• How working at a PR agency has made me a better teammate

    Throughout my career, my hope is to improve and acquire new skills, but one skill that I think doesn’t get enough attention is learning how to work, and work well, with others. Sounds simple right? Many of us have been a member of a team before – whether it’s a sports team, a club, or a team project in school, but the dynamic of the team depends on the different skill levels and commitments of the team members. One thing that I’ve really enjoyed about working at a PR agency is being able to work with a variety of individuals. From those who are new to PR, to some teammates who have been in the industry for years, I’ve learned so much from those around me.

    Here are some of the key lessons I’ve learned by working on a team:

    There is no I in team: How many times have we heard this one before? It’s a saying that can be found on the football field as well in your last internal business meeting – this statement is simple, yet true. We couldn’t accomplish what we do every day for our clients without a team. Every person has a role to fulfill on the team, and without each component and help from everyone, things might fall through the cracks. It’s having that trust in your team to know that at the end of the day, even though you are looking to advance your own career and improve your skills, it’s all about doing what’s best for the team and the client.

    Sometimes you’ve got to take one for the team: We’ve all been put in a position where we’ve had to step outside our comfort zone, and/or complete a project or attend our event that wasn’t at the top of our list, but it’s important to look at the situation from a different perspective. This is an opportunity to show your team that you can handle any type of project assigned to you, and at the end of the day, it’s going to help you get more experience.

    What goes around comes around: This statement is usually associated with a negative connotation, but for me it means that if you go above and beyond for someone, they are more likely to do the same for you. A big part of this statement is true with your teammates. We’ve all been put in situations where we are faced with a project or task that we know we aren’t able to complete by the specified deadline, but when you have great teammates, you know they totally have your back. I’ve learned to recognized the right time to step in and help a teammate out – it’s not about counting how many times a person has helped someone else out, rather, knowing that when you need help, your team is there for you.

    Encouragement and a quick, “thank you,” goes a long way: We all look for that reassurance from our managers and clients to tell us that we are doing a good job, but with so many moving pieces in PR, sometimes these types of encouragement aren’t communicated. It’s not because you are doing a bad job, but more that projects and deliverables are constantly moving forward. What I’ve tried to do more as I’ve moved up in my career, is to take a step back and show a little appreciation for what your teammates are doing. Whether it’s a quick one-off email, or dropping by your teammate’s desk to tell them what a great job they are doing – the confidence that you pass along can really help keep that individual working hard. Plus, by showing that you have confidence in your teammates, it gives them the self-assurance that they got this!

    Carry on!

    Matter

  • Reporters Are Writing These Headlines and You Won’t Believe What’s Happening Next!

    In a Mad Men episode this past season, there was a brief shot of the front of the New York Times issue following the assassination of John F. Kennedy. The headline read: KENNEDY IS KILLED BY SNIPER AS HE RIDES IN CAR IN DALLAS; JOHNSON SWORN IN ON PLANE

    After a search for other front page newspaper images of this terrible tragedy, there were examples of other headlines, both longer and shorter, but it highlighted for me how headline writing has changed, even in just the last few years. It also reminded me of an annoying trend in media outlets and blogs alike – clickbait.

    The headline has always been the first opportunity for a news outlet to catch a reader’s eye and make him/her want to read on. This is obvious. But in a world where online news outlets, blogs (personal and corporate), videos, news releases, infographics, advertisements, marketing collateral and other content are jostling for space and attention to draw a reader in, headlines have had to evolve. (more…)

    Matter

  • As PR professionals, fostering relationships is at the core of what we do

    Meeting new people. Learning new things. That’s what it’s all about. As a former journo, that’s the very reason I got into journalism in the first place. The writing always came second. What I craved was the interaction with all different types of people with varying views and knowing what they know; what makes them tick. As a PR professional it’s not much different. Human interactions and fostering long-lasting relationships is at the core of what we do.

    I was reminded of this just last week while staffing a media interview for a client. The writer, who freelances for Better Homes & Garden, Coastal Living and Traditional Home to name a few, was in town for the interview and chatting with her and my client over a cup of coffee felt so natural, warm and exciting. While the article is a year or more out from gracing the pages of a glossy national magazine – and certainly not a done deal until the presses run, the relationship building and connections I’m able to forge now will pay off in the long run. Even if the article is scrapped at the last minute – praying that’s not the case – I’ve made a solid relationship with a freelance writer for national media outlets. Next time I have a client that offers an expertise or product that fits her beat/coverage area, she’ll remember our personable and warm connection.

