• Three Tips for Millennials Working in PR

    We all have that moment in our first job out of college, wondering: “Did I choose the right career?” “Can I see myself in this type of job 10 years from now?” There are almost too many options in life at this point – the world is really our oyster – and for the first time, we can do almost anything.

    Though, for some of us – you may know them as “Type A personalities,” we’ve had our lives planned out for as long as we can remember. When we will be established in our careers, when we will get married, when we will have kids, where we will live, has all been planned out down to the last detail. This latter portrayal describes me, and many other people I’ve met in my three years working at a PR agency. For PR pros, planning is in our blood – it makes us excited to see our plans pan out just the way we envisioned them. We plan for our clients on a daily basis, so of course it’s natural to plan for ourselves.

    As a millennial working in PR, although I do have similar character traits as many of my other colleagues, it is absolutely true that different generations have different ways of thinking. And with all the negative millennial articles floating around, I feel like we can oftentimes get judged prematurely based on our age. However, I think it’s just simply a different mindset or thought process, which certainly isn’t a bad thing. It’s always better to have a fresh perspective on things, right?

    Here are three tips for millennials working in PR based on our most common stereotypes:

    1. If we wouldn’t even read the pitch, what makes you think a journalist would? We’re known to have extremely short attention spans – so use that to your advantage in pitching (whether you’re pitching a millennial or not). Is your pitch so long that you have trouble getting through it? Chances are, the reporter isn’t going to read it either. Keep it short, simple, and direct. Put your “ask” up front and give additional detail in a follow-up or below your signature. That way, the reporter can get the idea, and then access more information if interested.
    1. Leverage your knowledge and years of experience with social media: It’s assumed all millennials know their stuff in regards to social media. If that’s true, I suggest you use it to your advantage at work. You’ll be amazed by how little others will know about the different social channels and best practices for each, just because they didn’t grow up with it like we did. Use this to your advantage by providing recommendations and being the point person on your team in terms of social. You’ll find yourself running Twitter handles, Facebook pages and social media contests in no time!
    1. Remember, some people actually do like talking on the phone: So maybe texting is our preferred method of communication with our friends and family – and why wouldn’t it be? It’s quick, easy, and continuous. It might be habitual to only want to pitch media via email, but learn to get to know your audience. Are you pitching another millennial? Maybe they would like emailing best, too. But if you’re pitching someone your parent’s age, they may want to do everything over the phone – even down to confirming and scheduling a media briefing. I’ve even experienced a reporter who would prefer if I left him voicemails, and he would communicate back to me via email. Don’t be afraid to ask them directly! Everyone has their own preference, so take the time to figure that out for best results and good relationship building.

    So whether you are a millennial or not, take advantage of the most commonly used stereotypes (while acknowledging they are not always accurate) to help you make daily decisions in PR around email pitching, phone pitching and social media.

    Sofia Giovannello

  • PR Firm Matter Communications Named a Fastest Growing Private Company by Boston Business Journal

    Continuous Growth, Expanded Creative Services Buoy National PR Agency

    (Newburyport, MA) – April 25, 2016 – Matter Communications, an award-winning PR and social media firm with in-house creative services and search marketing groups, was named a 2016 Fastest-Growing Private Company by the Boston Business Journal at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront late last week.

    Matter ranked 65th on the list of fastest growing, Massachusetts-based companies. To be considered, companies needed a baseline of $1 million in revenue for 2015 and at least $500,000 in revenue for 2012. Companies that saw revenue drop between 2014 and 2015 were excluded. The list also excludes schools, hospitals and nonprofits.

    “Since our inception in 2003, we’ve aimed to deliver results-driven public relations, social media and creative programs to help build businesses,” said Scott Signore, Founder and CEO of Matter Communications. “Our continued growth has allowed our national reach and services offerings to expand and in turn, meet the needs of our clients with innovative service offerings. We appreciate the recognition from the Boston Business Journal and we are honored to be part of a very prestigious group of fast-growth Boston-area companies.”

