10 Ways to Build Strong Relationships with Reporters and Bloggers (and not annoy them)

By Abbi Whitaker

President of Abbi Public Relations

Earlier this week I wrote a piece entitled 11 things that annoy journalists and bloggers detailing some of the common habits that are prevalent among public relations professionals, but make journalists’ eyes roll in newsrooms across the nation. Now that you know what not to do, I want to point out what you should be doing. Good public relations delivers real news and develops real relationships. Sometimes we all need to take a minute to dial back the hyperbole, tone down the spin and get back to the basics of media relations. Here are 10 steps that will keep your pitches out of journalists’ digital trash cans, and help you become a journalist’s ally, not an annoyance.

A Good Pitch: Just like a good news story, a good news pitch takes a little research and legwork. Every day journalists see a slew of mass e-mailed, off-topic, long, error-filled pitches with no news hook whatsoever. Be clear, concise, customized, and add bullets and links that support a current news angle or trending topic, and you will stand out.

A Localized National Pitch: Every morning, in newsrooms across the nation, editors ask their reporters to get a local angle on a national story. A public relations pro with an eye for research and a knack for sniffing out a good news angle can capitalize in this by getting their clients in the local news when national news hits in a client’s area of expertise. A good example of this would be the recent Paula Deen Diabetic debacle. Take that nationally trending news story and pair it with a local doctor, a university professor and a local Type 2 Diabetic and pitch it to your local news outlet as your community’s response.  Provide some statistics (local and national if possible) and interview information.

A Pitch That’s Full of Facts: Of course your client thinks his product is “innovative, exciting” and my personal favorite “one-of-a-kind,” but chances are it isn’t. But what might make it stand out is some supporting information. We work with ShortStack, a Facebook application that creates custom tabs, and we often use infographics created from surveys and back-end user information. Then we are not just telling the journalists how many people use our platform, we are showing them why and how, and putting an actual number to it.

A PR person Who’s Read a Journalist’s Writing: This is PR 101. Read before you pitch. And, better yet, go back a year or so and make sure the journalists you are pitching didn’t already do a round-up on cloud computing services six months ago before you pitch it. This allows you to start the conversation with, “I read your round-up on cloud computing six months ago and I’ve been using SugarSync ever since. Since your last article there has been some great cloud computing apps developed for the iPad. Is it OK if I send you a quick e-mail with some of the apps that are easier for the non-techie business person to grasp?”

Infographics: Some journalists might disagree with this but I’ve gotten a great response from infographics as supporting press material. Our attention spans are so short these days it’s easier to get your message across in pictures — or maybe 140 characters.

Twitter Conversation: Let’s face it, we all love our Twitter accounts. I practically fall off of my seat when I get retweets, direct messages (not the spammy kind or auto responses) and a good conversation going among my peers. Journalists feel the same way. They like a good Twitter conversation about a story they wrote. They like to know you actually read their stuff. They enjoy engaging and responses to fans. It’s OK to pitch via Twitter as well — just don’t overdo it.

Desk-side Visits: Since I live in Nevada, which isn’t exactly a hot bed of top-tier national journalists, I have to scurry to New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles a few times a year. I’ve always found that journalists really appreciate this and are very open to a quick 15- to 20-minute desk-side visit.  I never leave press kits ( HYPERLINK “http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/10650.aspx” see my previous article), I always know the sections that my clients fit into and I’ve read the editorial calendars.

Personality: This is my personal favorite. Journalists are people too — and most of them are snarky, witty and well read. They are bombarded by PR people that are always towing the company line and trying to stay on message.  It’s OK to crack to a joke and show a little of your personality every once in a while. That’s what helps develop relationships.

Good Content: We keep hearing that GOOD content is king ( HYPERLINK “http://abbipublicrelations.wordpress.com/2011/12/06/content-is-stil/” as I have written about before) and we should be paying attention. I’m not talking about a well written press release, but rather a strong. nicely put-together video two minutes long at the most, an expert column that targets a national issue in a non-promotional way or even a high-resolution set of images that tell a story. Bloggers don’t want the same content everyone else does but many of them have other jobs and they appreciate strong supporting material that helps enhance the story.

