Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce Business Education Series: Building a Public Relations Program

Greater Reston Chamber of
Commerce
Business Education Series

BUILDING A
MEDIA RELATIONS PROGRAM

April 25, 2012

www.hodgespart.com www.FairfaxCountyEDA.org

Today’s Agenda
• Public Relations – An Overview
• Media Relations
– Types of media
– Outreach
– Positioning
– Pitching your story
– News releases
– Editorial calendars
– Op-eds, commentary

• Beyond Media Relations


Why are you here?


Why public relations?
• Applications for your business
– Raise visibility
– Broaden awareness
– Introduce new products
– Establish/enhance expertise position
– Enhance your reputation


Components of PR
• Internal communications
• Industry communications/relations
• Community relations
• Promotions
• Crisis communication
• Strategic planning
• Reputation management


Media Relations


Why Media Relations?
• Target key constituencies
– Trade and consumer media outlets
• Amplify your marketing/other messages
– Consistent messaging with brand/adv.
• Third-party validation
– Especially to new audiences
• Legal reasons
– Financial reporting, materials events
• Earnings statements, leadership changes


What Media Relations can’t do
• Can’t precisely control the message
• Can’t control the timing (kinda)
• Message constricted within news context
• Sustaining a campaign can be challenging


Types of Media Outlets
• Newspapers
– Dailies, weeklies
• Magazines
– Consumer, trade
• TV/radio
• Online outlets
– Websites, ezines, blogs
• Social media platforms
– Blogs, Facebook, twitter


Media Outreach
• Starts with research
– Know the outlets
– Know the reporters
• Developing targets
– Databases
– Understanding your end-target
• What do they read/watch?
• Build/verify your list


Thinking like a reporter
• What’s new or different?
– New product, company, leadership
• What’s the larger trend?
– You as part of a larger story
• What’s your expert insight?
– What are you seeing that others aren’t?
– Stats and examples to back it up


Making Contact
• Establishing a relationship
– Introduce yourself/your expertise
– Comment on a story
– Follow on Facebook/twitter/blogs


The Pitch
• What is a Pitch?
– Means for piquing interest in your story/POV
• Email vs. phone call
– Most reporters today prefer email
• Think of it like a sales call


The Pitch (cont.)
• Email pitch
• Short and sweet
• The Subject Line (relevance)
• Lead with your news
• Support with context
– Trend
– Expertise
• Offer more info
• Embed
• Visuals


Pitching Exercise
Now you try…

• What’s your pitch?
– What’s your lead?
– Why’s it news?
– Why should I care?


The News Release
• Still needed?
• Format
Date, contact, city, etc.
NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release Contact: Alan Fogg
Phone
Email
HEADLINE
Subhead

Springfield, Va., Jan. 19, 2011 – The FCEDA announced today…


A Word about Language
• Keep language simple
• Avoid hyperbole
• Avoid industry jargon

REAL WORLD EXAMPLE
“Zimbra is the leader in open source, next-generation collaboration
and messaging software. We provide innovative experiences to end-
users and their administrators because we see existing tools are
fundamentally broken. We also believe in compatibility with existing
infrastructure and applications (both open source and proprietary).”


Most Overused Words/Phrases


Headline
• Punchy summary of the news
– Subhead (optional) can expound

Fairfax Economic Development President
Named “Business Person of the Year”
Dr. Jerry Gordon honored with Virginia Business magazine’s
third annual award


The Lede
• Restate the main news from headline
• When?
• Where?
• Who?
• Descending order of importance

Fairfax County, Jan. 19, 2011 – The Fairfax County Economic
Development Authority announced today that 412 of the nation’s
Fortune 500 companies have agreed to move to the county by
the end of the calendar year.


The Body
• More details
• Your point of view (quotes)
• URL for more information
• Boilerplate


What’s News
• Launch of new product
• Companies solving problems
– Case studies
• Consumer tips
• Events/transactions
• HR news (appointments, promotions)
• Expert opinion


The Media Kit
• Elements
– One-pager on company/product
– FAQs
– Company backgrounder
– Bios
– Images
• Printed vs. electronic


Distribution
• Wholesale vs. retail
– Craft for specific outlets
– Mass email
– Distribution services
• PR Newswire, BusinessWire
• Profnet/HARO
• SEO considerations


Manufacturing News
• Rankings
• Surveys
• Awards
• Stunts/events
• Milestones
• Speaking opportunities
• Commentary


Planning
• Develop a quarterly/biannual calendar
• Align with editorial calendars of media
targets
• Align with other marketing
– Advertising, social media
• Take a media tour
• Set realistic goals


Tracking Results
• Electronic services
– Burrelle’s, Factiva, Lexis-Nexis, Google alerts
• Web searches
• Follow-up emails


Merchandising Your Success
• Reprints for distribution
• Email links to articles
– Enewsletters
• Social media platforms
– Blog
– Facebook page
– Twitter


Your Turn

Discussion/questions


Thank you!


Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce Business Education Series: Building a Public Relations Program

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