    The Boston Business Journal award comes on the heels of Matter’s announcement earlier this month that it acquired a B2B video agency, Skyscope, which effectively doubled the video capabilities of Matter’s own award-winning video/creative services group, Studio-C.

    For this award, the Boston Business Journal recognized Boston’s 76 fastest growing private companies. The top 50 companies were introduced and received their awards at an exclusive breakfast held at Renaissance Boston Waterfront.

    About Matter Communications

    Headquartered north of Boston in Newburyport, Massachusetts, with offices in Providence, Rhode Island, Portland, Oregon and Boston, Matter Communications executes creative, results-driven public relations and social media programs on behalf of clients across the U.S. and Europe. Matter maintains a broad portfolio of clients in high-technology, consumer-technology and consumer markets – including, among many others, Akamai, FootJoy, Harris Corporation, and Lexar Media. Founded in 2003, Matter’s PR services include company and product launches, product reviews, analyst and media relations, social media, crisis communications and thought leadership programs. The company offers an in-house creative services group, as well as a search marketing team. For more information, please go to https://www.matternow.com or visit the PR Whiteboard blog.

    Media Contact

    Parry Headrick
    VP of Marketing and Communications
    [email protected]
    978-518-4547

    Matter

  • Spring Cleaning in the PR World

    The sun is shining here in New England, so there’s hope that the spring season has finally arrived. And, with warm weather and sunny skies comes the thought of spring cleaning – getting the things around you in order so you can make the most of every day. Here are a few tips for corporate-side public relations managers who may want to seize the season and evaluate their current PR agency team and the program they execute:

    First, it’s a good time to audit your PR and social media team’s results against the metrics established at the start of the program. (Frankly, it’s always a good time to do this type of review!) You developed the metrics in concert with your business objectives, so you should take a close look at exactly how your communications program is contributing to your business success.

    Second, it’s also a good time to look at the various components of your program. Do you have a good volume of creative elements that strengthen your message and help you tell your story visually? Or, do you need to do more to get the attention of your key audiences? Remember, more than 90 percent of B2B marketers and 75 percent of B2C companies employ valuable visual content as part of their communications mix. Why? Because it drives revenue. That’s a pretty compelling reason.

    Third, take a look at the team supporting your business – are they still coming to the table with high energy and creative ideas? Are they asking the right questions and helping you to strengthen your story before it gets out to the market? In general, are they pumped to be working on your behalf? Your agency team members are representatives of your organization, and your expectations of energy and enthusiasm should be met. If not, it may be time to consider an alternative.

    Fourth, do you have a plan in place to best exploit the results of the team? Leveraging media successes helps any organization get the best ROI on their initiative, and pausing to determine if you are supporting the sales team appropriately is a smart thing to do. In addition to helping these folks to succeed in their job, you have a more convincing way to justify your agency spend.

    And, finally, dig down into your organization’s story-telling – and poke holes so the media doesn’t take that step first! Evaluate the always-changing market and solidify your key messages with new facts that support your positioning. And, seriously consider media training for the spokespeople who are active contributors to your program, as the message is only as clear as the way it is delivered!

    What other steps should we take this time of year?

    Scott Signore

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  • Why our acquisition of video agency Skyscope makes sense

    Earlier this week, we shared news about Matter acquiring Skyscope, an established video services agency with offices in Cambridge and Worcester, Massachusetts, and I’m elaborating on this event and sharing a few reasons why this deal makes good sense – for our agency, our clients and for the dynamite gang at Skyscope:

    First, every smart and savvy marketing organization should deliver compelling visual content to the key audiences of their PR and social media initiatives, and the demand for this content will only increase in the future. My immediate point: we’re strengthening the already-strong suite of services offered by Studio-C, our in-house creative team. The combined Skyscope and Studio-C entity raises our creative profile and allows us to compete with larger, more established creative players who don’t have the flexibility to deliver sought-after projects at our budget level or operational efficiency.