Drinks:  Another personal favorite. After a few drinks the personalities really shine through. Some (not all) journalists like to drink and they like to eat too. And most (not all) are not raking in high-dollar salaries. And some (not all) don’t mind meeting you for a quick drink after work. Don’t view this as an opportunity to pitch, pitch, pitch but rather as a chance to listen, observe and really get to know what the journalists covers and why. And never expect anything in return.

Abbi Whitaker is the president of Abbi Public Relations in Reno, Nev, which represents technology, government and business-to-business clients across the nation. You can follow her on twitter @abbijayne.

3 Ways To Empower Your Customer

Reblogged from smartbrandblog:

It’s become a mantra of the new economy: No one is looking out for you… but you.  You are the only one in control. Self-security is the new entitlement in today’s new economic climate because we simply don’t trust anybody anymore.  We’ve been misled by mortgage brokers, regulators, rating agencies, banks and CEO’s – to name a few.  To the point, in a recent Money Magazine poll, half of the respondents said they no longer trust their financial advisors. Personally, I find that a shocking statement, …

Don’t be a Spammer: 10 Things Journalists and Bloggers Hate

By Abbi Whitaker

President of Abbi Public Relations

 

A public relations professional can be one of the most valuable resources for a journalist — a partner who points out relevant news, gives access to valued sources and provides photos and reliable company background. But all too often repeated miscues by PR companies turn them into the equivalent of spammers. Here are 10 irritating habits common among PR media pitchers that can destroy any chance of a lasting and mutually beneficial relationship with a writer or editor. Avoid these mistakes, and improve your chances of success with journalists across the nation.

 

1. Mass E-Mails. This is a no-brainer. Marketing is all about personalization, communication, engagement and LISTENING. The same rules that apply to everyday communication apply to journalists.  They hate to be BCCed or, even worse, CCed. Remember you are pitching a news outlet and no news outlet wants to cover something that everyone else is publishing or broadcasting.

 

2.  Sending the same @ reply on Twitter to 30 different people. Everyone can see your @ replies. It’s even worse than sending a mass e-mail because the rest of world can see what an idiot you are.  Just don’t do it.

3.  Big Press Kits.  Have you ever been to a journalist’s office?  It’s not exactly a penthouse on Park Avenue. I know you think those creative press kits you convince your clients to produce are “cute,” but are they practical?  If you absolutely have to create a press kit it’s best to keep it to an 8×10 folder.

4. “Just Following Up.” Imagine it’s 3 p.m. and you have a 4 p.m. deadline for a 1,000-word story and your main source just fell through. And then you get a call from a PR company saying, “Hi. Just calling to follow up on the release I sent you and to double check that you received my release on the opening of Jimmy’s Jump Factory.” Enough said.

5.  Phone Messages.  Sad, but true.  Imagine how many messages a journalist at the New York Times receives each day. By the time they get to their fifth message they have already tuned out.

6.  Being Added to your Newsletter. I love newsletters — we have one at Abbi PR. But we don’t add people. We let them choose whether or not they’d like to receive our information. You should too.

7.  Itineraries. I am not saying an itinerary on a press familiarization trip is a bad thing, but being booked from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. every hour on the hour is not what most top-tier journalists are looking for. I know you need to make sure they meet all the big wigs, but what they really want is time to explore and discover the hidden stories.

8.  Press Trips with 20 People. Press trips are a valuable tool when it comes to giving the media a first-hand look at a destination. But nobody likes to be herded like cattle. Press trips should be intimate, customized and personalized. Focus on quality not quantity

9.  Friending on Facebook. Ask yourself this question before you send a journalist a friend request: Are you their friend? Do you know their kid’s names and birthdays? Do you know their spouse? If the answer is “no” then you are not friends. Send a connection request on LinkedIn instead.

10. Profile Pitches. Everyone thinks their client is worthy of a profile in Inc. Magazine, The Wall Street Journal and Forbes. Maybe your client is. Or maybe it’s best to start with pitching the client as an expert source, grow the relationship, and then pitch a profile.  Just saying.

