Sean O’Leary is vice president at Susan Davis International.

Everything about the site looked legitimate.

The reporter had a headshot. The article properly shared the news. But the use of one word gave away the fact it was all generated by artificial intelligence.

Earlier this year, our agency sent out a press release for a client about three new leaders joining the company. As we reviewed the news clips, a new site popped up in our results. We hadn’t heard about the site and were initially excited.

Then we read the lede. The company had not hired a “trio” of new leaders – it had hired a “trinity” of new leaders. There’s not a human reporter alive who would ever refer to three new business leaders like that.

Indeed, it wasn’t a human reporter. Everything about the article was AI-generated, including the “headshot” of the “person” who “wrote” the story.

The phenomenon of AI-generated news is not new, as evident by the Sports Illustrated scandal late last year when the once-revered outlet was reduced to publishing AI-generated articles and attempting to sneak it past an unsuspecting public.

Most would agree that journalistic best practices would indicate a proper news outlet should make the reader aware if AI was responsible for the article they’re reading. But what if the entire outlet is AI-generated?

For PR professionals, we almost always want to expand the media footprint for our clients, and more sources of coverage are good. For this particular article in question, there was nothing wrong with it, other than the bizarre use of the word trinity. It showed up in Google News. It showed up in our media monitoring. There was nothing negative.

On one hand, I should be happy as a PR professional. We got an extra article for a client that was delivered to people around the world. For a majority of the general public, they do not know they’re reading an AI-generated article.

On the other hand, there’s a helpless feeling. An AI-generated news story can be good, but what if it’s bad? What if it starts needlessly sharing incorrect or unfavorable coverage to the masses?

As we enter the AI age of news media, here are a couple of tips for PR professionals.

Educate your clients on the AI media landscape

Even the savviest communication leader can be fooled by a strong AI-generated article. The first step in approaching AI-generated news is to educate everyone involved about what’s going on. Although they may be aware of AI news articles, they may not have experienced one personally.

For most AI-generated news, there is no action item beyond education. An article in these publications does not register on the same level as a legitimate, established outlet, but the average person reading these articles may not know that. As long as the news is correct, it’s simply bonus coverage.

Review every AI-generated article

However, just because one AI-generated article was good does not mean they all will be. While it’s always best practice to review articles to ensure your client’s news is presented factually and correctly, it’s even more critical with AI articles.

One such instance happened last fall, when an AI-generated news article popped up about a client’s annual sustainability report. Unfortunately, the AI-generated article published a story on the 2022 annual report as if it were released in 2023.

This was not an easy correction, as AI reporters are notoriously hard to track down. Instead, our team had to reach out to multiple salespeople at the site until finally reaching a human being who could remove the article completely. Ultimately, we were successful and there was little to no impact of the false article – but it was a warning sign.

Stay current with AI trends

By the time you read this article, there might be a new AI trend emerging in journalism. We’re only starting to scratch the surface of generative AI, with altered photos impacting Presidential campaigns and the most famous pop star on Earth.

There will be more AI-generated news sites, more AI-generated news articles, and more AI-generated news reporters. That much, I know. The rest? I’m not sure.

AI has the potential to completely upend and disrupt the news media. For public relations, that means our industry could be upended and disrupted too.

We can’t predict the future of AI. We can be prepared.

The post PR pros must prepare for the rise of AI journalism appeared first on PR Daily.

Off the record, on the record, on background. The terms are commonplace for PR professionals but are often used incorrectly. And that can be very dangerous.

I’ve dealt with various record requests as a PR rep, as an editor and as a reporter myself. These terms can be confusing. Use the below guide to ensure you understand – but perhaps more importantly, include this as part of your media training for clients and principals. A confident executive saying “well, this is off the record, BUT” could well wind up as front-page news tomorrow.

Basic definitions

On the record is the default status for talking to a reporter in a professional capacity. It means anything you say in an interview can be quoted and reported on, with your name attached. You should assume that anything you say to a reporter is on the record unless they have stated otherwise.

That part is important, so let me repeat it, this time in bold: you should assume that anything you say to a reporter is on the record unless they have stated otherwise.

Off the record is, of course, the flip side of that. Nothing in that conversation should be included in coverage, either as a direct quote, a summary or a reference. Nothing.

Finally, the last status is on background, which is the most complicated terminology. On background often means that the information may be used either via quote or a summary, but without a specific name attached. This is often used to not put the focus on a person, such as attributing a quote to “a company spokesperson” as opposed to “Jane Doe, head of communications.”

A less common term you may hear is “deep background.” The AP defines this as, “The information can be used but without attribution. The source does not want to be identified in any way, even on condition of anonymity.” This is often used when a journalist needs to speak to a subject matter expert to understand a topic enough to write about it with authority, but the identity of that expert doesn’t necessarily need to be in the story.

When in doubt about the definitions of any of these terms, ask up front.

A journalist’s obligation

In a perfect world, a journalist will always make the record status of a conversation clear. I like to tell people upfront, “I’ll be using this in an article, so everything we discuss is on the record. Is that OK?” It’s also fine to make it clear that nothing you say is on the record: “Hey, this is just a getting-to-know you chat, so let’s stay off the record unless we both decide something comes up that’s worth reporting on. Is that OK?”

But not all reporters do this. So again, assume that anything you say to a reporter is on the record unless otherwise negotiated.

Because going off the record or on background is always a negotiation. And it must happen before you say whatever you don’t want to be reported.

Reporters have an ethical obligation to preserve a source’s trust by respecting agreements about going off the record or on background. Breaking that rule is considered a deep faux pas. But that does not mean you can simply preface a statement by saying, “this is off the record” and expect that to be respected. Both sides must say yes.

There have been several high-profile situations, including one that involved Elon Musk, where sources sent emails to reporters flagging information within as “off the record.” But because the reporter in question never agreed to be off the record, they published the contents of those emails. They were within their ethical rights to do so. You also generally can’t say something, then backtrack with “that was off the record.”

It’s rarely to your advantage to go off the record with a reporter. Even if they can’t report what you told them off the record, they can investigate it and try to find an on-the-record source. But if you do want to give it a try, approach it like this:

“I’d like to go off the record with my response because…Will you accept those terms until we both agree to go on the record again?”

Get a clear yes or no. And if it’s a no, then move on. Change topics.

The trouble with background

Again, background is the squishy middle ground between on and off the record. Some  journalists have grown sick of it.

In 2021, The Verge updated its public ethics policy to change its stance around “on background” reporting. As the outlet’s editor-in-chief, Nilay Patel, wrote at the time:

There are many reasons a reporter might agree to learning information on background, but importantly, being on background is supposed to be an agreement.

