Welcome to Lessons in PR, an ongoing series of public relations tips and advice from the professionals at Matter Communications. Have your own tip to submit? Respond in the comments or email vboynton@matternow.com. As media platforms evolve, public relations is tasked with a continuously growing list of promotional activity. What hasn’t changed, however, is our core responsibility: media relations. Regardless of our individual specialties, it is… Read more »
A few weeks ago, right before the start of New York Fashion Week, I joined three of my Matter colleagues in the Big Apple to host a PR launch party for our client felix + iris, a new e-commerce eyewear brand dedicated to helping consumers find the right fit online. As the clock struck 6 p.m. that night, dozens of media members strolled through the entrance… Read more »
I have come to terms with the fact that my parents will never be able to confidently explain to their friends just what it is that I do. The conversations often go something along the lines of: “She works in PR.” “Oh, what’s that?” “It’s something like advertising.” It’s okay Mom and Dad, I still love you. I’ve been having this conversation with clients a lot… Read more »
I originally planned to call this post “Know When to Say When” because if you didn’t know any better you might think that the “guilty parties” involved in this story had actually been consuming some adult beverages before handling dangerous weapons: a keyboard and mouse. It is a very recent and classic example of how NOT to conduct media relations. We recently helped a company (not… Read more »
Public Relations was not my first career choice, or so I thought. I thought that I wanted to be a lawyer, in fact I took the LSAT not once but twice, but the universe it seems had different plans. Now I find myself in a career where I represent my client’s best interest in the court of public opinion – sound familiar? I often find… Read more »
Earlier this week I had the opportunity to listen to Bob Woodward, of Woodward and Bernstein Watergate scandal fame, speak on his career and his thoughts on politics. Woodward shared stories about his journey to become such a recognized investigative journalist, highlighting his methods and techniques for getting information from sources and getting a solid story. But what could a public relations professional possibly learn from… Read more »
An article by New York Times writer Nick Bilton hit home, (well, PR home) recently. Bilton’s Oct. 14 piece, “Disruptions: Seeking Privacy in a Networked Age” referenced a dinner party he hosted at which many of his guests (including Om Malik) were posting to social media sites, all while noshing on pulled pork tacos and clinking glasses filled with red wine. And what ended up happening?… Read more »
As PR pros, we’re trained experts in the art of storytelling. From traditional media relations to the multifaceted realm of social media, there’s always a story that needs to be told regardless of the message or medium, and we’re here to help tell it. However, sometimes showing is the perfect complement to telling. Numerous studies show that enhancing your story with creative visual content can work… Read more »
This is just a quick note on relationship bridge-building: always be professional, helpful and generally kind and wonderful to your media contacts. Why? Because you never know when an editor at a magazine you’re crushing on (Bon Appetit) up and bails in the middle of an opp you’re coordinating with her [momentary fit of disbelief], only to kindly leave you in capable hands to finish the… Read more »
It’s nearly impossible to execute a PR or marketing campaign without getting involved with social media at some level. The benefits of exuding your brand’s personality on Facebook and Twitter, and interacting with consumers in a fun, pithy manner far outweigh the drawbacks of opening yourself up to public criticism. The problem is that social media can take on a life of its own and accounts… Read more »
The PR industry has changed rapidly in the past 10 years. On one hand, technology has made our lives easier by providing us with instant access to information and new forms of communication. On the other hand, it makes your head spin.
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.
This time of year is brutal. We’ve hit Reality Check Season here at Matter. In addition to the regular, end-of-year PR stresses of chasing reporters and stories, staying on top of the latest holiday trends, and planning for the New Year ahead, we fine PR pros subject ourselves to something called metrics.