Bonus

11. Off Topic Pitches: If you write for the Wichita Daily Times you don’t care about a restaurant opening in Tucson.  If you write about geothermal energy then you’re not really jazzed on pitches about re-focusing your energy through Yoga.  Right?

Abbi Whitaker is the president of Abbi Public Relations in Reno, Nev, which represents technology, government, food & beverage and business-to-business clients across the nation. Follow her on Twitter @abbijayne

Related articles

• 7 Silly Mistakes to Stop Making in Your PR Pitches (hubspot.com)
• Journalism Skills That Translate into the PR World (abbipublicrelations.wordpress.com)
• Tip #194: Don’t bury the embargo (proprtips.com)
• Five Basic Tips for Pitching Media (mediabistro.com)
• Media Relations: Are You Fully Socially Engaged? (theprcoach.com)

The Kardashian Syndrome: Is Too Much PR a Bad Thing?

Chef Mark Estee interview on LoadedTV

The Kardashian Syndrome: When is too much PR a Bad Thing?

Our Abbi Public Relations team has been tossing this question around in our 275 Hill Street office for the past few weeks:

Is CAMPO getting too much press?

Then, Abbi Public Relations had a well-respected editor in Reno mention their hesitation in covering the restaurant and Chef/Owner Mark Estee, yet again.

Why? The Kardashian Syndrome.

Clearly Mark Estee is not a Kardashian. (though his appeal rivals)
But the coverage he and CAMPO has received in the media has surpassed even the expectations of the Abbi Public Relations social media and public relations team.

As a social media and integrated marketing agency- Abbi PR is grateful and proud. Hell- we’ve done our job.

However, an Abbi Public Relations best practice is to think through public relations strategies from a consumer perspective.

Everyone thinks they’re great. Everyone thinks their client is great. But does Mark Estee and CAMPO warrant all the press it has received? Abbi Public Relations says yes.

Here’s why:

1)      Community:
CAMPO is more than a restaurant. Mark Estee and his team have created a culinary community. The restaurant has succeeded in creating a gathering place in downtown Reno where working moms meet up with women of leisure and businesspeople seal deals. Everyone wants to go back.

 

2)      Good Eats: Let’s face it, the food at CAMPO speaks for itself. Sure, every new restaurant has hiccups in their service and kinks in the kitchen. But the house has been transparent about their oversights—taking customer feedback into consideration in person and via social media.

3)      It’s Reno: The Abbi PR team agrees- every event, menu item or new drink doesn’t warrant a news story. When you infiltrate a media market as small as Reno the story can get old-fast. But the fact of the matter is, having a team of chefs the caliber of CAMPO’s (along with other great Reno chefs) in a community as small as Reno is something to talk about. San Francisco eateries are just a drive away but maybe, just maybe you’ll eat in town this weekend.

 

4)      People Tell the Story: All the traditional press in the world may get foodies in the door, but it can’t keep them coming. According to the Abbi Public Relations team, the best part about the CAMPO campaign is allowing the people to tell the story. Countless comments on Facebook and Twitter, unwarranted reviews (both good and bad) via blog posts and organic word of mouth have made CAMPO the story that continues to be told.

 

5)      Get the Advance: There is something about being the first to know. For the past several months Abbi Public Relations has worked with Estee to create conversation about CAMPO locally. Support from the local community, farmers, co-ops and the business community is vital to CAMPO’s success. It’s important to give those closest to you first fruit, if you will. At Abbi Public Relations, we believe every angle should be told locally first. Then, our media relations team switches gears. We pick up our conversations with the likes of Food & Wine, Food Arts and John Mariani. We let the pot brew. And soon, this community will be the first to say… I knew you when.

 

10 Ways to Motivate Your Employees

A little motivation goes along way.  It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or expensive — just thoughtful and fun!  Here are ten things you can do today to start motivating your employees.

1.  Hold a contest.  People love free stuff — it doesn’t matter whether it’s an i-pad or a free t-shirt.  If you give a little you’ll find out that you’ll get a lot more in return.

