Why PR Matters in a Down Economy

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Why PR Matters in a Down Economy: Favoring the Fat

It’s no secret – we’re in a recession. When sales slow down for a company, many times, the first thing that’s cut is the marketing budget. To many CEOs, the marketing budget is fat that can be trimmed, while manufacturing, etc. is left untouched. For those of you battling to keep your marketing and/or PR budget, here are a few arguments that favor the “fat”.

Public Relations builds credibility. Unbiased third parties tell a story for you or your company and through their storytelling, you receive incredible value.

Public Relations provides value. Most forms of communication tie a direct correlation between monies exchanged and results. However, through PR, our results are tied to the number of placements secured, the conversations started and the people that are talking.

Public Relations builds trust. As social media continues to rise and consumers get more of their news online, communities create a broader exchange for information. Many times, consumers are trading news stories and providing their own take (as in: “I use XYZ product and love the results).

Public Relations is affordable. Just because you’re experiencing a tough financial market at the moment, don’t sacrifice your long-term marketing objectives. Public relations is an affordable way to stay in front of your target, facilitate conversation and work to build brand loyalty.

Public Relations is aggressive. It’s easy to hide away during tough financial times, but isn’t that what your competition is doing? Take this opportunity to break away from your competition and solidify your position in the marketplace.

Make this tough economy work for you. Creativity and connections can easily catapult you to the next level (or two!)

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Building Your Social Media Approach

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In order to build a social media approach for your company (or for yourself personally), there are five key steps to consider and follow:

Step 1: Research
Take a look at the types of social media available (it’s a constantly changing landscape) and determine which tools are most beneficial to your company. I highly recommend participating in social media on a personal level in an effort to get a feel for how it works before engaging your company.

Look at where your target audiences are online and find out what they’re talking about. How can your company join these conversations and add value?

Step 2: Audit
This steps requires you to take a look at your company and determine what your biggest obstacles are, including slow adoption of social media. During this step, it’s important to evaluate the obstacles you may face and determine how you and your team can overcome them.

Who is on staff that is most enthusiastic about social media? Many times, these are the people that are already involved on a personal level. Are they interested in learning more about the social media craft and are they capable of holding conversations with your target audiences?

Step 3: Plan
Now that you know what types of social media your company will employ and who will be the brand champion, how will you measure your success? Keep in mind that there are generally two types of success: Impact and ROI.

Do the folks in your company understand that you’re not going to see an immediate and direct return-on-investment?

Step 4: Internal Education
So you have a select few who are involved in social media on a personal level and have agreed to assist you in shepherding the company into this new media. What about the majority of employees who not understand how it works and don’t realize the amount of time and conversation it requires?

And, because your company is becoming a part of the social media world, what sort of policies do you need to create to protect both your company and employees?

Step 5: Participation and Evaluation
As you’re diving into social media, keep a watchful eye on what others are doing. Set up RSS feeds and Google News to monitor peers and competitors. Listen in on these conversations and be sure you’re represented within every social media tool that your competitors are using.

Plan your participation, too. If there are major ideas you want to present to your target through social media, consider creating an editorial calendar. By outlining conversations you want to start, this allows you to pick up on your social media efforts and keep the flow going.

And finally, continuous evaluation is key. Are we active in our communities? Are the conversations flowing? How can we improve our presence and our content? What are we doing with the information we gain?

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Jenna Presenting at Marketing Workshop

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Marketing Matters Series, Part 3: PR in the Digital Age

Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Location: National-Louis University,
122 S. Michigan, Room 5006 – 5th Floor, Chicago
9:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Where’s your ready-to-go content? RSS feeds? Is your blog a must-read?
Oh, and you’re keeping an eye on your brand equity, right?

Yes it’s hard work, but keeping your voice heard during difficult times is vital. And with everyone spending more time online today, it’s crucial that your organization maintain a strong presence among stakeholders, customers and prospects where they are congregating.

At this workshop, we’ll explore:

  • The evolution and future of PR
  • Maximizing your PR efforts while saving time and money
  • Digital Strategies for Building your Brand
    • Creating an online presence
    • Search Engine Optimization
    • Social Media (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, etc.)
    • Monitoring conversations

You will also participate in a breakout session designed to give you hands on experience in developing a digital PR brand strategy.