But the trend with big tech companies now is to increasingly treat background as a default or even a condition of reporting. That means reporters are now routinely asked to report things without being able to attribute them appropriately, and readers aren’t being presented with clear sources of information.

This all certainly feeds into the overall distrust of the media, which has dire consequences in our current information landscape, but in practice, it is also hilariously stupid.

It’s worth reading the full story for some deeply cringey examples of PR professionals demanding to be on background in ridiculous ways. Don’t be one of them.

The Verge clarified that it will only accept on background requests “at our discretion and only for specific reasons that we can articulate to readers.”

While it may be awkward for PR professionals, it’s good for journalism. The public’s ability to evaluate the credibility of a source by knowing who they are is vital. If you aren’t comfortable with putting a name to your spokesperson (whoever they may be), you need to reevaluate your strategy.

Remember: reporters are not your friend. They are professionals there to get a story. Most aren’t out to burn you either, but protect yourself and your organization by deeply understanding and aggressively negotiating these terms.

Get more expert insight into smartly working with the press during PR Daily’s Media Relations Conference, June 6 in Washington, D.C.

Allison Carter is editor-in-chief of PR Daily. Follow her on Twitter or LinkedIn.

The post How to safely go off the record with a reporter appeared first on PR Daily.

Time and again, research reminds us that Hispanic Americans are one of the most diverse groups in this country. While we discuss them demographically as one homogenous group, Hispanic people can identify as many races, be domestic or foreign-born, trace their origins to 20 different nations, and speak a variety of languages, including Spanish, English or the plethora of native languages spoken in Central and South America.

Read more: How Black Americans get news

By the same token, the way this group likes to get their news can vary widely, according to data from Pew Research. By understanding these patterns and preferences, PR professionals can better reach and influence this critical demographic.

English, Spanish or both?

One of the first questions a PR pro must answer is which language will best reach their target audience. A slight majority (51%) of all Hispanics prefer to get their news in English. Only 24% of people who identify as Hispanic prefer their news primarily in Spanish, while 23% have no linguistic preference.

However, the data grows more complicated as we dig a bit deeper.

Hispanic people born in the United States overwhelmingly (79%) prefer to get news in English. Since more than two-thirds of Hispanic Americans are native-born, this is significant. Only 3% of American-born Hispanics prefer to get their news in Spanish, while 17% are fine with either language.

To put it plainly, English (perhaps combined with some Spanish) is the most important language for reaching the largest chunk of the American Latino population.

These numbers shift when we look at Hispanic immigrants, but not as dramatically as you might expect. Twenty-two percent of immigrants prefer to get news in English, while 47% want Spanish instead. An additional 31% have no preference.

The bottom line is that being granular in your targeting and better understanding what segment of the Hispanic population you’re targeting will help you choose the most effective outlets to target, or what language to use in social media and other materials.

The most popular news sources

About half of all Hispanic adults get news from Latino-specific media at least sometimes, the survey found. Again, we see a significant split between immigrants and American-born people, with 69% of immigrants preferring Hispanic news sources versus just 33% of native-born. But it’s clear there is still utility in pitching outlets like Telemundo, Univision and others, especially if aiming for that immigrant population.

Most Latinos prefer to get their news from various digital sources. Twenty-one percent prefer social media; 19% go directly to news websites or apps; 18% use search; and 7% like podcasts. Twenty-three percent have a preference for TV, and just 4% each prefer print or radio.

But those are preferences. Most Hispanic people receive news from multiple sources, and their consumption broadly echoes that of Americans as a whole, with 87% getting news at least sometimes from digital sources; 62% from TV; 48% from radio; and 32% from print. So don’t be afraid to experiment with a broad range of new and old-school media to reach this audience. But perhaps veer a bit more toward digital sources overall.

Interest in news

One challenge to reaching Hispanics through media relations efforts is that many simply don’t follow the news. Just 22% say they follow the news closely all the time, a 6-point YOY decrease. Seventeen percent never follow the news at all. These numbers lag news interest in other ethnic groups, a disparity Pew Research attributes, at least in part, to age. Latinos tend to be younger than other demographics, and young people simply don’t follow the news as closely.

This might present opportunities for media relations with sources other than hard news outlets. Think influencers, podcasts, social media or more entertainment-focused news sources.

There are challenges to connecting with the Hispanic market in media relations, just as there are with any group. But with smart targeting, cultural awareness and creativity, it can always be done.

Allison Carter is editor-in-chief of PR Daily. Follow her on Twitter or LinkedIn.

The post By the Numbers: A nuanced portrait of how Hispanic Americans get their news appeared first on PR Daily.

Muck Rack’s annual State of Journalism report is a must-read for any By the Numbers fan. It’s chock full of useful data on how journalists work, the state of their industry, their views on AI and much more.

But let’s be real. You’re mostly curious about the section on pitching and why you aren’t getting any darn responses.

The problem with pitching

Here’s the good news: Journalists value PR pros. The survey, which received responses from more than 1,100 journalists, primarily from the U.S., found that 70% believe that journalists are at least somewhat important to their work. After all, PR pros can help reveal interesting trends, connect reporters to experts, offer viral promotions and more.

But that doesn’t mean pitches are always helpful. In fact, 49% of respondents said they seldom or never respond to pitches. Twenty-four percent said they respond about half the time, 18% usually do and 8% always do.

Cheers to the 8%.

And it certainly isn’t due to lack of pitches that journalists aren’t responding. Forty-nine percent of respondents said they get at least six pitches per day, with 12% contending with a whopping 21 or more pitches every day. Perhaps those who are combatting 100 or more pitches on a weekly basis can be forgiven for not always giving a response.

But by far and away, the biggest reason journalists don’t respond to pitches is that they simply aren’t relevant to their coverage area. Seventy-nine percent cited lack of relevance as the top reason they’ll deny a pitch, which reveals a serious problem with targeting in the PR industry.

“Spray and pray” is not an effective pitching method. If you’re still reporting how many pitches you’re distributing, you’re measuring the wrong thing. Better to distribute a handful of pitches to vetted journalists rather than risk becoming one of these forgotten, mis-targeted attempts cluttering an inbox forever.

So, what does make for a good pitch besides smart targeting?

There isn’t an easy formula for this. The vast majority (83%) do prefer to be pitched 1-1 via email rather than in a mass barrage or via phone. But beyond that, there’s little consensus for a day of the week (64% say they have no preference) or time of day (44% say before noon, but that leaves plenty who prefer a time after noon). There is a preference for shorter — 65% prefer pitches that are less than 200 words. And a slim majority (51%) say you should only follow up once, preferably within 3-5 days.