2. Lunch is on me!  People love food.  Do I really have to say anymore?

3. Happy Hour!  This is another one that really doesn’t need an explanation.

4. You’ve won.  Nominate your employees for a local, regional or national award.  Don’t hog all the love for your business — think about those that make it tick everyday when looking for award opportunities.

5. Half Day.  Sometimes Friday afternoons really aren’t productive anyway.

6. Company outings.  It can be anything from river rafting to skiing.  A day out of the office will help your team grow together.

7. Chocolate.  Everyone loves chocolate and we all know a little candy goes far.

8. Professional Development.  You might find those out of town conferences really boring, but I bet your employees would love the chance to attend a learning event on behalf of your company.

9. Parties. Everyone loves a party.  Don’t skip the Christmas Party; and throw in a summer, spring and fall party as well.

10. CASH.  Cold, hard cash.

Related articles

• 8 Ways Leaders Can Motivate Employees Beyond Money (startupprofessionals.com)
• 8 Ways Leaders Can Motivate Employees Beyond Money (forbes.com)
• 7 strange ways to motivate employees (holykaw.alltop.com)

Why the Facebook IPO will be successful

By Nicole Rose Dion

Investing in an internet-based company can be frightening, especially considering how quickly they tend to rise to the top only to be torn down a few years later by a competitor. Just look at Myspace, a company everyone thought would be around for the long haul that recently crashed and burned. But Facebook is no Myspace, nor is it LinkedIn or Groupon or Pandora, sites that really only offer one thing.

So why should Facebook perform better than other tech IPOs that came out in 2011? Here are five reasons Facebook shouldn’t be discounted in the Market as just another Internet fad:

1. Facebook is a database

Unlike other social networking sites, Facebook touches all demographics: age, race, gender and orientation. Facebook is the new yellow pages, whether it’s for people or business. If you’re not on Facebook, you don’t exist. Meeting someone for coffee for the first time but not sure what they look like? Look them up on Facebook. Need to send someone a private message but you don’t have their email address? Facebook message them. It’s how we keep up with what people are doing that we don’t normally talk to, it’s how we connect with someone who we just met and it’s how we communicate with the community around us.

2. Facebook is global

Although founded in the United States, Facebook has grown to become a global platform. For example, there are over 300,000 people on Facebook that report they live in Uganda and that number grows everyday. Facebook hasn’t touched every part of the world yet (it’s blocked in China) but it’s only a matter of time. Facebook supports over 70 languages and has become a recognized online brand even in countries that have never seen what Mark Zuckerberg looks like; that’s powerful.

3. Facebook has huge advertising potential

Since everyone and their mother is on Facebook, if you want to pay to push a message out to them, whoever they are, you can. The beauty of this for advertisers is a very specific, targeted and inexpensive reach. To reach those people in Uganda, it’s only .20 to .30 cents a click for an ad. Want to reach women in Brazil who are between the ages of 25 and 35 who are single and like sports cars? You can, easily. This is where Facebook advertising is right now and as the platform grows and changes this will only continue to expand.

4. Facebook evolves

Ever since Facebook was established in 2004, the platform has undergone numerous facelifts, added features, feature removals and continued refinements. When Twitter came out and people got excited about being able to “tag” their friends in a tweet, Facebook implemented a similar feature. Facebook also stays above the competition by being the first to roll out new tools before anyone else (like the Facebook timeline). Part of Myspace’s downfall was their complete lack of major change to their platform during their glory days.

5. Facebook has no direct competition

Because Facebook has so much to offer (friends, fans, groups, instant messaging, photo albums…etc) no other platform competes directly with them. Even if one were to come out that offered all the same things Facebook does it wouldn’t matter because what makes Facebook desirable is everyone you know is already on it. And despite popular belief, Facebook hasn’t met its match with Google+. Google+ requires you to have a Google account to get started whereas Facebook only requires an email address of any kind. Also, keeping up with your notifications and friend interactions on Google+ is a lot more confusing and less personal than Facebook, something people look for in a social network.

Bottom line: Facebook won’t be going away anytime soon so whether you are going to try to get in on that success right away or later down the line you can be sure that it will outlive or eventually beat the other top social networks.

