• How to Choose A PR Agency: 13 Must-ask Questions

    How to Choose A PR Agency: 13 Must-ask Questions

    Picking a PR agency is a big decision, particularly for those that may have had sub-optimal experiences in the past or who have never run an agency search. Even experienced agency shoppers can find the process challenging. Let’s face it, you are making a major investment, which will immediately and directly impact your overall marketing budget – not to mention the future of your business. Having participated in many RFIs, RFPs and pitches over the years, I’ve learned that there are some simple questions that brands should ask themselves before considering how to choose a PR agency. Since these questions seem to be overlooked quite often, I recommend starting with a little self-analysis, and using the following checklist:

    1. What are our overarching business goals and how can a PR agency help us to achieve them?

    Whether you are looking for more sales, increased brand recognition or executive thought leadership, this should be the question that you start with and always return to when vetting a new PR agency.

    2. What kind of PR agency do we want to work with?

    There are many different kinds of PR agencies out there – big, boutique, local, global, specialized, traditional, integrated – the list goes on and on. Know what you want before you start the process, and if the answer isn’t immediately clear, consider inviting agencies from different categories to participate in your search.

    3. What are our strengths and weaknesses, and how can an agency help us to showcase the former, while improving on the latter?

    The role of a PR agency really should be two-fold. It should help to demonstrate your strengths and value propositions to key audiences, while also improving the position and perception of your weaknesses. A prospective agency may have its own ideas of where your strengths and weaknesses lie, but you should go into the process with your own ideas.

    4. What is our budget?

    This seems very practical, but is often unclear or not discussed. Determining a budget early in the process will allow you to set a realistic expectation for your organization and the agencies you speak with. It will also ensure that you get an honest and tailored pitch that is based in reality. The last thing you want is to see a million dollar pitch that you could never afford, and an agency can never deliver within your budget.

    Once you have done a little self-reflection and you feel confident that you know the answers to the above questions, you are ready to start talking with agencies. This should be the fun part! A good agency won’t make you feel like they are trying to sell you a used car, they will make you feel like you are being courted for a meaningful relationship. Enjoy the courting process, but ask the following questions to ensure you remain strategic and don’t end up with the wrong partner:

    5. What are your agency’s capabilities?

    This is a good place to start and will let you know right away whether you will end up needing one agency or multiple, to handle things like media relations, social media, graphic design, SEO / SEM, web design, and so on. As more falls under the umbrella of PR and marketing, there is certainly something to be said for a one-stop shop that understands your core values and messaging and can integrate them seamlessly throughout your program and materials. Hopefully you never feel the need, but having one throat to choke can also make your life much easier at the end of the day.

    6. Where does your agency see the PR industry going?

    This will give you an immediate sense of just how in-tune a prospective agency is with its own rapidly evolving industry. The media landscape is changing daily and is almost unrecognizable from a decade ago, and social media and creative digital content are no longer options that are just nice to have. Any agency that is not plugged into industry shifts will quickly become stagnant and ineffective, and your brand and reputation will likely suffer as a result. Experience is important, but flexibility and a willingness to continue learning and evolving is essential when it comes to your PR agency.

    7. Who will be on our team and how often will I have access to senior leadership?

    Be weary of the agency that trots out a team of executives for your pitch, and can’t provide a clear answer as to who exactly will be on your team. Ideally, you want to meet your actual team, so that you can get a sense for the mid-level and junior team members that will be handling most of the daily legwork. Not many agency executives are going to be picking up the phone to speak with reporters, so make sure you are comfortable with the people that will actually be speaking on behalf of your organization. Ask each team member to describe their role, strengths and why they want to represent your brand.

    8. What is your financial model?

    Believe it or not, there is no standard financial model that all PR agencies subscribe to. Be cognizant of firms that bill hourly. This may work for you, but it is worth noting that PR inherently ebbs and flows quite a bit from month to month. The last thing you want is a team that is forced to pull back during a busy month, because they have gone over their hours. These are the times that you are stretched the thinnest and the last thing you want is to lose support, or have to dip back into your budget to keep your PR team working. This model can also distract your PR team from their core competency. When your team picks up the phone to talk to the Wall Street Journal, you want them thinking about the goal, not how long it takes to achieve it.