Presenter:Jenna Gruhala Oltersdorf, Snackbox Public Relations Principal
Jenna has managed and executed programs for sole proprietorships and multi-billion dollar companies. Her agency experience ranges from a small firm in St. Louis to the largest independently owned PR firm in the world. She has expertise, contacts and strategy to help your business grow.

Jenna’s client experience includes Chinet, Feline Pine, Remi-D, Perlabella, NASCAR, Hardee’s, North Carolina Division of Tourism, Unico, Georgia-Pacific, St. Louis Effort for AIDS, GMAC Real Estate, Agility Recovery Solutions, Heatcraft Refrigeration Products and Levi’s Signature Series, to name a few. She’s a member of the American Marketing Association and the Public Relations Society of America.

Recognized for excellence in public relations, Jenna has received a number of industry awards including Communicators, Summits, Bronze Anvils, Silver Anvils, Platinum PR Awards, Tellys, U.S. International Film Festival Award and a nomination for an Emmy … but it’s not all about a fancy piece of stone and glass, is it?

When she’s not making PR magic for her clients, Jenna enjoys drag racing Corvettes (she’s undefeated), baking cupcakes and reading Augusten Burroughs. You can find her playing Halo 3 under the Xbox Live gamer tag xxxJENNACIDExxx and on Twitter as @JennaSnacks.

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How to Get the Most Out of a Trade Show

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Trade shows are a great way to build relationships with media contacts and work on story development. Here are a few of my favorite Do’s and Don’ts when planning trade shows.

DO get a list of media attending the show.

DO early outreach to media. Reach out early to find out what their goals are once at the show and how you might be able to help. Be sure these contacts are setting aside some time to meet with you at the show.

DO draw media to your booth through one-on-one interviews with a spokesperson.

DO Plan product announcements around key trade shows.

DON’T be tough to find. The last thing you want to do is force your media contacts to look for your spokesperson. Include multiple cell phone numbers and be sure those numbers are manned by someone who has direct access to your spokesperson and their schedule.

DO create an online media kit that includes all announcements, bios, etc. you’re providing at the show.

DON’T expect all of your media contacts to want to lug a traditional media kit home with them. Not everyone wants to haul 62 media kits home with them and your journalist contacts will appreciate your thoughtfulness.

DO Supply hard copies of news releases, fact sheets, bios, brochures, etc. in the press room at the show if permitted.

DO create a master schedule of your company’s activities while at the show and share it with all company representatives that are attending.

DON’T expect reporters to come to you to book interviews with your spokesperson. Expect to do a little leg work to help reporters find your spokesperson and be prepared to brief these contacts on the news you’ll be sharing.

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Media Training Tip: Off the Record

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Anything you say can be used against you … we hear that phrase on cop shows, but did you realize it applies to media interviews, too? We tell our clients to pretend as if the microphones are on from the time you see that news van coming toward you over the horizon until they leave and that van is no longer in sight.

Nothing is ever off the record. Never, ever, ever.

It’s good practice to be on your best behavior and avoiding saying anything stupid, even if you assume the microphones are off and no one is listening. There have been so many “accidental recordings” … a politician has just closed his speech and thinks the mic is off at the podium. He begins complaining about someone, naming them by name, and the media has it all captured on tape for the 5 PM news … a top CEO has just finished a TV interview with a reputable reporter and as they’re walking back to the elevator (the cameras are off), the CEO turns and says, “I’m so glad you didn’t ask me about XYZ issue”. You can guess what was included on the evening news, right?

This post is not to make reporters out as untrustworthy. The purpose of this post is to remind you to think before you speak. To be well-versed in your key messages and don’t do anything stupid.

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Increasing SEO Through PR

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In today’s world, it’s important to create a communications plan that reaches your target audiences through both traditional and non-traditional methods. Those “non-traditional” methods are quickly becoming the norm, especially as traditional media like newspapers are becoming a dying breed.

PR has the opportunity to generate quite a bit of digital content that is easily searchable and accessible. Examples include:
– News releases and media alerts posted on your company Web site
– Social media (SM) news releases distributed through services like PitchEngine (www.pitchengine.com)
– Letters to the editor posted on the newspaper’s Web site
– Stories included on any media’s Web site
– Online newsrooms (on your company Web site or through services like PitchEngine)
– Company blog
– Company Twitter account
– Company Facebook fan page
– White papers
– Webinars/How-to videos posted on YouTube
– Images relating to your company posted on Flickr
– eNewsletters posted on your Web site

In addition to creating digital content, it’s important to monitor coverage and analyze results. Simple monitoring solutions include Google News Alerts.