5 Ways Brands Can Use Pinterest to Boost Consumer Engagement (orginally appeared on Mashable)

From Account Manager and Social Media Strategist, Constance Aguilar

The surprise smash-hit social networking site of 2011 wasn’t Twitter, Tumblr or Google+. In fact, it was a site that, even today, is still an invite-only social network. The Palo Alto site Pinterest has skyrocketed into the top ten most visited social networks of the past year and continues to gain traction and popularity.

The image-based platform is a simple enough concept: Users create and name Boards anything they like (Places I’d Like to Visit, Pretty Dresses, My Cookie Creations, etc.) and post relevant photos on corresponding Boards, while categorizing Boards under one of the 32 general Pinterest categories. Users follow one another based on interests, and photos are displayed in a pin board-type feed that is simple, yet visually stunning.

Please read the rest of this article on Mashable

Four Tech Tools to Help You Be Better Organized in the New Year

By Abbi Whitaker

President, Abbi PR

New tech tools are making the recurring New Year’s resolution to get organized a lot more attainable in 2012 than in years past. From free scheduling applications to full-blown cloud computing services that organize schedules, data and meetings, new tech products make organization as easy as a couple clicks of the mouse for entrepreneurs, small businesses and executive looking to go through 2012 without missing meetings, forgetting appointments or blowing deadlines. Here are four technological answers to disorganization that might be the key to keeping your 2012 New Year’s resolution:

• Your Office Anywhere

Your Office Anywhere is comprehensive cloud computing service that mixes a mobile office and online meeting capabilities with data storage and scheduling capabilities.

Versatile enough to absorb most small business’s technology needs, Your Office Anywhere is a comprehensive technology solution for a small business that wants meetings, scheduling, data storage and more, all in one centrally located and mobile location. The easy-to-use service is priced at $10 a month, and is perfect for small business owners who do not want to deal with the headache of complex technology, but still want the data storage, mobility and collaboration of cloud computing. There is nothing to download, and your entire workspace can be pulled up from any digital device with a simple online login. The service also allows you to invite clients into the cloud, and work on projects collaboratively, without the clients having to sign up to the service. The addition of video conferencing and chat allows communication in the cloud. And, at 100 gigabytes, the service’s storage is large enough for even data-intensive small businesses.

• SugarSync

SugarSync solves organization by synching and centralizing all of your data across numerous devices. With ironclad document backup, automatic synching and easy file sharing, you will no longer by stuck without a file you need when you are away from your office. The service’s flexibility and laundry list of services made it Gizmodo’s top cloud computing pick for 2011, beating out cloud heavyweights like Google and Dropbox. You can have up to 30 gigabytes of storage for as little as $4.99 per month, or choose 100 gigabytes for $14.99 per month. It is slightly more technologically complex than Your Office Anywhere, but once you are familiar with the platform, SugarSync allows you to choose which files you want to sync or stream music from your desktop to mobile devices. If you are willing to spend even more money, SugarSync for Business is a beefed up version of the cloud that runs $29.99 per month but has live tech support and an administrative dashboard — the ultimate organizational command center for 2012.

• Wunderlist

Wunderlist has turned a lot of heads for its elegant simplicity. Because, let’s face it, when you are choosing an application to simplify your scheduling and organize your life, the last thing you want is a complex and confusing piece of technology. Wunderlist’s simple lists and reminders keep you on schedule, and the lists can be created directly from your email inbox. The application can be used on any computer or mobile device. And you can invite people to events and collaborate with co-workers or clients using the application. Finally, it’s free.

• Evernote

Evernote is a Wunderlist for notes and ideas. The easily searchable site allows users to jot down ideas, save photos and store notes in a central location that can be accessed by phone, computer or mobile device. The application is great for creative types, designers and students. You can also plan a trip, save your favorite webpages and collaborate with colleagues using the site.

Social Media Tip of the Month: Youtube

By Nicole Rose Dion

How to make your YouTube video Search Engine Optimized

Watch this video in “fullscreen” mode.

Social Media Tip of the Month: Twitter

By Nicole Rose Dion

How to use a Twitter hashtag

You’ll want to make the video “fullscreen” so you can see what’s happening on the screen.