    9. Why did you choose to work at your agency?

    There are no shortages of PR agencies out there, and you want to know that your team is happy with their agency. An agency’s people are its product, and happy PR people are productive PR people. You also want to be cognizant of turnover on your team, as it’s important for them to all become experts on your business, your messages, and even your working style – which becomes difficult with new team members constantly cycling in.

    10. Do you know our brand and understand our products, services, technologies and/or value propositions?

    You certainly want to know that an agency has done its homework. This will also give a sense of the agency and team’s experience in your space. Additionally, you want a team that is passionate about your brand and mission – not just looking for a paycheck. At the end of the day, passion for your industry and brand will go much farther than retainer dollars, and will perpetuate itself in the quantity and quality of your results.

    11. Where would our organization fall within your client spectrum?

    It is helpful to get a sense of the average size of accounts on your prospective agency’s roster. Some agencies have a threshold for the size of account they are willing to take on, and/or are able to support. Find out where you fall. Will you be an average sized account, or will you be one of the largest the agency supports? This distinction  could potentially affect the prioritization of your account.

    12. Can you give me an example of a campaign that you’ve executed in our industry?

    There is real value to a chameleon PR pro, who has experiences and success across industries. Breadth of experience comes with a breadth of strategies that can be employed on behalf of your brand. That said, you want some expertise that comes from experience working with brands like yours. This will also give the agency team a chance to show you how they think and who they know in your media and influencer space.

    13. What do you need from us?

    Your agency should lighten your load and improve your results. That said, it is naïve to think that you will hire an agency and outsource all your work. The most successful agency partnerships result from strategic teamwork. Whether it is a customer roster, access to executive experts or simple face-time, your prospective agency should know and be honest with you when it comes to what they need from you to succeed.

    It is a big decision picking a new PR agency, and you should approach it as strategically and informed as possible. When done right, it is a partnership that moves the needle for your organization in a truly impactful way. When done wrong, it can be quite painful for everyone involved. These questions are by no means exhaustive, but should be considered for your “must-ask list.” There is always a perfect agency partnership to be had, and it is up to you to give yourself the best chance of finding the right fit for you and your organization.

    Are there any other questions that should be added to this list or that you have asked or been asked during an agency selection process?  Let us know by filling out the form below.

    Andrew Petro

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  • The Art of Newsjacking: Four Strategies for PR Success

    The Art of Newsjacking: Four Strategies for PR Success

    Newsjacking is the art and science of injecting your ideas (or your client’s) into a breaking news story to obtain media coverage and ultimately elevate the brand. Since most clients aren’t wired with a journalist’s brain, it’s our job as PR pros to make those connections and advise clients appropriately. By newsjacking, PR teams can catapult their client into the forefront of trending conversations that are directly related to their core mission.

    When Apple refused to unlock the iPhone of a shooter in the San Bernardino terrorist attack citing privacy implications, the FBI took the technology giant to court, resulting in a media frenzy. With the largest global information privacy organization as a client, our biggest objective is to raise the organization’s profile as the leading voice in the privacy profession, as an essential resource for business and government in the practice of privacy, and as a trusted voice for the media. So, when the Apple vs. FBI story broke, my PR team quickly mobilized flagging stories to our client and advising on ways to leverage the news for their benefit.

    My team effectively used the current news to attract media to attend a candid interview and Q&A with FBI’s general counsel, just one high-profile panel at the client’s upcoming Global Privacy Summit. By staying on top of daily news and tracking trending conversations on Twitter, we effectively attracted key journalists covering the story to the event and secured coverage in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and many more.

    For this art form to work well, however, there’s four simple strategies to follow:

    1. Read

    So much of what we do as public relations professionals is driven by the news, so our knowledge of the daily breaking news is vital to the success of any media relations program. To keep up on the news:

    1.    Set up Google Alerts on key topics related to your client’s area of expertise or thought leadership platform.
    2.    Sign up for e-newsletters from relevant trade organizations, major industry press and blogs.
    3.    Subscribe to curated media platform like theSkimm which provide news in bite size format
    4.    Use social media:
      • Follow journalists on Twitter. This allows you to stay on top of news that’s important to your target media and helps build a relationship with journalists
      • Look for trending hashtags. Both Twitter and Facebook have streams showcasing news stories and topics that are most popular amongst users.
      • Use Twitter lists to organize by client or field, and then browse your list each day to see what’s being discussed in that industry.

