• 3 Reasons Reporters Should Switch to PR

    My name is Dan G., and I’m a recovering journalist.

    I spent the first half of my career working in local television news, seeking the high that comes from landing a big exclusive or hitting a home run during a breaking story. I started as a lowly intern and after paying my dues I was overseeing day-to-day coverage as an Executive Producer at a station where ratings were growing off the charts.

    I’d won awards and my cell phone rang from time-to-time with requests to interview for bigger and better jobs. Life was good on the surface but deep down the polish had worn off and TV just wasn’t satisfying. It was harder and harder to find that adrenaline rush I desperately craved. At some point, I stopped loving my job.

    Give yourself to the Dark Side

    Former TV colleagues always have the same two questions when we talk about my transition to PR. The first is “Weren’t you afraid you would miss ‘it’?” The ‘it’ is the thrill – and rush – of breaking news. Yes, I was. The immediate follow-up question is usually “But the Dark Side?? Really?! I could never do that to myself.”

    Au contraire – if you only knew the power of the Dark Side you would embrace it just as I have. You would throw off the shackles of unrealistic deadlines and leave behind your misguided sense of public duty that usually results in an assignment to stand in a hurricane. Here are three reasons journalists should embrace a career in PR.

    1. The Dark Side is the enlightened side. There isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t provide critical counsel and important advice to one of my clients. Sometimes it comes during a crisis. Other times, it may have nothing to do with PR. They don’t always listen but the truth of the matter is PR people are some of the smartest, and wisest, I’ve ever worked with. I’ve become smarter, too.

    2. We do kick-ass work. I thought TV afforded me the opportunity to be a creative storyteller to a mass audience. Then, I started working in PR. From video to graphic design, Matter Communications provides every toy imaginable to get creative. We can turn a compelling project on a tight schedule, but the urgency of being first regardless of accuracy or quality has been replaced with the mission to be the best.

    3. We play hard. PR pros work hard, but we also play hard. We have the occasional 12 hour day and write a lot of plans. We deal with rejection more than I care to think about. But we also have awesome company outings, travel to vacation destinations you may otherwise never visit in the name of client expos and conferences, and at the very least there is usually wine at office lunch gatherings.

    What do you say, journalists? Have I changed your opinion of the Dark Side even the slightest?

    Truth be told, I still miss making the news sometimes. Specifically, I miss the idea of my words being read live on the air to tens of thousands of viewers. I’ve come to grips with this though and I’ve even developed a system for dealing with it. When I get into this funk, I just wait for a big client announcement then I flip on the set. More often than not, I’ll hear my press release, being read word-for-word, live on the air. Isn’t that right, Conan?

    Matter

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  • 3 Ways Video Helps With PR

    The statistics are everywhere: people are hungry for online video. Overall, research estimates that video views among Internet users grew by 23% this year. If you think that number is going to recede any time soon, you’re likely also banking on the fax machine as the future of marketing.

    So what has this to do with public relations? Here are three ways engaging video can help with any public relations efforts:

     1.       On social channels, posting videos increases engagement by 100 percent or more, depending on which survey you read. So, if 50 people click on your text-based post, on average, then you can expect 100 clicks if you include video. More clicks means more chances to attract buyers of your products and services. More eyeballs is good PR.

     2.       News outlets are always hungry for great video content that their readership will click and share. If you understand the media landscape for your company, and actively identify the sites and blogs that accept video, you can essentially develop a syndication network for your content. That’s powerful, but the key is that the video has to be entertaining or otherwise add true value. Sales pieces aren’t going to fly.

     3.       Quality video can effectively humanize a brand by bringing the viewer “into the fold.” When fans, prospects and others are able to see your culture, hear your leaders talking and experience a slice of life from your company, they feel more invested in your success and are more likely to buy from you – or want to work for you.

    The key to all of this is the quality of the video. More is better, but quality always trumps quantity when it comes to using the power of visual imagery for public relations.

    What other ways do you use video for PR?