    Stephen Murdoch, vice president of public relations for Enterprise Canada, touches on this very subject in a recent article in PR Daily. He says,

    “Many leaders at PR agencies believe all they need to do is send out press releases or create social media content for their clients. Nothing could be further from the truth. Yes, a press release can be an integral part of any good public relations campaign. And yes, creating good social media content helps too. However, creating lasting relationships with traditional media outlets and bloggers will take your media and public relations efforts to the next level. Strong relationships have always been at the heart of good public relations. Today, with newsrooms shrinking, relationships are of the utmost importance in telling your story.”

    Here’s a few tips to keep in mind to ensure a long-lasting relationship with members of the press:

    1. They’re people too. Get to know them, what they cover, their hobbies, where they’re from, what college they went to, etc.
    2. Keep in touch. Check in every once in a while. And don’t just rely on email. Call them every once in a while or meet up just to chat. Even if there’s no story to pitch, keeping in touch on what stories they’re currently working on or what’s going on in their life will go a long way and foster a strong working relationship. And next time you do have an angle to pitch for a client, they’ll remember how you took the time to get to know them on a personal level.
    3. Connect with them on LinkedIn and other social media channels. Share pertinent content they share on social media channels. Tweet at them – when appropriate. This is also an important tool to keep up with what stories they’re covering, their likes and dislikes, their general interests, what TV shows they’re obsessed with, the list goes on.

    Add building solid media relationships to your professional development to-do list. Don’t expect to out of the blue email a member of the media and expect they’ll immediately respond to your pitch or cover your client. Build the relationship first, then leverage that relationship on behalf of your client(s). The time and effort you put in ahead of time will pay off I assure you.

    Emily Quirk

  • Keep your PR healthy when an agency is no longer an option

    With many clients running startups and strapped for cash, it’s a hard loss for our team and our client when they have to put a midstream stop to the PR program. Media relations takes time. Although PR is so much more than just media relations, for many of our clients, media coverage is the golden ring. Dropping the ring when it’s in hand is especially frustrating.

    So what happens when a small company needs to take a PR hiatus? As their team, we feel a sense of responsibility for the client and the product. We can’t let them fully stop PR activities, as it ultimately affects their product’s health. We don’t want to see all our good work to date languish and the brand visibility suffer or become ill.

    Granted, media relations is time consuming and founders’ main focus is building the business, but setting aside a few hours each month is imperative to long-term brand health.

    So, some advice for clients who find themselves in this predicament: don’t give up your healthy practice! Here is a short “prescription” for palliative PR until they are ready to fully engage again:

    Stay in touch with your key media

    By this time, we’ve worked out your story and we’ll happily pass along contact information for target reporters and bloggers. A quick email or call with a company milestone can do wonders. Finally going to launch another product or service? Call the reporters who covered your first launch, offer them a sample product or rundown on the new service. While you’re at it, keep tabs on key reporters by reading their articles and following them on social media – there are a host of web tools that will bring them right to your inbox.

    Keep those social channels active

    Remember that social media strategy we put together for you? Use it! If we haven’t shown you the nuts and bolts of engagement and the many web tools available to make your social life easy, let’s do this today. You should know how to administer your own channels. You should know how to write a powerful tweet and what a hashtag looks like. Do you know how often to blog? Don’t forget images! Check in with what your customers are saying online and talk to them. How do they like your product/service? Is the content helpful? Let them champion your brand and spread the good word. Keep content fresh – two relevant posts each week is a good base. Remember not to make it all about you – share industry relevant news, tips, etc. Again, social media can take on a life of its own and you’re busy with running your business. Pick your top two channels and resolve to keep them dynamic.

    Don’t discount the power of a hungry intern

    So much of PR is about time and perseverance. There are smart, experience-hungry people out there that can help you for the price of learning on the job. They usually can be found at your local institute of higher education. Seek one out and be good to them. They will be good to you!

    Check in with us from time to time

    We’re not going to leave you without proper follow up and we’ll always take your calls. We really do care about you and your product/service, so feel free to bounce ideas off of us. We may not be on retainer, but we still have a vested interest in seeing your product thrive. This also will ensure our team still thinks of you when inbound media queries arrive that are perfect for your expertise.

    The prescription above can help buoy media presence in the short term, but nothing can replace full PR team experience. We look forward to working with you again soon.

     

    Matter

  • PR Pros: How To Get Your Morning News Fix

    As any PR pro knows, staying plugged in to the news is a must. Everything from world headlines to national stories, tech trends, pop culture, and whatever’s trending day-to-day on social media – staying ‘in the know’ helps us be creative and gives us an edge when pitching fresh, new angles to reporters.