    2. Real-time Responses

    Staying informed on trending news stories and topics related to clients’ fields is a non-negotiable as is responding in a timely fashion. In his bestselling book, “Newsjacking: How to Inject your Ideas into a Breaking News Story and Generate Tons of Media Coverage,” author and PR strategist, David Meerman Scott, writes about how to grab the attention of highly engaged audiences by taking advantage of breaking news.

    “Newsjacking is powerful, but only when executed in real-time,” David writes. “It is about taking advantage of opportunities that pop up for a fleeting moment then disappear. In that instant, if you are clever enough to add a new dimension to the story in real-time, the news media will write about you.”

    News hype doesn’t stick around for long – a few hours, maybe days and if we’re lucky, a few weeks. But the earlier you can seize the story, the more likely it will benefit you and your client in a big way. If you wait too long to contribute to the discussion, the more voices you’ll be competing against.

    3. Relevancy Matters

    Make sure the news you’re “jacking” relates directly to a client’s core messages and/or the position of the organizations’ thought leaders.

    When Verizon was in a deal to purchase Yahoo, Matter’s PR team quickly latched on to the patent purchase involved in the deal, offering our client – an intellectual property attorney – as a source for journalist. This ultimately landed us coverage in a key trade publication.

    4. Is it the Right Story?

    Avoid newsjacking negative stories unless your company has a legitimate tie to the news.

    Facebook was in a heap of trouble for broadcasting the murder of a Cleveland man on Easter. Offering a client to speak on privacy implications and the need for regulations related to streaming video on social media – that’s a legitimate news tie that will add value for reporters covering the story.

    On the other hand, there’s times when newsjacking can go very gone. When the World Trade Center collapsed on 9/11, Quantum Tech issued a press release two days later with the headline: ‘WTC Collapse Highlights Need for Quantum Tech’s Remote Backup.” It covered how its customer, Morgan Stanley, could function the very next day despite its offices being destroyed in the attack because it used an off-site remote backup facility to store its data. The press release was retracted and the person responsible was subsequently fired.

    It’s important to approach newsjacking ethically and sensitively. Think about the ways you can use real-time engagement authentically to further advance the current dialogue. Any questions about methods you’re currently deploying, feel free to leave them in the comments!

    Emily Quirk

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  • Why selecting a PR agency with a national presence Matters

    The opening of our new and expanded office in Boston has me thinking about all of our office locations – 5 nationwide – and how we’ve situated our smart and savvy staff in regions that directly benefit our clients. Here are a few credible reasons as to why clients should consider PR and social media agencies with the depth and breadth of multiple geographies.

    First, it really does help to have team members sharing a time-zone with the writers and editors they connect with so frequently. Matter is as flexible of an agency as I know of – and constantly we speak of getting things done wherever the team or client may be – but it really does make the working situation better when you have the opportunity to react and respond to inquiries at a time of day that makes convenient sense.

    Second, it also helps to have the creativity that comes from varying geographies. What’s smart and savvy in the great northwest may be different than a noteworthy communications trend in greater Boston. Like the way we leverage the strategies and successes we experience when working with both consumer and technology clients, we have the opportunity to learn from happenings occurring in other local markets.

    Third, some prospects and clients gain a sense of comfort knowing the team working on their business “gets” what it’s like to do business in their region. When an agency is able to hire stellar professionals from the local market, they reflect some of the region – and what makes that particular region special – within its walls. They understand local habits and nuances, and ultimately those team members can strengthen the relationship with the client.

    Fourth, there’s opportunity for employees who have the freedom and flexibility to consider growing their career elsewhere – and the positive enthusiasm that comes with embracing a new city or town can positively impact performance. Here at Matter we’ve had a number of employees transfer from an East Coast office to our locations in Boulder and Portland, and their energy and enthusiasm is directly contributing to the positive vibe in each location. And, that positive energy is transferring to the work being done.

    And, finally, and this one is very tactical, having a national presence is extraordinarily helpful for social media monitoring and execution. There’s really no way around it, but starting the work day early – and having the opportunity to end it late – is necessary these days, and having someone in the agency and from the team involved will allow for timely social activity.

    Can you think of any other reasons as to why having a national presence Matters?

    Scott Signore

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  • 4 PR Tips to Attending a Client Tradeshow

    Fountains of Bellagio

    As a public relations professional, I’m fortunate to have a career that allows for frequent travel, so you can only imagine the excitement that ensued last month, when I got to spend four days in Las Vegas to attend Ceridian INSIGHTS, one of our clients’ largest annual customer forum.