Beyond that, you’ll likely want to focus on building a relationship and just ask your identified reporters when and how they want to be pitched. Every journalist is a unique human being with their own personal preferences and job requirements. The best thing to do is simply to ask — and to be empathetic.

Because journalists are dealing with a lot.

A journalist’s life in 2024

Everyone is busy. Let’s get that out of the way. But journalists are becoming even more intensely worked as their numbers dwindle while the pile of news to be reported on seems to grow ever larger.

Muck Rack’s survey found that 36% of journalists have dealt with layoffs or other downsizing at their organization in the last year. Sixty-four percent work more than 40 hours a week, and 79% report working outside the standard 9-5 hours. Many (46%) do all this for less than $70,000 per year.

They’re also turning in a great deal of work, though the exact volume of the stories they produce can vary widely. Thirty-six percent produce a reasonable five stories or less per week, but 22% are responsible for 11 or more, a massive workload. Add that on top of their bulging inboxes and it all makes for a difficult, stressful career.

Read the full Muck Rack report here.

To further hone your pitching, join us for PR Daily’s Media Relations Conference in Washington, DC June 5-6.

Allison Carter is editor-in-chief of PR Daily. Follow her on X or LinkedIn.

The post By the Numbers: What journalists really think of your pitches appeared first on PR Daily.

A Morning Consult poll found that trust in several specific, large-scale media outlets are beginning to rebound from the lowest depth of 2020’s crisis of confidence.

To be clear, it isn’t a massive surge in trust. Fifty-five percent of American adults reported at least some level of trust in these media outlets:

• ABC News
• CBS News
• NBC News
• CNN
• Fox News
• CNBC
• The New York Times
• The Wall Street Journal
• NPR

That’s an increase of 4 points from its 2020 low of 51%. But what’s most interesting here is that Republicans, traditionally the most skeptical political party toward mainstream media, is beginning to regain some level of trust — and not just in Fox News.

Republican trust in these outlets still lags the overall population at 46% trust (comparatively, 69% of Democrats have at least some trust in these outlets). But each network has seen some growth in trust since the chaos of 2020, where mistrust in media became a campaign talking point — all save one.

Democrats have seen their trust in Fox News increase since 2020, likely in part due to actions including correctly calling the election for Joe Biden, increased fact-checking of Donald Trump and more. But likely for those same reasons, Fox News has not seen a rebound among Republican viewers. Granted, its credibility with those on the right still far, far outranks any other network — but it hasn’t yet reached the heady highs of the core Trump years. Similarly, Fox News is the most mistrusted network among Democrats, and ranks third lowest among all Americans, behind MSNBC and NPR.

The most trusted news sources among all Americans are the broadcast television networks, with ABC claiming the edge, followed closely by CBS and then NBC. The two newspapers polled for, the Times and the Journal, just edged out CNN in the trust department.

What it means for PR pros

Any time there’s increased trust in the media, it’s good for public relations practitioners. It makes it that much easier to get the right messages in front of an audience more inclined to believe those messengers.

But trust is still low, especially with Republicans. That means if you’re trying to reach an audience that skews white, older and Christian, you may have more limited options for trusted media. Fox News is still a safe bet, and you can find some success among network news, but outside that, it could be harder to establish trust.

While network news is most trusted across the board, it also presents meager opportunities for pitching, with fewer hours to fill than cable news. So, no practitioner can put all their eggs in that basket.

It’s also important to note that this survey is only looking at some of the top-line, biggest outlets in the country. Other surveys reveal that Americans of all parties generally have higher trust in general in local news, making that a viable option for communicating via trusted journalists. This presents other challenges as local news continues to wither in the face of scorching economic and industry headwinds. But where local TV and papers continue to thrive, it’s a worthwhile trust-building tool.

As we move into what’s certain to be one of the most divisive elections in American history, the media you choose to help tell stories will reflect on your organization. Consider your audience, their trust and your needs. Then, pitch with tact and care.

Good luck.

Allison Carter is editor-in-chief of PR Daily. Follow her on X or LinkedIn.

The post By the Numbers: Trust in the media increases from 2020 lows. What that means for PR. appeared first on PR Daily.

The most challenging part of layoff communications, beyond the human and emotional toll, is controlling the narrative: telling the right story to employees who are leaving, to those who are staying, to shareholders and investors, to the general public.

But increasingly, other parties – often those who have been laid off – are sharing their side of the story.  When unaddressed, these incidents can cause serious harm to employee morale, employer branding and general market sentiment.

Whether former employees are leaking layoff communications to the press, recording their own terminations, sharing stories on social media or banding together and responding as a union, these actions can create new wrinkles. Navigating these situations requires a strong partnership between both internal and external communicators before, during and after layoffs to mitigate damage and respond with empathy.

Here are some common scenarios that can occur when individual workers begin to become the story in the wake of a layoff, plus how to respond – or even prevent these scenarios entirely.

Leaks 

Leaks are the most familiar of these challenges to many communicators. It’s as simple as a current or former employee hitting “forward” on an email message, screenshotting an intranet post, or recording a town hall and passing it along to a sympathetic reporter.

In a matter of moments, every word you so carefully workshopped with leadership can now be dissected or taken out of context.

But in many cases, this isn’t a disaster. Journalists who get their hands on these memos often use them to inform their reporting on the layoffs, using simple excerpts to illustrate the whys and hows for their audiences, as in this Wall Street Journal piece on layoffs.

A well-crafted layoff memo or email is worth “leaking” yourself. Whether that means proactively sending it to a trusted reporter or posting it on your website, as eBay did here, these communications can help tell your story clearly. If it helps your employees understand better, chances are it’ll help all audiences do so.

The issue arises when the leaked communications aren’t put together well. When they don’t respect the inherent humanity of the people losing their jobs. When they make the CEO holding the ax seem like a victim.

We’ve seen this happen time and time again. In 2023, the CEO of PagerDuty quoted Martin Luther King on the measure of a good leader in the same email where she announced a 7% reduction in force. In 2021, a video of the CEO of Better.com laying off 900 employees via Zoom and once again making himself the main character (“This is the second time in my career I’m doing this and I do not want to do this. The last time I did it, I cried,” CEO Vishal Garg said on the call).