The most important take away from this post is that creating SEO-friendly digital content is in the here and now. If your PR program does not include SEO and social media efforts, you’re missing the boat.

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Elements of an Online Newsroom

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An online newsroom is typically hosted on your Web site and is created as a resource for reporters. At a minimum your online newsroom should include contact information for your spokesperson, recent news releases and images that can easily be downloaded. Keep in mind that reporters typically want their images as JPG files at 300 DPI.

Additional elements you may want to consider including in your online newsroom include Executive bios, Fact sheets, calendar of events, how-to videos, etc.

While it is tempting, please don’t force newsroom visitors to register in order to gain access. Most don’t want to spend the time and more than likely don’t have the time for a chore like this.

To get a better feel for great online newsrooms, check out these links:

http://www.crayola.com/mediacenter/
http://www.kraftfoodscompany.com/MediaCenter/

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How to Write a Media Alert

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Media alerts are used to notify media contacts of an upcoming event. The media alert never exceeds one page and is a quick, informative piece used to gain interest from the contacts who receive the alert.

Elements of a media alert include who, what, when, where, contact and a note explaining any visual opportunities for television contacts.

To further illustrate the simplicity and elements of a media alert, here is an example:

Need New Ideas to Attract Donors?
The Arts & Business Council of Chicago Offers an Essential Workshop

What: A vital workshop, “Successful Fundraising Efforts: A Time for New Approaches,” is designed specifically for arts groups who need fresh ideas and techniques to attract wary donors for annual fundraising.

Why: Fundraising can be challenging in a weakened economy, but not impossible. Through this workshop    learn new ways to freshen up your fundraising skills, expand your donor list, optimize your brand impact and raise needed funds.

Where: National-Louis University, 122 S. Michigan Avenue visit www.artsbiz-chicago.org for further details

When: Tuesday, February 24 at 9:30 a.m.

How: To register, contact Kristen Romans at (312) 372-1876 x221 or kromans@artsbiz-chicago.org

Who: Presenter Molly Hansen, Director of Development, Northlight Theatre
Panel: Ellen Wadey, Executive Director, The Guild Complex and others

Additional panelists to be announced

The Arts & Business Council of Chicago has, for nearly a quarter of a century and with the help of hundreds of volunteers from the business sector provided vital, capacity-building services and programs to our city’s vibrant cultural community. The Council makes good business practices “the business” of the arts, while also making the arts “the business” of business. For more information, visit www.artsbiz-chicago.org.

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How to Create a Media Distribution List

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Media lists of any size are key to the success of your news release and overall PR campaign. Before creating a list, it’s important to take a look at your audience – who is going to be most interested in the news you’re about to release? From there, take a look at the media that cover that beat. Those are the people you’ll want to include in your list.

We typically create media lists in Microsoft Excel. The first step is to open up a new Excel workbook, reorient the page to landscape.

For your columns, title them as such:
Media outlet
– Examples include Redbook, Chicago Tribune

Media type
– Examples include television, Web site, radio

Contact
– The first and last name of the reporter contact

Beat/Title
– What’s the contact’s title? Are they an editor or a reporter? Do they cover lifestyle, shopping, food?

Phone
– Be sure to include extension, too.

Email
Notes
– In this section, make note about recent coverage that applies to your story you’re about to pitch. Also, keep notes regarding your contact with the reporter. This allows you to keep track of your interactions and avoid uncomfortable situations like triple pitching a contact after they’ve already told you “no” twice.

So you have your Excel workbook ready, now what? Well, it depends on the pitch and what you have access to.

Most PR folks subscribe to costly software that allows them to search for any number of media contacts throughout the nation. If you don’t have access to something like this, then make Google work for you. If it’s a local pitch, Google the city + reporter to get a feel for the outlets that should be included. If it’s a trade pitch, Google the industry + reporter. Once you have the media outlets noted, then you can go back into their Web sites to determine the appropriate contacts.

Remember: Homework is everything when prepping your list. Your number one goal is to list media contacts that are relevant to your story. Avoid at all costs pitching a reporter that doesn’t make sense. If I’m pitching an anti-aging cream, I’m going to be sure I’m pitching beauty reporters, not sports reporters. Make sense?

