innovative products. But a more robust PR program will highlight the very culture, processes, and workers behind that great product or service. Talented tech workers like engineers and programmers want to be part of a culture that fosters innovation, and the real-life narratives can be very persuasive. GE has been telling the story of its engineering talent for years through social content, with great success. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has been open about his company’s need for drastic cultural change to recapture its own heritage of innovation. The same tactics can work for startups and SMBs.

External recognition drives interest

Awards and honors are another piece of the PR picture that work hard to add luster to an organization’s image and support its recruiting. Best Places to Work, 40 Under 40, Women to Watch, Entrepreneur of the Year — there are a wealth of lists and awards that will not only make a splash but be searchable for months and years. A smart internal or external PR team will invest the time to scout for opportunities and craft entries to win external recognition, often in concert with Human Resources. Entering many of these awards takes a heavy lift, so it’s essential to put in a consistent effort and to be strategic in selecting the opportunities that make sense and are worth the time and effort. But there’s nothing like the credibility of a prestigious workplace award or the recognition earned by employees.

PR and HR are better together

Even the most brilliant PR team can’t transform a destructive or problematic culture, nor should it. If the stories and messaging put out by PR don’t match the employee experience, the effort is wasted, or worse, it can backfire. That’s why the HR and PR functions should work together. This is particularly important for an external PR firm. An outside agency will bring the benefits of objectivity and experience, but it won’t know the company’s DNA. At the outset, both teams should be privy to how current employees and prospective recruits perceive the company. They should review core values to identify gaps with a company’s policies and reward systems, or the actual experience of current employees.

The full recruiting experience, from ads to interviews to job offer, is obviously key to company perception, as is the pace and cadence of its processes. (How often have you heard stories of people who feel disrespected by multiple rounds of interviews, followed by….silence?) Every link in that chain should reflect well on the organization and be consistent with the culture PR is boasting about. Any red flags — negative comments on Glassdoor, an uptick in job rejections, or a change in employee survey results, for example — are cause for greater scrutiny and quick escalation. PR can’t prevent bad reviews or complaints, but it can encourage happy employees to share their experiences. More importantly, it can work with HR to identify and address any bubbling issues that will impact employer reputation.

On the upside, PR + HR is a winning equation. When recruiting and personnel processes are in sync with company culture, and that story is amplified through PR and thought leadership, the organization is far more likely to attract quality employees who stick around.

Top Tips For Approaching Cybersecurity Media

Posted on by Adam Brett

In the world of PR, there are few fields more exciting and terrifying than the cybersecurity industry. It feels like every day we hear about a new breach, hack or vulnerability that has impacted an individual or organization. The numbers back this up; a recent cybersecurity report from research firm ThoughtLab found that the average number of cyberattacks and data breaches increased by 15.1% from last year. It’s essential for savvy PR professionals to stay up to date on the latest developments in the space.

However, monitoring the latest data security incident isn’t enough. Even though the number of outlets and reporters who cover the space has increased as the threat has grown, cybersecurity journalists demand more from the PR professionals they know. It’s not enough to share thoughts on the latest breach; rather, reporters are often looking for short and long-term insights and advice about the future of the category as well as the reasons the public should care. 

So, how do PR organizations manage their relationships with cybersecurity reporters to garner coverage and showcase their clients as thought leaders in the space? It’s all in the approach.

Different data security reporters cover different verticals

One of the biggest misconceptions about the industry is that all cybersecurity media contacts are interested in the same stories. While cybersec journalists typically monitor the latest hack or vulnerability, how they cover the news changes from reporter to reporter and outlet to outlet. For example, journalists who focus on privacy and data concerns on big tech platforms may be intrigued by a pitch about a data breach on a major social network. But they would not be interested (and may even be annoyed) by an inbound about a ransomware attack on a local energy supplier. It’s best to prioritize research into the most appropriate reporters and outlets for a specific cybersecurity pitch.

PR teams should organize their contacts by vertical, separating outlets and reporters based on recent coverage. Note specific reporters or media organizations that can be helpful for the future. For example, if a reporter is focusing on stories about cybersecurity threats as students prepare to go back to school, make sure everyone knows that. Moreover, pay attention to the tone of data privacy stories. While data privacy doesn’t always overlap with cybersecurity, often reporters who take a strong stance or position in a privacy story may ask to speak with a cyber expert about the potential consequences of a breach. Monitoring and capitalizing on past interactions with reporters is often the simplest and most effective way to manage media relationships and turn pitches into wins. But pay attention to the broader story – a spokesperson can easily be quoted on the record criticizing a major company, one they may even work with from time to time, for inadequate privacy and cybersecurity measures. Context matters.