The bottom line: Craft all layoff communications, including speeches, with the expectation that they will leak. If you wouldn’t feel good about the announcement memo appearing on the front page of the New York Times, don’t send it to your staff. Consider crafting the documents in such a way that they can serve external audiences as well as internal stakeholders. Bring together your internal and external teams to explain the situation with compassion – but also a keen understanding of the business and its implications. If you share your communications first, you’ll have the opportunity to frame them in the best possible light.

People sharing personal stories 

A Wayfair employee was about to head to a chemotherapy appointment to treat her stage 4 metastatic breast cancer when she got word that she had been laid off. She was on medical leave at the time but was terminated all the same, as she detailed in a LinkedIn post.

(Yes, it is legal to lay someone off while on leave, whether medical or parental, as long as the leave is not the reason they are laid off.)

That would have been a personal tragedy, but a series of communications missteps compounded the fear, stress and anxiety that a person undergoing chemotherapy had to endure, including long pauses before additional information was shared on the severance package and other details.

“To say this raised my anxiety would be an understatement,” Andrena M. wrote on LinkedIn. “I kid you not my blood pressure which is always normal, despite stage 4, was the highest I can recall and my resting heart rate the highest on record.”

Wayfair, of course, had its share of bad press for how it handled employee communications in general and layoffs in particular, as our colleague Sean Devlin explains on Ragan.com.

The bottom line: There is no way to make a layoff stress-free, but this level of waiting and anxiety is unnecessary. Establish the cadence of how information will be rolled out to terminated employees so that it comes quickly, answering questions proactively without leaving them wondering. Mistakes can happen and delays might occur, but do your best to get information into their hands as quickly as you can so they can go about their lives and plan their next moves.

And – this is a larger conversation to be had in conjunction with HR – consider whether it’s possible to let people finish their leave before they are officially terminated.

As NPR notes, “Still, some employers do wait until the end of someone’s leave to implement a layoff. In some cases, they want to give that person extra time to get back on their feet. Other times, it’s to avoid any chance of a costly legal fight.”

For more information on how to access the full story and become a member of Ragan’s Communications Leadership Council, reach out here.

Allison Carter is editor-in-chief of PR Daily. Follow her on Twitter or LinkedIn.

The post 3 ways to prevent ex-employees from seizing control of your layoff narrative appeared first on PR Daily.

The worst has happened: a major crisis is underway affecting your organization. This could be anything from an embarrassing social media gaffe to a physical emergency and everything in between. But now reporters are blowing up your phone, your email is even more unmanageable than usual and you’re trying to handle it all while getting smart, timely messages out to the public.

Take a deep breath. It’s going to be OK.

Nick Lanyi, a consultant with RCG and former journalist, lays out five steps to help work with the media instead of against them during your most chaotic moments.

1. You won’t have all the answers in the first hours of a crisis, or even in the first days. But you need to say that. Don’t leave reporters hanging, even if you can’t actually answer their questions. “I’m looking into that. I’ll get back to you.” “I can’t talk now, but we’ll have a statement in an hour.” These perfectly acceptable responses allow the media to know you’re on top of things, even if the situation is still unclear. “Your success in shaping the story will depend in part on keeping that conversation going, even when you need to push back or say no,” Lanyi writes.
2. Your usual media relations team probably isn’t enough to handle this storm. You may need to quickly tap agencies, consultants or commandeer other internal comms resources to stay on top of it all. Lanyi specifically recommends assigning a “traffic cop” to monitor incoming media and social media inquiries and ensure they’re handled in a timely fashion.
3. Don’t freeze anyone out. It’s an inevitability of the profession: some journalists and outlets are friendlier to your organization, and some might be a bit tougher. During a crisis, it’s tempting to only respond to the outlets that tend to be nicer to you. Lanyi recommends against only engaging with friends. “In fact, (more negative) outlets are arguably the top priority during the crisis because they can cause the most damage to your reputation,” Lanyi writes. “The resources in time and effort that you devote toward shaping negative coverage is often worth more in a crisis than generating relatively positive coverage.”
4. Schedule briefings. While responding to every request, as discussed in No. 1, is a noble goal, it’s sometimes physically impossible in a national or international crisis. That’s where mass briefings or press conferences can come to the rescue. Not only does it help get information to the broadest swath of reporters, but it also can buy you time when you get questions you don’t have answers to yet: “We’ll answer that during our briefing tomorrow.”
5. Why is planning the last step and not the first? Because the acute phase of a crisis is only the beginning. The media will likely cover your recovery or redemption arc, and shaping that narrative is just as — perhaps even more — important than what’s come before. Lay the groundwork now when you still have the media’s attention. Ask them what their next coverage steps are and how you can facilitate them.

Remember, the media isn’t out to get you. It’s out to share quality information with its audience. Help them do that, and you’ll likely find your organization’s reputation comes out looking better and better.

Read Lanyi’s full advice here.

The post 5 tips for handling media relations during a crisis appeared first on PR Daily.

George Bradley is director of public relations and communications at Archer Education.

In an era where information is abundant but trust is scarce, companies are redefining their public relations strategies to establish credibility and authenticity. One key aspect gaining prominence in 2024 is the reliance on internal experts as the linchpin of successful PR endeavors. This shift is not just a tactical move but a strategic one that recognizes the changing dynamics of media consumption, brand trust, and the critical role of genuine thought leadership. 

In public relations, the conventional approach often involves pushing information about a brand to reporters, hoping for coverage. However, in 2024, the landscape demands a more nuanced and authentic approach. Internal experts, those individuals within a company who are genuine thought leaders in their respective fields, have emerged as invaluable assets for building meaningful connections with the media. 

The primary advantage of leveraging internal experts is the authentic value they bring to reporters. Instead of merely promoting your brand, these experts can provide genuine insights and expertise on trending topics within their domains. By offering valuable information, companies transform from mere promoters to trusted sources, cultivating relationships with reporters that extend beyond the confines of a press release. 

Becoming a trusted source is a strategic move that pays dividends in the long run. Reporters are more likely to turn to reliable experts when crafting their stories. As a result, the company not only secures immediate coverage but lays the groundwork for sustained media relationships. This trust is the currency that fuels future brand-focused wins, creating a positive cycle where the company becomes a go-to authority in its industry. 

The ripple effect of these PR victories extends to the digital realm, with social media and company websites serving as platforms to amplify the successes. Highlighting the contributions of internal experts on these channels not only adds credibility but also positions the company as a hub of top-tier expertise. This, in turn, attracts potential clients and business partners, who are more likely to be swayed by a company that houses genuine thought leaders. 