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How to Write a News Release

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A news release is written in third person and works to educate an editor or reporter on a topic while selling them on a story angle. News releases are typically written about people, events, services or products.

News releases have evolved over time, but the format has remained fairly unchanged. They typically include contact information for the PR contact, a headline and sub-headline, a dateline, the body of the news release and a boilerplate. Three number symbols (###) centered at the bottom signal the end of the document.

Contact information
Typically included in the upper right or left corner of the document, this section outlines who should be reached if media contacts have questions. Include a name, phone number and email address at a minimum. For my news releases I always include my instant messenger screen name and sometimes include my Twitter username, too.

Headline and Sub-Headline
You only have a few seconds to grab the reader’s attention, so it’s important to spend time on your news release headline. The headline should sum up the news that is included in the release and engage the reader.

Dateline
Typically comprised of the city and state from which the news originated as well as the date, the dateline launches the news release and is the first piece of the intro paragraph.For more information on datelines and their proper format, go to www.apstylebook.com.

NOTE: AP Stylebook is what governs all of our writing in public relations, so be sure to grab a copy. Your first order of business is to learn how states are abbreviated in AP Style as opposed to typical post office style.

Intro Paragraph
Like the headline of a news release, the intro paragraph can make or break a story. The client name should always be mentioned in that very first sentence and the paragraph as a whole should sum up the entire news story.

Supporting paragraphs further elaborate on the news story and support the first paragraph.

Boilerplate
The boilerplate is included at the bottom of a news release and is noted as such by using a title such as “About the Chinet brand”. Note in the sample release below we have included two boilerplates. Why? There is a brand and a company in this example.

Sample News Release

For more information, contact:
Jenna Gruhala | Snackbox | 773.715.0879
jenna@snackbox.us | AIM: N20Jenna

TIPS FOR HOSTING A GREEN GATHERING

DeSoto, Kan. (February 2, 2009) – America’s premium disposable tableware brand, Chinet , practices sustainable processes in production and the brand encourages consumers to take that same level of commitment to protecting the planet when planning gatherings of any size.

Quick Tips for a Green Gathering Include:
– Send invitations via email rather than traditional printed invites
– Check out flea markets and secondhand stores for party décor
– Serve food on disposable tableware, like Chinet, made of 100% pre consumer recycled material and biodegradable in home compost
– Create a menu using local, organic produce; for great recipes, go to www.mychinet.com/recipes
– Use reusable towels for clean up and biodegradable trash bags
– Compost leftover party food and Chinet tableware

“Chinet brand gives you the strength and style you depend on, with the added piece of mind knowing you’re using environmentally-friendly products,” said Julie Stoetzer, Chinet Brand Marketing Manager. “Chinet® Classic White™ and Chinet Casuals™ lines are made of 100 percent pre-consumer recycled material. Both lines are also chlorine-free, microwave safe and fully biodegradable in home composting.”

Huhtamaki Americas, Inc., makers of Chinet products, practices sustainable processes in the production of both consumer and specialty packaging. By using recycled materials in the production of molded fiber products, Huhtamaki annually saves:
– Nearly three million trees each year
– One billion gallons of water which is equal to the supply of water for a city of 10,000
– 65 million gallons of oil or the equivalent of 31 million gallons of gas

These efforts, along with programs designed to reduce the company’s pollution and power use, have earned Huhtamaki a number of awards including the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Environmental Achievement Award. For more information, visit www.mychinet.com/environment.

About the Chinet Brand
Made in America since the 1930s, Chinet disposable tableware has a long history of making strong plates and even stronger memories as friends and family gather. Chinet products give you the strength and style you depend on with the added piece of mind knowing you’re using environmentally-friendly products. For more information about the Chinet family of products, visit www.mychinet.com.

About Huhtamaki
Established in 1920 as a specialty packaging organization, Huhtamaki provides many of the world’s most recognizable consumer goods packaging and foodservice containers, including the retail line of Chinet premium disposable tableware. For more information about Huhtamaki, visit www.us.huhtamaki.com.

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Editors Note: Photos to accompany story available by contacting jenna@snackbox.us.

Once a news release is written, you’ll need to distribute it to appropriate contacts.

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