     

    Scott Signore

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  • A little engagement goes a long way…

    As we monitor our client’s social media channels every day, we often engage with followers and fans on Twitter and Facebook. Although it may seem daunting to answer dozens of questions everyday (especially when it’s the same thing over and over), we have to keep in mind that the follower or fan on the other end is definitely paying attention. I usually engage with brands, organizations, companies, artists, etc. on a day to day basis. For example if I’m at a concert, I’ll make sure to include the hashtag and artists’ handle, if I’m trying out a new product, I’ll use the brand’s handle and tweet a photo, and if I’m eating at a restaurant, you bet I’ll be tweeting a shout out to the Chef if the meal was delicious.

    I recently went on my first work trip to Laguna, California where we stayed at the beautiful St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort. When we first got there, I took a photo of the pool and grounds, and tweeted “We’re definitely not in Boston anymore.” Immediately, the person who monitors the handle, reached out to me and welcomed me to the hotel.

    At first, I didn’t think too much of it because I think one of the basic responsibilities of having a Twitter handle is engaging with followers. The next day, I took another photo of my run around the grounds, and again the person who monitors the hotel’s handle reached out to me, and this time they asked me how my stay was going. Now, I know what you’re thinking – it’s not that hard to ask how my stay was – but to me, it meant a lot that someone was reaching out to me directly.   

    On the second to last day of our stay, as I was heading up to my room, I saw a note under my door that someone wanted to send me a complimentary bottle of champagne. At first I’m thinking umm who? When I got the bottle, it had a hand written note from the General Manager of the hotel, welcoming me and asking me to reach out if I needed anything during my stay. I was immediately impressed that they went one step further to acknowledge me as a “special guest.” It may not cost them that much, but it meant a great deal to me. Sometimes by taking the extra 30 seconds to learn about someone or reaching out to a loyal fan – you may end of with a lifelong customer. If I ever travel back to Laguna, California, the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort is certainly going to get my business.

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    Matter

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  • 3 Things Senior Marketing People Get Wrong about Working with PR Agencies

    When you’ve run a PR agency as long as I have – ten years and proudly counting – you begin to notice patterns of behavior from the marketing folks who are your prospects. There are a lot of brilliant CMOs and marketing VPs who are great at their jobs, but aren’t quite as skilled at picking the right PR partner because they evaluate faulty criteria.

    Here are three things some leading marketing honchos get wrong:

    1.       They think they need to hire an agency in the same city

    The thinking goes that if the company hires a PR firm in the same zip code, they can better manage the relationship and have regular face-to-face meetings with the PR team. It’s a logical thought process, but in reality geography should be a non-factor. We have clients all over the country, and meet with them whenever needed. We’re also always connected via email and IM and phone calls, so to clients it’s really no different than if we were located next door to their office.  That said, geography is a deal-breaker for some marketers, which is a pity when the best PR firm for their business resides in a different state.

    2.       They think that in PR, it’s all about “who you know.”

    The reality is, it’s who you can get to know. Listen, folks, relationships are valuable in PR. But here’s the thing: the turnover is extraordinarily high in the publishing world, and the PR firm that knows how to start conversations with the right reporters at the right time with the right pitch is the one who will win long term. Today, PR is more about storytelling than “calling in favors” to friendly reporters, especially when they’re increasingly measured by click-throughs and social shares these days. Advertisers don’t care who you know. They care that people are clicking on stories and seeing their ads, and reporters know it.

     3.       They hire too many vendors to perform related strategy and services

    I’ve encountered a number of prospects and clients who have kept separate vendors for PR, social media and creative services such as video and infographics. What makes most sense from a storytelling perspective is to find a single firm that excels at all of these disciplines, for two reasons: First, there are cost-efficiencies to be gained from bundling these services, which is great for the bottom line. Second, and perhaps more importantly, an agency that does all of the above can more tightly integrate messaging than can a collection of disparate vendors. Plus, who wants to manage several vendors when one outstanding firm can do a better job?

    I’d love to hear from marketing execs and fellow PR folks to get your perspective.