Moreover, the strategic use of internal experts is a powerful tool for obtaining high-quality backlinks, a critical component of effective SEO. When reputable media outlets link back to a company’s content through expert contributions, it enhances the company’s online authority and improves search engine rankings. This organic and genuine approach to building backlinks is far more efficient and sustainable than traditional methods. 

The year 2024 presents a unique challenge of widespread mistrust in the news. By providing news outlets with genuine experts, companies contribute to rebuilding trust in the media and, by extension, in their brand. This alignment with credible and knowledgeable voices helps dispel skepticism and positions the company as a beacon of transparency and reliability in a sea of uncertainty. 

The benefits of leveraging internal experts extend beyond the external realm. Engaging employees as experts not only promotes them individually but also adds genuine value to their careers. It fosters a culture of expertise within the organization, motivating employees to excel in their fields and contribute meaningfully to industry conversations. 

In conclusion, the shift towards making internal experts the focal point of PR strategies in 2024 is more than a tactical adjustment; it’s recognizing the evolving landscape of trust, credibility and media dynamics. By harnessing the power of internal thought leaders, companies not only secure immediate PR wins but also lay the foundation for sustained success, both in the eyes of the media and their target audience. As we navigate an era of information overload, authenticity emerges as the key currency for PR success, and internal experts stand as the most valuable assets in this pursuit. 

The post Harnessing the power of internal experts for PR success appeared first on PR Daily.

It’s one of the most universal experiences in PR: You toil over a pitch, ensuring every detail is just right. It’s customized for the journalist, it’s pegged to a timely news event, it’s sent at precisely the right moment. 

And you still hear crickets.  

It’s frustrating, but you’re far from alone.  

Propel, a PR management and AI tool, released a quarterly report that examined nearly half a million PR pitches and the responses to them. 

Of those 500,000 or so pitches, only 3.15% received a response of any kind. That’s just shy of 16,000. And that’s not pitches that received a positive response or resulted in coverage; that even includes a response of “no thanks.” 

Indeed, only 45.3% of pitches were even opened by journalists at all. So out of the gate, you have less than a coin flip’s chance of even having your pitch read. 

The odds are certainly not in your favor. 

We all know what’s to blame for this. Muck Rack reported that as of 2021, there were more than six PR pros for every journalist. And that gap has continued to increase as layoffs continue to hammer the media industry seemingly every week.  

It’s a numbers game, and one that’s not in favor of PR professionals. 

But this isn’t all gloom and doom. Many pitched stories are picked up every day and PR pros and journalists team up to create great stories.
 

How to set the odds in your favor 

Of the pitches most likely to receive responses, those with short, pithy subject line performed best. We’re talking very short — just 1-5 words. Despite this success, most pitch subject lines have 6-9 words.  

This is an opportunity to pare down your language to its bare essentials to quickly grab the attention of a frazzled reporter at a glance. That applies for the body of your pitch too: The analysis found that the best pitch ledes clock in at 81-100 words long, with an additional 51-150 words for the body.  

So your entire pitch should, ideally, be no more than 250 words. That’s a daunting, but often fun, writing challenge.  

Speed is a hallmark of both journalism and PR, and we see that played out in pitch response too. If you’re going to receive a response, you’re likely to get it fast. Nearly half (48.6%) of pitches that get responses get them in the first hour after they’re sent. If you don’t get a response the day you send a pitch, chances are only about one-in-four that you will.  

Going from pitch to publication also tends to happen quickly. The analysis found that most stories (65.2%) are published within three days of pitch response. So when you get a bite on a pitch, be ready to move fast. If you’re offering an interview, be sure your subject has the flexibility to schedule.  

There are always exceptions, of course. Some journalists might respond to pitches in batches rather than as soon as they come in. Some stories can linger for weeks, months or even years after an initial pitch.  

These numbers are just averages and generalizations, and your particular journey with a journalist will vary. But they can give you a rule of thumb to help set expectations with clients and to plan follow-up at appropriate points in time.  

Do you agree with these findings? Do they resonate with your experience? Let us know in the comments.  

Allison Carter is editor-in-chief of PR Daily. Follow her on Twitter or LinkedIn.

The post By the numbers: This is how many pitches actually get responses appeared first on PR Daily.

This story was originally published on Jan. 3, 2023. We’re republishing it as part of our countdown of top stories of the year. 

The tension between “hacks” and “flacks” is well documented: journalists and PR pros have a long history of criticizing each other. But this year seemed different. Media layoffs and closures drove PR-to-media ratios to new heights while reducing the number of outlets and potential placements. Meanwhile big stories — election! recession! Elon! FTX! — came in waves, dominating journalists’ time and attention, no matter their assigned beat.

 My takeaway? It’s really hard to be a journalist right now, and we PR pros need media friends more than ever. 2023 promises to be equally challenging, so with that in mind, I went back through numerous journalists’ Twitter feeds to review the tips and requests they’d shared this year. Thankfully, they were generous with advice. Here are 10 tips to up your PR game in 2023. 

• Speed up

1. 1. • It’s really true — journalists are busier than ever and slow response times understandably drive them crazy. Ask about deadlines and try to meet them. And anything you can do to reduce back and forth (such as having exec availability on-hand  and including options when you first offer a briefing) will be appreciated.

• Articulate your value

1. 1. • No one wants to be the journalist taken in by the next FTX. Media are looking for founders and PR folks to be able to explain what a company is doing, how it makes money, and how it differs from competitors, including those that are better funded and better known. And the explanation should also be clear and concise. 

• Take exclusivity seriously

1. 1. • Original content means just that: content that’s original, that hasn’t been published elsewhere, and that’s unique to the publication. When pitching a byline, give editors time to respond and don’t submit the same byline to multiple publications. 

• Hold the line on embargo times

1. 1. • This isn’t a moral issue, it’s just a practical one. Journalists get hundreds of emails. If they’ve agreed to an embargo time, and you change it, there’s no guarantee they’ll see the updated time. Make everyone’s life easier and stick to an embargo time once you’ve started pitching.

• Ease up on protectionism

1. 1. • Asking for more context about the story or for questions in advance when the media inquiry is inbound is one thing. Asking for questions in advance when you’ve pitched a journalist won’t fly. If your exec is nervous enough that this is an issue, consider some practice sessions before putting them forward.

• Exercise caution on trends

1. 1. • The trend is your friend if you’re first to the party, but within days — sometimes hours — it will be over. For example, the metaverse and quiet quitting were legit trends that turned into big stories this year, but journalists were overwhelmed with the number of pitches they received long after these trends were no longer new.