    Second, the fit – including the chemistry between staff, the complementary services, etc. – is dynamite. I sat with a number of other great creative shops, but our philosophies weren’t nearly as aligned as they are with the Skyscope crew. They prioritize the quality of their deliverables in the spirit of working with a client on a repeat basis, and they shoulder the burden of getting the task done right. In addition, our organizations share a professional work ethic of rolling up our sleeves and getting things done, while also being certain we have ample opportunity to blow off steam and have fun.

    Third, the Skyscope staff is A+. Their professionalism is evident in the work they deliver to their high-profile technology and business-to-business clients on a daily basis, but you further realize the value of the organization when you get to know them personally. It’s extraordinarily exciting to welcome a team of top-notch people who happen to be great at what they do, which mirrors the description of the staff already on the team here at Matter.

    Fourth, the combined experience of our creative teams is on par with any creative agency, anywhere. You have a solid foundation on which you can build when you’ve worked on behalf of consumer and technology brands such as LoJack, Pinterest, CVS Health, FootJoy, Cuisanart, CloudLock and Dassault Systemes, to name only a few. Being able to leverage the experiences and success will go a long way for entities looking to get into video-supported marketing with gusto.

    And, finally, by acquiring Skyscope, our agency is addressing a number of key interests that we prioritized as part of a strategy to help our agency grow. This includes but isn’t limited to growing our in-house creative team, and expanding to the point where we will have creative representation in all of our offices nationwide. And, most importantly, acquiring Skyscope enables us to grow in a way that allows our staff to embrace new creative technologies that will be sought-after by clients in the years ahead, and letting all of our professionals continue to spread their professional wings.

    Watch this space. It’s going to be an exciting year.

    Scott Signore

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  • Matter Communications Acquires B2B Video Agency Skyscope

    Matter Communications Acquires B2B Video Agency Skyscope

    Further Positions Fast-Growing PR Agency as a Top Video Provider in U.S.

    (Newburyport, MA) – April 5, 2016 – Matter Communications, an award-winning PR and social media firm with in-house creative services and search marketing groups, has acquired Skyscope, a state-of-the-art B2B video production agency with offices in Worcester and Cambridge, Mass.

    Though terms of the deal were not disclosed, the acquisition effectively doubles the video capabilities of Matter’s own award-winning video/creative services group, Studio-C, which serves an array of both consumer and B2B brands nationwide. The demand for video is only increasing, as 74 percent of B2C marketers and 92 percent of B2B marketers use video as a key component of their marketing efforts.

    “The Skyscope team joins Matter at an exciting time in our history, as we have a rich pipeline of client demand for all things video,” said Matter Founder and CEO Scott Signore. “We’ve long been impressed with the elegance and authenticity of Skyscope’s work, as well as their team, customers and unique production processes. We look forward to innovating together to offer clients the best video technology and expertise available anywhere, anytime, at any price.”

    “We’re excited to join an agency that has such a strong entrepreneurial slant and a willingness to invest in products and services that drive client success,” said Alex Dunn, COO, Skyscope. “We know first-hand how the prevalence of visual story-telling will only increase in PR and social campaigns, and we look forward to contributing to the success of Matter’s clients and the agency overall.”

    Added Skyscope CEO Sam Shepler: “We’re thrilled for this opportunity and what it will mean for the clients of both Skyscope and Matter. Ultimately, this partnership is a force multiplier that will let us both deliver on our brand promise in an even bolder and more exciting way.”

    About Matter Communications

    Headquartered north of Boston in Newburyport, Massachusetts, with offices in Providence, Rhode Island, Portland, Oregon, Boulder, CO and Boston, Matter Communications executes creative, results-driven public relations and social media programs on behalf of clients across the U.S. and Europe. Matter maintains a broad portfolio of clients in high-technology, consumer-technology and consumer markets – including, among many others, Akamai, FootJoy, Harris Corporation, Lexar Media and Verizon Wireless. Founded in 2003, Matter’s PR services include company and product launches, product reviews, analyst and media relations, social media, crisis communications and thought leadership programs. The company offers an in-house creative services group, as well as a search marketing team. For more information, please go to https://www.matternow.com.

    Media Contact

    Parry Headrick
    VP of Marketing and Communications
    [email protected]
    978-518-4547

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    Matter

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