    Scott Signore

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  • Reality TV and Brand Image

    Reality TV and Brand Image

    Recently, one of my clients was approached with an offer to have their operation become the subject of the producer’s self-proclaimed next reality TV masterpiece. The production company was looking to provide a peek inside the industry, and of course hoping for a cast of characters that could rocket to primetime fame. Frankly, we considered it for a bit before letting our cooler heads prevail. In the end, airing our laundry, whether dirty or starched and bleached to perfection, was never going to help position the brand the way we and our client envisioned.

    So, for my client and our PR team, the recommendation was unanimous, but that discussion led me to think about how any organization would elect to jump on the reality show wagon. There is certainly the financial allure. I can see its attraction to the crabbers of The Deadliest Catch, after all when the show first started their industry was just recovering from a massive restructuring that left them with entirely uncertain futures….so heck yeah, cash in baby! Tour the country doing appearances and panel discussions with fans, go for the gold! For these guys the show income is all gravy, they are going to have to catch crab to make a living regardless, so why not!

    But what motivates the business owners that appear on shows like Kitchen Nightmares, or Bar Rescue, or Undercover…whatever!? The restaurant business is especially puzzling; do you really want Chef Ramsey coming into your kitchen to find that festering mold pile in the bottom of the walk-in? Didn’t you watch the show before you signed up for this? That’s his thing! Call a cleaning crew in before he shows up!

    Sorry…back to my point.

    The sliver of upside to a reality TV appearance might be a warranted gamble for a fishing crew that does not rely on public sentiment about their business, but for a PR-dependent outfit like a restaurant, there is rarely enough reward for that risk. (Can anyone argue that they ran out to make a reservation at SUR after watching Vaderpump Rules?!)

    Ultimately, reality TV is a better guilty pleasure than profit booster. While I reserve the right to utterly reverse my position, I’d be willing to say that it’s off limits for any company that truly values its brand, what that brand stands for and the credibility of its personnel. If you don’t believe me, just read up about the king-of-all social media meltdowns from this Arizona restaurant owner.

    Matter

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  • What’s the Difference Between Paid, Owned and Earned Media?

    What’s the Difference Between Paid, Owned and Earned Media?

    Even seasoned PR pros sometimes have difficulty distinguishing between different forms of media in the digital age. That’s because they all bleed into each other, blurring the lines. So, what is shared media versus earned media versus owned media versus paid media? And what exactly is shared media?

    The nuances can be especially challenging for junior folks cutting their teeth at PR agencies.  I’ve seen more than a few otherwise bright eyes go full Cookie-Monster-googly when I discuss this topic in meetings.

    An easy way to understand and remember the differences within the media landscape is an acronym Matter Communications came up with called: “POETS” (Paid, Owned, Earned, Traded, Shared). There are exceptions to all of these, and some of them can peacefully co-exist within other categories, but this will get you smart enough to be dangerous:

    Paid – If you buy a banner ad, or place an ad in a magazine or on the radio, that’s called paid media. You didn’t earn it, you paid for it. And no matter how good or bad your product is, the audience will see/read/hear exactly what you want them to. Paid Facebook and LinkedIn ads fall into this camp, as does (in some instances) rewarding bloggers for coverage. In general, consumers are growing more distrustful of ads than ever, because it’s obvious the media was bought and paid for by a company with its own best interests in mind. That’s where native advertising comes in (in which an ad ostensibly poses as valuable content) but that’s a column for a different day.

    Owned – If a company has a blog, pumps out ebooks or newsletters, creates infographics or “think pieces,”  these are all forms of media they “own” and can use to attract eyeballs to their respective websites or landing pages.  These typically fall into the content marketing bucket and, like Paid media, this helps companies keep control of the brand (to an extent).

    Earned – This form of media is synonymous with “traditional” public relations. A company hires a PR agency, the agency weaves a narrative around the company’s products and/or services, and then pitches that story to online and offline publications, blogs or news outlets. The resulting editorial articles, broadcast hits or blog posts are called “earned” media, since the company didn’t pay the outlets to write about them. The coverage, therefore, was earned.