• Focus on the new

1. 1. • A journalist can only write a story once, and isn’t going to write the same story that a rival journalist wrote, so offering commentary that could have fit into a story they or another journalist has already written is a non-starter. Instead offer something new, or something that genuinely builds on what they’ve done.

• Know your journalist

1. 1. • Pitching someone who’s just been laid off or is on family or sick leave, pitching a journalist an “introduction” when they’ve already written about the company or executive, sending pitches to journalists no longer at publications, pitching a story to someone who never covers that topic (or did so only temporarily as a pinch-hitter) — these all signal to media that you haven’t done your homework. 

• Choose your channel

1. 1. • “PR folks in my DMs on IG, you’ve gone too far. You’ve been led astray. Seek help.” With more journalists using multiple channels (Mastodon, Post, WhatsApp and Signal come to mind) be mindful of how they prefer to use these channels. Some journalists appreciate receiving messages on LinkedIn while others hate it. Mixing up personal and professional channels is a particular frustration, so don’t use a journalist’s personal email address or DM them on Instagram unless you’re positive that’s how they want to be contacted.

• Slow down

1. • The complaints are legion, the stories cringe-inducing:  the mass-merge email that still contains a placeholder (“with your coverage of X…”), the pitch on privacy and security that cc’d dozens of rival journalists on the same email, the pitch sent from an email address that blocked responses, the cold pitch with read receipts visible, the automated follow ups that continue despite the journalist having given you a clear yes (or no) — in 2023, take a breath. Slow down. Take the time to test a mass email, to double-check links and the spelling of names, to make sure your pitch is as concise and clear as it can possibly be. Your journalist friends (and your clients) will thank you.

If this sounds daunting, take heart. Many journalists appreciate the value of PR, if grudgingly. Some, like veteran journalist Alex Kantrowitz, occasionally even recognize common ground: “Me when a PR email comes in with its fourth follow-up: Take a hint!

Me trying to land an interview after five unanswered emails: sends a sixth”. In 2023, make it your goal to expand that common ground.

Beth Haiken is EVP, Method Communications.

The post Top stories of 2023: 10 tips from journalists for better media relations appeared first on PR Daily.

Roger Johnson is account director at Method Communications. 

Children’s book author Beatrix Potter said of writing, “The shorter and the plainer the better.” In PR, one might edit that to, “Shorter is better.”

Editing what we write to be as clear and concise as possible is an age-old pursuit.This is especially important if you want to grab a reporter’s attention in today’s world of constant communication. 

The average human attention span is only 8.25 seconds, which is why it has never been more important to master the skill of editing.  

Jordyn Holman, a retail and consumerism reporter for the New York Times, shared why this is so important. “Any journalists’ inbox is flooded with dozens of emails in a given day. For this reason, the emails that catch my attention are those that are relevant to my beat by showing knowledge of the types of companies and themes I write about and are presented in a concise and actionable way.” 

Be relevant. Be knowledgeable. Be concise. Be actionable.

Most of us have tried to cut down text, but understanding that email is primarily a visual platform means the look matters just as much as the content.

With 81% of all emails read on mobile devices, you can assume most reporters will read your pitch on their cellphone, making that five to six inches extremely valuable real estate. Use it well and always consider the visual aspect of an email. 

When our eyes see long paragraphs in an email, we immediately become uninterested and stop reading. We either delete the email or decide to read it later (aka, never). Pleasantries can be useful, but save it for after the reporter expresses interest.  

Here are four visual tips to consider when writing an email that will  help you stand out in a reporter’s inbox: 

• White space is your friend: White space draws attention to key information that gets lost in longer paragraphs. It gives a reporter the chance to interpret, scan and break down information in a digestible way. 
• Above the fold: The more you require a reporter to scroll, the more likely they’ll move on to the hundreds of other emails in their inbox. If you absolutely need to, make them scroll only once. All the information you need to share should be able to fit within that 5 to 6 inch window of a mobile phone. Additional information can be sent once you have secured interest from the reporter.   
• Bullet points: Putting important information or relevant details in bullet points makes information more digestible and easy to reference. It allows you to call out key commentary or quotes that might be of interest. Consider putting your bullet points separate from the body of the email so that they can be easily pulled out by a reporter.  
• Limit over-stylized Text: Underlining, bolding or italicizing the text within an email is often overdone and can be visually distracting. Limit the use of these style tools to highlight an important stat, question or quote that you want to draw attention to, but don’t overdo it. Over stylized emails can be visually hard to process.

To make sure these tips work, send the pitch to yourself via email first and check how it looks on your phone before asking yourself a few questions. What would this look like to a busy reporter? Can I shorten the subject line and make it more catchy? Is everything in there relevant and crucial information or can I edit more? Remember, editing is a never-ending process. When writing an email to a reporter remember to be as short as concise as possible and to use white space to your advantage. This will help you stand out in a reporter’s inbox, the same way Beatrix Potter stands out in children’s literature.

The post 4 visual tips for better pitches appeared first on PR Daily.

Chris Harihar is executive vice president at Crenshaw Communications, a Mod Op company.

On Friday, OpenAI announced it had fired well-liked CEO Sam Altman, upending the AI industry. This decision, driven by some still-vague AI governance concerns from the nonprofit board, alongside Altman’s for-profit commercialization push, led to a weekend-long saga. Microsoft and other OpenAI investors even tried to influence the board to reconsider and reinstate Altman. Somehow, though, it’s now Monday and Emmett Shear, ex-Twitch CEO, is now CEO of OpenAI.

From a PR perspective, this is a textbook example of how not to do a Friday news dump. In fact, given how it unfolded and how it continues to play out, it could be considered the worst Friday news dump in tech history.

For the uninitiated, a Friday news dump is a PR tactic that tries to blunt the impact of a negative story by releasing it when people are less focused on news and when reporters are less likely to cover it – i.e., late Friday, ahead of a weekend. This past weekend was especially ripe for a news dump with Thanksgiving around the corner and many journalists already out of the office.

But what did OpenAI do wrong, exactly? Friday news dumps can honestly be pretty effective, though this wasn’t.

Here are some of the basic things they botched, along with key lessons for companies considering dropping their own Friday news dump announcements in the future.

No transparency, few details

The Altman announcement was a shocker. Outside of TikTok, OpenAI is the fastest-growing company in tech, and is at the forefront of the generative AI movement through ChatGPT and DALL-E. It has a major partnership in place with Microsoft. To many, OpenAI is synonymous with the AI category. Altman’s well-regarded leadership has also made him the face of the AI movement. Beyond that, in less than a year, Altman and OpenAI have fundamentally changed how we work, at least as PR people. All of this heightened the shock of the news and the abrupt announcement raised inevitable and obvious questions. Unfortunately, OpenAI’s vague statement about Altman being fired for not being “consistently candid in his communications with the board” only added to the mystery. The lack of information, alongside the backdrop of OpenAI’s achievements over the last year, fueled speculation and uncertainty.