All breaches aren’t the same

Not only do the verticals for reporters in the cybersecurity industry vary significantly, but the types of incidents they cover and care about differ as well. Denial of Service (DOS) attacks are not in the same ballpark as ransomware attacks. Third-party data breaches, for example, require different insights and expertise than hacks that only affect a specific individual.  For example, the access of unauthorized information from a telecommunications company by a cyber criminal will potentially affect all of the clients and users while a successful phishing scam on a specific shopper will likely only compromise that individual consumer. Thus, PR professionals need to have a basic understanding about the insights, research and sources to offer depending on the incident. 

It’s often useful to separate the available data, spokespeople and insights into categories for outreach when the next breach happens. In addition, your cybersecurity spokespeople and clients may not actually be experts in all areas. Many have a specific area they focus on in terms of breaches and data compromises. It’s a misconception that cyber professionals already know everything about the industry, so understanding the expertise and focus on each side is key.

Use cybersecurity conferences and panels

Cybersecurity changes all the time, and more than nearly any other tech category, it offers a robust stream of industry conferences and meetings. Nearly every other week there are panels that highlight the cybersecurity landscape, its threats, current solutions and best practices. These panels offer constant opportunities to bring together cybersecurity companies, research firms, reporters and analysts who cover the category.

Always be building relationships 

When conducting outreach for cybersecurity conferences, it’s not enough to simply offer a knowledgeable spokesperson for a panel or keynote. Savvy PR people use all available resources to showcase new research studies, data, and trends. Experts spokespersons can also offer opinions on recent attacks, industry moves, and regulatory issues.

PR teams can get the most out of conferences by offering media briefing opportunities even if they’re not for a specific story and don’t result in media coverage. In fact, one of the biggest mistakes PR people make is foregoing media meetings that don’t guarantee immediate placements. The relationship-building opportunities between media outlets and companies and their executives or third-party experts can generate long-term connections that pay dividends far into the future.

A Cheat Sheet For Ad Tech PR

Posted on by Colleen O'Connor

For anyone new to ad tech PR, it can be overwhelming to learn and understand. The acronyms alone are daunting. Of course, ad tech PR teams don’t need to be experts in every new platform or tech tool, but we need to understand industry trends, issues, and key players.

At Crenshaw, we have worked with many ad tech companies across different verticals, so we appreciate how fast the category has changed, and how it touches so many different industries, from marketing to data security. For those wanting to dive in, here are some relevant posts that might serve as an ad tech PR primer.  

Cutting The Jargon In Ad Tech PR  

Even ad tech veterans can be stymied by the industry’s jargon. And acronyms like DMP, CDP,  FLoC, and GDPR are impossible to avoid. Understanding key terms can help ease the transition for those new to the category. And don’t miss Digiday’s “WTF” archives to keep up with hot topics. 

Ad Tech Pubs Every PR Pro Should Be Reading 

The only way to stay current is to keep up with the trades. Add Adweek, AdAge, AdExchanger and Digiday into your daily rotation for a better understanding of the industry to start.

25 Ad Tech Journalists To Follow On Twitter

Obviously it’s important to know who is writing about ad tech and identify the different beats – from social media marketing to streaming to data privacy or brand safety. Twitter is an excellent way to build a list of go-to journalists. Often they will tweet looking for sources for a story and social media is the best way to track any changes in publication or beat. 

Top Ad Tech Conferences For PR Exposure

Many of our ad tech programs revolve around executive thought leadership content and speaking opportunities. Bylined content, white papers, awards and conferences are essential tools and platforms for positioning executives as leaders. Conferences and speaking engagements on panels get executives in front of a room of peers and positions them as a credible resource for both media and analysts. Events like Advertising Week, AdExchanger Programmatic I/O, to Cannes are all great opportunities for PR to gain extra exposure for executives.   

Imposter Syndrome – An Ad Tech PR Love Story (Ending With A Breakup) 

Need moral support? Check out this post from our own Hannah Kasoff, who moved over from the ad tech client side.