    Traded – Sometimes two companies will agree to do guest posts on one another’s blogs, or work together on a video series around the same topics. Perhaps they’ll even share booth space at tradeshow or team up for speaking gigs. In these cases one company is yielding part of the discussion to another entity, betting that trading part of the stage will return bigger results from a larger network of interested parties. Here’s where it gets nuanced, but many companies are working with influencers and bloggers to garner coverage or social media love in exchange for access, information or input on a company’s product, etc. Lines = blurred.

    Shared – This one is trickiest to explain and can take on many forms, but essentially, consumers are working in concert with a brand to create and share/promote the brand’s content. For this to happen, the brand must have fans and followers who feel passionately about the brand and want to engage. Or, the brand has to be giving away something of significant value. A recent example is Lay’s “Do us a Flavor” contest, where the company asked fans to help pick the next flavor of potato chips. I participated in this form of shared media, and I happened to recommend Sriracha as a flavor. Alas, Cheesy Garlic Bread won.

    Is this helpful? Let me know if you’ve got a different way of categorizing these buckets in the comments section below.

    Matter

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  • The Legend Lives On

    May 11 marked the thirty two year anniversary of Bob Marley’s death and after all this time his legend is still deeply rooted in the hearts and minds of people around the world. More than a musician, Bob Marley remains a cultural icon whose beliefs sparked both controversy and change. His music stood the test of time.   

    As a music lover and PR professional, Marley’s story has always inspired me. As a tribute, I thought I’d dedicate this post to him while sharing some helpful tips for brands looking to grow its own fan base.

    How to Brand Like Marley:

    Rule #1 – Stay true to your company’s core values instead of compromising your product to appeal to a wider audience. Bob’s “product” was his lyrics, he believed in what he was “selling” and sang with conviction.

    Rule #2 – Give back to the community that supports your brand. Bob didn’t just sing about social justice, he practiced what he preached by taking on a series of community based projects that supported the people in Jamaica (his homeland) as well as the indigenous people Africa, New Zealand and around the world.

    Rule #3 – Stay disciplined and true to your brand. Success doesn’t happen overnight. In fact it took Bob more than 8 years before he reached fame with the release of “Catch a Fire” in 1973.

    By implementing and living by these rules, Bob was crowned the first “Third World” superstar and remains one of the most famous international pop stars, having sold more than 25 million albums worldwide.   

    So you may ask, how can a Brand continue to grow its audience after all this time? The answer – produce an excellent “product” with the mission to make the world a better place and generation after generation after generation just might support it. 

    What is your favorite Bob Marley song and how old were you when you discovered him?

    Fun Facts  – Bob Marley currently has 31 million Facebook fans and his greatest hits album, Legend, released in 1984, consistently sells more than 200,000 copies a year. According to Billboard Magazine, Legend has the distinction of being the 2nd longest-charting album in history. In 1999 TIME magazine chose Bob Marley & The Wailers’ Exodus as the greatest album of the 20th century.

     

     

     

    Matter

  • Come to LunchSpotting 4.0 at PayPal in Boston!

    I’m excited about the 4th Lunchspotting event that we are hosting in conjunction with MITX at PayPal Media Network in Boston’s Innovation District, and here are the two reasons why:

    First, everyone eats lunch. Right? At the very minimum, everyone takes some kind of mid-day break. In addition to valuable networking with smart folks from myriad companies – described below – you indeed get a free lunch at LunchSpotting. Life is good!

    Second, our LunchSpotting events are zero-pressure networking outings with like-minded individuals who may end up contributing to your business, or you to theirs. While enjoying a tasty sandwich you may meet a prospective employer, employee or business partner, while learning about new resources that can help your business prosper. Lunchspotting events are held deliberately in various locations in Boston’s Innovation District for the purpose of connecting professionals who want to expand their contacts, broaden their horizons and, at the very least, fill their bellies.

    Tuesday’s event takes place at the office of the PayPal media network, and the attendee list already looks great. I’m looking forward to saying hello to some familiar faces while introducing myself to a number of professionals I do not yet know, and I hope you are able to join me. (And if so, I’ll buy you lunch.)