Poor planning

Altman’s dismissal appeared to be a very last-minute call. The sequence of events, especially with Altman actively representing OpenAI at public events earlier in the week, suggested the decision was made late in the same week. Additionally, a timeline emerged where Greg Brockman, an Altman supporter and OpenAI’s president and board chairman, reportedly learned about the decision just minutes before it was made and abruptly resigned. Even key partners like Microsoft were informed almost simultaneously with the public announcement. The poor PR management cast doubt on the entire OpenAI board and their ability to manage the business. If you can’t get a press announcement’s basics right, will you be a good steward of the company?

Bad consistency

Adding to the confusion, OpenAI’s COO Brad Lightcap made a statement on Saturday that did not align with the board’s earlier message. He mentioned, “the board’s decision was not made in response to malfeasance or anything related to our financial, business, safety, or security/privacy practices.” This seemed at odds with the reasons implied in the initial announcement, leading to more questions and clouding the situation further. If you’re going to dump news on a Friday, the subsequent communications have to be consistent with your initial statement to the market. Anything that deviates or seems misaligned will only create more questions and headaches for all those involved.

No allies or advocates

A crucial aspect of handling a Friday news dump successfully is having a network of allies prepared to support your POV if things linger or go sideways on social media and in off-the-record reporter interactions. Altman, with little notice, did this extremely well. Tech execs like Aaron Levie of Box, Marissa Mayer, formerly of Yahoo, and Brian Cheskey of Airbnb, publicly expressed support for him (and likely lobbied behind the scenes). This advocates network played a key role in shaping the public and media’s perception of the situation. In contrast, OpenAI’s lack of a similar strategy left a gap in the story. Without influential voices to offer balancing perspectives or support, the company missed an opportunity to manage the story’s direction and impact.

Ultimately, a Friday news dump can be an effective PR tactic. But, you have to do it the right way. In this instance, OpenAI missed key steps and paid the price. A statement by OpenAI’s new CEO Emmett Shear, I think, says it best: “It’s clear that the process and communications around Sam’s removal has been handled very badly, which has seriously damaged our trust.” Clearly, he understands that the process made the actual decision seem much worse.

The post Lessons from OpenAI’s botched Friday news dump appeared first on PR Daily.

A massive 86% of Americans get their news from smartphones, tablets or computers at least some of the time, according to new data released by Pew Research. That’s a 4% increase since last year. 

Additionally, Americans prefer to get their news from digital sources. The numbers are smaller, with 58% choosing apps and websites over any other kind of news. Just 27% tap TV as their first pick – but even those numbers are generous compared to the dismal 6% who prefer radio and 5% who prefer print. 

Now, this doesn’t mean that TV, print and radio are dead. Pew Research found that 62% of news consumers turn to TV for news at least sometimes, with 51% and 37% doing the same for radio and print, respectively. But it’s certainly notable that if given the choice, more than half would turn to digital sources first.

But where exactly are they going on the internet for that news content? There’s a deeper dive on that. 

Online sources of news 

Despite the huge amount of chatter around news on social media, it’s neither the first nor second place news consumers are likely to seek out information.  

Perhaps unsurprisingly, they’re going to places they’re sure to find news. 

Twenty-nine percent of consumers seek out information on news websites or apps often, with another 38% doing so sometimes. Additionally, 27% often use search engines for news and 44% do so occasionally. 

The use of social media as a frequent news source is stagnating. Nineteen percent of people go to social media apps for news often and 31% look there sometimes – numbers that are largely unchanged since 2022.  

The reasons for this aren’t clear. Is this due to overall news fatigue? The concerns around dis- and misinformation on social media? The data doesn’t tell us. But it does indicate to PR professionals that social media isn’t the be all, end all. There is still a significant space for traditional media relations and landing on a news outlet’s homepage, as well as using search engine optimization techniques to get your own brand journalism showing up high on a Google results page.  

The survey also shows a small but significant number of consumers get their news from podcasts – 9% often and 21% sometimes. This could present another avenue for getting in front of audiences without relying on fickle social media algorithms. 

Where people do go on social media 

But you can’t ignore social media. It’s a powerful tool for getting directly in front of audiences, despite its challenges. And each platform’s users have different appetites for news. 

Now, remember, these numbers are just for news consumption, not overall use or time spent on each platform. But as you can see, reports of Facebook’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. The granddaddy of all social networks still weighs in as the No. 1 news source for U.S. adults, with a full third regularly getting news there. Next up is YouTube, a replacement for traditional television with its buzzy, sometimes sensational video packages.  

Only 14% of Americans turn to current it-app TikTok for news – but keep in mind this figure only counts adults, not those under 18, who may represent a greater share on the clock app. And finally, X has long been known as a news juggernaut, but only 12% of Americans overall make this a regular part of their news discovery mix. 

Of course, these are broad strokes. The full Pew Research has more extensive breakdowns by age, gender and ethnicity that can better guide you to which platforms your audiences are using.  

Use this data to guide you in two ways.  

First, you want to look at your earned media strategies. Are you targeting media outlets with robust social followings on platforms that matter to your intended audience? Are you working to provide those outlets with the video or visual elements they need to make a splashy social presence instead of a bland, easy-to-miss link post? 

And second, ensure that you are cultivating your owned media platforms in a way that reaches your audiences. You no longer have to rely fully on legacy media to communicate with stakeholders. You have the chance to build your own publishing platform directly on these social media platforms. But you need to pick the right ones. 

Follow the data.

Allison Carter is editor-in-chief of PR Daily. Follow her on Twitter or LinkedIn.

The post Where Americans get their news: New data from Pew Research appeared first on PR Daily.

Lisette Paras is founder and president of Gravitate PR. 

Ask any PR professional what can help a company validate its messages or story, and the answer is unequivocally “data.” Whether it’s in the form of findings from a consumer survey, aggregate information from a company’s technology platform or commissioned analysis from a market research firm, an organization that possesses data is storyteller’s gold.  

 Research can help to reinforce a company’s messaging and perspectives on a topic or trend. It can be used to educate and interest key audiences. It can be used as a form of thought leadership for the company, helping position them as an authority. And it can be maximized across a variety of functions and channels – whether that’s sales teams using the data to support conversations with prospects, or PR teams using it to create news to help drive media coverage.  