    That’s great, but who has the time, patience and attention span to absorb everything going on in the world in, I don’t know, the three-and-a-half minutes it takes to gulp down your morning Starbucks? Thanks to Twitter, smart headlines paired with a click-if-you-want-to-but-you-really-don’t-have-to-because-we-just-gave-you-the-gist link have made skimming an acceptable way to digest current events. But in the world of public relations, you probably want just a little bit more context, wit, and pizazz…

    That’s why this PR girl gets her morning news fix from TheSkimm, a daily enewsletter with 500,000 subscribers and counting. Hitting all the top headlines of the day, TheSkimm shares only the need-to-know details and players with an edgy, sarcastic twist. And, as a testament to the founders’ punchy, concise writing, there’s no obligatory ‘read more’ link after each story – what you see is what you get (and in this case, all you need to stay on top of things).

    I know, I know, you already have a million-and-one outlets you monitor daily – who has time for another? Any smart and savvy PR pro worth her salt – that’s who! Need another reason? I’ll give you 3:

    • The news today (especially abroad) is pretty rough. TheSkimm makes it bearable.
    • When everyone’s talking Fantasy Football, or something else that makes your eyes glaze over, rely on TheSkimm for the basics that will help you impress that client going on about his bracket.
    • TheSkimm was made for email (and boasts a 45% open rate!) but rocks social media, too. Follow them for the news and be inspired by their solid social strategy.

    So, how do you stay on top of the news?

     

    Matter

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  • In launch of #OneGoodReason, CVS demonstrates ‘3 Good Reasons’ we can all learn from them

    As you may have caught on the news on your drive in yesterday morning or throughout the day on Wednesday, it’s a big week for drugstore chain (and Matter client) CVS.

    Earlier this year CVS Caremark made a commitment to stop selling cigarettes and other tobacco products at all CVS/pharmacy stores by October 1, 2014 – becoming the first national pharmacy to do so. Yesterday morning CVS officially ended tobacco sales in all CVS/pharmacy locations, one month earlier than expected. Additionally, the company announced it would change its corporate name from CVS Caremark to “CVS Health” – a name that better reflects the overall company’s purpose of helping customers on their path to better health. (The CVS/pharmacy name of its retail stores will remain the same.) As part of their planting a major stake in the ground and renewing their focus as a healthcare company first and foremost, CVS Health rolled out a smoking cessation program to help people kick the habit, with resources and services available at CVS/pharmacy and MinuteClinic locations nationwide, and also kicked off a social media movement (#OneGoodReason) with an event at Bryant Park in New York City, and a flurry of tweets and posts on Facebook that have captured the attention (and support) of movers and shakers ranging from celebrity gossip blogger Perez Hilton, Senators Dick Durbin, Dianne Feinstein and Tom Harkin, actresses Rita Wilson and Josie Davis, model and activist Christy Turlington, and even First Lady Michelle Obama.

    Naturally, any time one of our clients is in the news for something positive that they are doing, it’s a proud day for Matter. The fact that we are fortunate enough to be a partner of theirs, helping to launch this milestone effort is frankly, a noteworthy milestone for us, as well – to be a part of something this huge in the national news landscape, helping to drive the social media and influencer outreach that is establishing the movement, is exactly the kind of work that we are all so passionate about here. That said, aside from the huge THANK YOU going out to those on our CVS team who have been working hard to make the initiative successful, what struck me most as I was traveling back from NYC last night is that there are so many great take-aways from this launch that really demonstrate why the leadership team at CVS is to be commended – and why they are such a terrific client we continue to learn from. So in a nod to their campaign (and fully recognizing this list could go on much longer), here are three good reasons why other brands and PR agencies should take a close look at what they are doing, and keep these best practices in mind:

    1. We’re all in this together: collaboration with multiple agencies and partners is key – and should be encouraged. It’s no secret that brands as large as CVS Health (and many much, much smaller) rely on multiple partners for multiple aspects of their business. As one partner who’s been working with the team at CVS for nearly a decade now on various public relations, blogger and social media programs, we have been lucky enough to brainstorm with a number of their other strategic partners – ad agencies, creative firms, branding experts and the like. What’s important to remember is that there’s no room for egos, and one of the things we’ve loved about working with CVS on major campaigns through the years is that we are given opportunities to work side-by-side with these other teams. At the end of the day, they “get it” – the best part of having more than one partner to turn to, is that they can all contribute together to sharing ideas and ultimately working with their internal team to bring fresh perspectives and past experiences to bear, so that as a collective team we can land on the best idea, that will get the best results, and execute it as well as possible.
    1. Being bold works, as long as you’re willing to stick with it. Whether it’s a serious issue you’re tackling, like CVS Health’s exit from the tobacco category, or a more playful marketing-focused initiative like the ExtraBucks MoneyTrashers campaign from a few years back, it’s important to approach each with an open mind and a willingness to take a very public stand and share the reasons behind why you are doing what you are doing. CVS has not been shy about making big moves and then sharing the reasons behind their decisions, and standing firm in their belief that they’re making the right decision, at the right time, for their brand (and for their business). Other brands should take this to heart. Accept that you might get criticism along with the praise, and that’s OK as long as you believe in what you are doing and have reasons to back up your choices. Because trust me – the world will hold you accountable, and reporters will ask tough questions! Of course, it’s icing on the cake when your reasons and decisions can be tied to a real, meaningful cause like this one is – these types of corporate action make it even a prouder moment for us to be partnered with a company that is doing good for the world while also doing good for their own business.
    1. The power of social media cannot be denied – but must be harnessed delicately. For about eight years now, PR professionals and marketers have been faced with the realization that social media has become an invaluable, tricky and powerful piece of the communications puzzle. But no matter how often we try, we cannot push a “Go viral!” button or guarantee that something will take off the way we want it to – or conversely, stay quiet if we wish it would be ignored. That’s why it is truly awe-inspiring to witness the power of social media in action and really understand how critical it is to approach this channel the right way. In this case, in launching #OneGoodReason it was important that, as a team, we tapped into the possibilities of social media in a way that was authentic and not self-aggrandizing. CVS (and we) wanted to encourage consumer participation in spreading the word and showing support for quitting smoking – not just patting ourselves on the back or making it all about what a smart move CVS is making. This issue is one that is very personal to people, and so part of the reason the launch has been so instantly successful and has inspired such a diverse group of people from all walks of life to take part is that we’re asking them to share those personal connections and stories, and using social media as a platform to elevate all of their individual voices. The heart of CVS’ campaign is to join together as a greater community with the greater goal of saying farewell to tobacco. And that’s something that many people want to be a part of.

    Not every brand will face a decision as momentous as the one CVS Health made this year. But every day, we are faced with opportunities to counsel our clients on how to approach their business decisions strategically and with a creative lens. I know I’ve learned a lot through our work with CVS – and I’m looking forward to continuing to learn from the bold moves and smart thinking from them, and from other brands, as well. The trick is taking those lessons learned, and applying them to future work…because ultimately, that’s what our clients expect from us.

     

    Matt Mendolera-Schamann

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  • 5 Things PR Agencies Stopped Doing

    Years ago it was a simpler time for PR firms. You’d land a client, find the right news hook, set up a media tour and hit the road to visit analysts and journalists. Then, you’d count up all the news clippings, put them in a big, shiny book, and slam it on the table during the next quarterly agency review. The louder the sound of the book, the better the odds of continuing the relationship.

    Sure, that’s an oversimplification, but it’s not far off from the way it was. Here are some basic things about PR agency life that have changed in the past 10 years:

    Media tours – The days of booking massive, expensive, travel-intensive road shows are largely over. These days a proper tour can be conducted over the phone or Skype, with the occasional in-person briefing sprinkled in when it makes sense geographically. We still value face-to-face meetings, but these days reporters mostly prefer to skip the pageantry and just hear the news on a simple call. In 2014, speed matters.

    Ad Value Equivalency – It used to be the Gold Standard of PR measurement. If a PR firm landed a client a story in, say, The New York Times, what would that same physical space cost to place an ad? If an ad for a similar sized space in the paper would cost $4K, the thinking went, then the PR placement was worth the same amount. Of course, it’s a nonsense metric. Why? Because if your client sells agricultural supplies, and the buyers of those supplies primarily read Horticulture Magazine, your piece in the NYT is worth very little in terms of building revenue. Today, there are myriad ways to track PR success that are actually tied to business outcomes.

    Clip books – As I mentioned in my intro, clip books showcasing a PR firm’s hard work are a thing of the past. For one thing, they kill too many trees and drain too many color printer cartridges (which, unlike everything else in this post, refuse to die!). More importantly, the clips themselves matter less than the audience reached, the engagement achieved, and the lead flow resulting from those efforts.

    Binding machines – These monstrosities were used routinely to create – surprise! – giant clip books for clients. They were also commonly used to secure the pages of presentations, reports, etc. To be fair, these are not entirely dead, but it’s becoming rarer and rarer to print out and bind anything (you dodged a bullet, interns!)

    Press kits – Veteran PR pros remember traveling to Comdex and other major conferences with a box brimming with press kits for clients. Tons of collateral. It would invariably sit in the little cubbies marked with the client’s name. The PR person’s job was to “check the press kits” throughout the conference, to be sure they weren’t all taken by reporters. Trouble is, only the hottest couple of companies at the event would see their press kits dwindle. Everyone else carted home the useless kits on very tired feet. These days? USB drives will suffice.

    What other PR tools from yesteryear to you recall?

    Scott Signore

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