    Scott Signore

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  • 3 Glaring Reasons to Look for a New PR and Social Media Firm

    The writing is on the wall, as they say. When something’s not right with your PR firm, the problem isn’t always easy to pinpoint, but eventually it becomes glaring – if you know where to look.  Here are three reasons why you should start looking for a new PR and social media agency:

    First, if you firm is complacent – and doesn’t enthusiastically embrace opportunities to help you achieve your communications and business objectives – then it’s time to find a new PR partner. Energy and effort are HUGE in our business, and opportunities need to be pursued and capitalized on when they are presented and available. If creative thinking is met with a sour response, or high-profile media opportunities are not seized aggressively, then you should sail your ship in other waters.

    Second, if your firm isn’t yet developing content for a variety of media channels, then it’s time to move on. Our communications category has evolved – that’s clear – and content creation is king. It’s the whole royal family, to be honest. Clients should be able to rely on one agency to help best penetrate traditional media and social media – and having an in-house creative services team is critical to keep the content marketing engine firing.

    Finally, despite the evolution in the category and the number of significant changes the PR business has endured over the years, it’s still about executing a communications program that helps drive business. To that end, look for another PR and social media agency partner if your current group is not directly supporting your business objectives. There must be a correlation between a smart and strategic plan, and measureable results that have directly contributed to helping the business succeed. Be certain your agency knows what needs to be accomplished, develops a strategic plan for generating results, and executes well. Or, look for another agency partner.

    I’m highlighting a few of the obvious reasons to find a new firm – but what else could I add to this list?

    Scott Signore

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  • Charles Ramsey: From struggling dishwasher to overnight sensation


    By this point, everyone is most likely aware of the incredible rescue this week of three young women who were held captive for nearly a decade.  The rescue of these women has been the top news story for several days, and as new developments emerge, we will continue to hear more about this horrific story.  Interestingly enough, it seems that there has been a breakout star from this entire story, Charles Ramsey, who heroically kicked open a door to free the victims after hearing the screams of Amanda Berry, one of those held captive. 

    Most people have seen the interview with Ramsey and a local Cleveland reporter, and his somewhat descriptive and honest responses to the reporter’s questions.   As a direct result of that interview Ramsey, a dishwasher at a local Cleveland restaurant, has become an instant internet star, taking some of the focus away from the victims, and turning the attention to his account of the situation.

    And of course, as we all may have expected, the now famous interview has become the inevitable auto-tune.  Mashable posted the video, garnering more than 10K shares and it quickly became a trending topic on Twitter; Charles Ramsey is being approached to talk with, and being talked about, by everyone.  From participating in the media circuit including interviews with national press like Anderson Cooper, TMZ and Good Morning America, to major brands like McDonald’s tweeting about him upon hearing he was eating food from the chain when he heard Berry’s screams, this story became #1 news of the week.

    The reaction to the interview is not surprising.  This isn’t the first time we have sensationalized a person’s interview with a reporter.  Does Sweet Brown ring a bell for anyone?  Well maybe her catch phrase, “Ain’t Nobody Got Time For That!” does.  Sweet Brown can thank social media for launching her YouTube stardom, resulting in some serious financial benefits, including appearances, interviews and even spokesperson opportunities.  Some people would say more power to her for embracing her fifteen minutes of fame, where others are concerned the media has selfishly contributed to the popularity of these videos and the troubling racial undertones of this amusement. 

    For Ramsey, I think he faces some of the same challenges.  At the end of the day, Ramsey might be getting all of this online attention for pure entertainment, but he has also been getting quite a bit of “thank yous.”  Fundraising efforts are under way, including one online site that has already topped its $10,000 goal in just over a day.  All funds will go directly to Ramsey as a token of the community’s appreciation for his bravery. 

    No matter what you think, you can’t deny the fact that Charles Ramsey is a hero.  No matter how he found them, and what his reactions were, he is responsible for saving the lives of three young women.  And if you haven’t seen the interview, I’d suggest you check it out.  If you have, what is your reaction? 

    Matter

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