    Throughout the four days, I spent a significant amount of time learning about the client, its services and customers, and meeting many new faces, who were all in town for the very same reason I was — to be immersed in the Ceridian culture.

    If you’re attending a client tradeshow in the near future, be sure to follow these four tips to maximize your time at the event:

    1. Don’t Be Afraid to Network. With over 2,000 professionals present at INSIGHTS – including Ceridian customers, prospects and internal employees – it was the perfect opportunity to network with others outside of the PR industry. Don’t be afraid to walk up to a group of strangers and introduce yourself. Ask them where they’re from; why they’re attending; or, my favorite question, what publications they read on a daily basis. It will spark a discussion, and help you learn a new dimension of your client that you can’t get elsewhere.
    2. Listen for Common Themes or Trends. Whether I was sitting in on a presentation session or speaking to someone during lunch, I always had a pen and notebook at the ready. In PR, you’re always looking for that timely hook, trend or theme that’s of interest to reporters, and you never know when you’ll hear it discussed. It can even arise in informal conversation, which is yet another reason to follow tip number one and network.
    3. Bond with your Client. Client relationships matter – in fact, more often than not, clients become our friends. During INSIGHTS, we had a few hours of free time during some nights, and I didn’t let that go to waste. One of my favorite memories from the tradeshow was venturing out on the Vegas strip with my client contact to shop and see the Fountains of Bellagio light up at night. Venture out and make after hour plans with your client, to get to know them on a more personal (yet still professional) level.
    4. Have Fun! Ceridian is a company that strives to make work life better for employees, and they truly lived up to that by hosting fun activities throughout my four days at INSIGHTS. For example, I got to attend my very first Cirque de Soleil show, get a mini makeover from Sephora, and even meet a Star Wars Stormtrooper. The tradeshow was a perfect balance of education and entertainment, and it was one of the best experiences in my career thus far.

    What are some of your go-to tactics when attending a client tradeshow? Let us know by dropping a comment below.

    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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  • Escaping the Pitching Ditch

     

     

    After pitching a particular topic for X weeks, months or even years, PR professionals can start to feel as though they’ve reached an unavoidable road block. You’ve hit every outlet under the subject’s umbrella, pitched every relevant contact with every reasonable angle you can come up with – and now finding a new, creative direction feels like squeezing water from a rock. It happens to the best of us.

    In these situations, I find great value in brainstorming with colleagues (especially those not directly on my accounts). I’m regularly amazed by the gems of ideas that can come from people meeting to think out loud. Bouncing half-baked ideas around helps me to avoid the tracks of my day-to-day approach and map out new strategies.

    Then there’s something to be said about wandering off the normal path entirely – it could be a little dicey, but it could also lead you to a great, unexpected place. I took a cue from Matt Armendariz this weekend, a food photographer, esteemed blogger, and amazing self-promoter. Through no help of any PR folk, he wound up as the front man on the West Elm blog last week. Though Matt’s subject matter is far from impossible to pitch, this placement represented a brilliant realm of outlets I hadn’t yet thought to explore – retailer blogs.

    • What are some of the ways you get out of your own head when pitching?
    • Do you have an example of an “aha” moment, when you suddenly came up with a new, creative direction?

     

    Matter

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  • PMA or bust … or just a bust?

    The Photo Marketing Association conference and trade show kicks off next Friday and, like everyone else in the industry who will be in attendance, I’m eager to see how things pan out. Much has been said about the success of the show and the future of this event since last fall, when Canon announced that it would not be exhibiting and several companies followed suit. (more…)

    Matter

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  • Be prepared: not just a good motto for Boy Scouts…

    As a former Boy Scout (okay, full disclosure: I lasted maybe one year…), the importance of “being prepared” was hammered into my head quite a bit when I was growing up. Honestly, it’s still probably one of the best pieces of advice anyone’s ever given me in life. Especially in PR, preparation is everything. (more…)

    Matter

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  • Meeting in person

    Last week, I was reminded of how much I value in-person meetings. My team and I met with long-standing client Lexar for the purpose of planning our program for the year ahead. While we’ve been working as an extension of Lexar’s dynamite marketing team for some time – and we’ve been informed and aligned throughout the relationship – the opportunity to collaborate first-hand and overcome planning challenges together during a working session was the key to a successful process. (more…)

    Scott Signore

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