Given the value placed on data within an organization, it’s natural for companies to look to maximize this with PR efforts, writing and launching “state of the industry” style reports. Unfortunately, I’ve come across many companies that have spent an exorbitant amount of time and resources on gathering data and compiling it into a report – only to find that its efforts to drive attention to it fall flat.   

Here are the top five reasons why PR efforts to amplify data-driven content have been unsuccessful.    

1. The data fails to tell a compelling narrative. 

After analyzing the data, but before writing a report or compiling it into marketing or PR assets, it’s important to look at it through the lens of what the overall narrative should be. How do all the individual findings tell a bigger story? What are the most interesting aspects to highlight and why? What are the takeaways for the key audiences who would benefit from reading the research report? It takes a skilled, data-driven storyteller to not just interpret data, but interpret it into a compelling narrative. Attempting to write the narrative before the data is interpreted won’t work. 

2. The data is too complicated.

There can be a risk of having too much data. Even if there are dozens of data points and findings, it’s important to not overwhelm the viewer/reader by having a barrage of information thrown their way. Instead, storytellers should be selective in the data they choose to incorporate and use it to ladder up to a compelling set of messages, narratives and takeaways.  

Even if the company operates in a highly technical and jargon-laden industry, it’s critical to communicate the findings in a way that is simple and straightforward. If the data is somewhat complex, use real-world examples, anecdotes, or charts and graphs to illustrate the impact of the data.  

3. The data is overtly self-serving.  

While commissioned research inherently has some connection to what the company does or stands for, the data needs to tell a story that doesn’t sound like an advertisement. Some version of, “Fast food company’s research finds that hamburgers are good for you” is going to get more skeptical eyerolls than interested eyeballs reading further. A company shouldn’t be looking to use research as the main way to aggressively sell its products or services – such verbiage is better used for direct sales tactics than for expecting it will resonate through PR.   

4. The data is not statistically viable.

Conducting research can be an extensive and expensive endeavor. Particularly for companies in a niche market or focused on a specific audience, insights from a small number of respondents may already prove immensely valuable. However, sharing this with media outlets may not be as effective as the data needs to be statistically significant for reporters to find the research credible in speaking to a topic or trend. As a rule of thumb, for U.S.specific reports, it’s safe to have at least 300 business decision makers for enterprise-level research, while consumer-focused surveys require at least 1,000 respondents. If the research extends to additional countries, then these numbers will need to be further adjusted to what is considered statistically viable in those markets as well.  

5. The data is not maximized across all channels. 

There’s a ton of effort involved in creating a report, from coming up with the topic for a data-focused report, developing the methodology, crafting the research questions, analyzing the findings, and drafting, editing, and finalizing the copy and other supporting materials (whew!). So it’s certainly critical to make sure that there’s a clear strategy, plan and timeline from the onset of how to maximize visibility.  

While the report may be the main asset, it can also be sliced and diced into different materials – a brief video, presentation or series of blog posts – and incorporated into sales, marketing, and PR-focused content. This content  can be uploaded onto the company website, corporate social media pages, injected into editorial op-eds. Moreover, the breadth of the data means that it doesn’t need to all launch at once – rather, compelling research has a long tail in which it can be referenced well after it’s unveiled, sequentially through a series of channels.  

Strike gold once, keep mining   

Setting up a data-driven storytelling program can take some time at the onset. However, once you’ve developed the right approach, it can be a rewarding, ongoing endeavor! As an organization’s business and industry evolves, so should the data it extracts to help refine and progress their stories. Data should not only be used as a strategic and creative initiative to support a company’s goals, but also be clear and compelling to the audiences a company is aiming to reach. If PR professionals want to strike data gold, they’ve got to know how and where to dig.  

The post 5 mistakes in data-driven pitches appeared first on PR Daily.

Joyce Bosc is president and CEO of Boscobel Marketing Communications.

A solid PR effort requires a special blend of strategy and tactics, as well as skills and knowledge to effectively share company news in a way that journalists will be compelled to write about it.  

Above all, PR professionals in the public sector must adopt a service-oriented mindset suited to the federal government market in which they operate. As government contracting (GovCon) PR pros, we serve our government contractors first and foremost… but it’s also our responsibility to serve the reporters who cover the news. 

To find out what GovCon reporters really want from their PR counterparts, Boscobel Marketing Communications conducted the industry’s first survey on GovCon journalism this year. The State of GovCon Journalism Survey 2023 explored GovCon reporters’ opinions, priorities and insights on industry public relations tools, practices and trends.  

According to those reporters, here are seven best practices for GovCon PR professionals.  

1. Make it relevant

The biggest pet peeve of GovCon reporters is receiving pitches and press releases that are irrelevant to their beat. While many journalists (44% of survey respondents) write 2-3 articles weekly, a full 22% write 8-10 articles a week. They are experts in the beats they cover – whether they’re tracking specific agency programs or an array of contract vehicles and market developments.  

If your company news is not relevant to a reporter’s area of expertise, do not send the news to them. You risk irritating reporters by sending them something that’s not in their wheelhouse.  

Before reaching out to a reporter, be sure to:  

• Check their news beats. For most online articles, you can click on reporter names to read their biographies and see other stories they’ve written.  
• Read the reporter’s recent articles, to see if this is the kind of news they write about.  

• Follow targeted reporters on social media. 
• Learn what works. If you have feedback from previous pitches to a reporter or news organization, document that so you can use it to improve your next effort. 

2. Make sure it’s newsworthy

Too often, PR professionals pitch reporters “soft” news solely to support a company’s marketing campaign or an upcoming trade show. Instead, choose “hard” news, such as a significant contract win, a new partnership, a merger or acquisition, a first-to-market product,  or a C-level hire. 

Once you’re sure that your news is compelling, put yourself in the reporter’s shoes. Use your pitch to convey: 

• The actual news. 
• How the news is tied to events and trends in the industry. 
• A valuable news hook that’s relevant to the reporter’s readers. 

Your goal is for the reporter to read your pitch and immediately start to translate that news into a story.  

3. Timing matters

As one reporter reminded us in the survey, “I’m extremely busy. Every pitch adds to my workload. It needs to be intriguing and timely to even be considered.” 

Some reporters receive 15 or more pitches in a typical day. For receiving pitches and press releases, GovCon reporters prefer these timing guidelines, which are based on Eastern Time: 

• Day of week: Nearly 60% of reporters agree that Monday is now the best day to receive pitches and press releases, followed by Tuesday and Wednesday.  
• Time of day: GovCon reporters prefer to receive pitches and press releases in the morning, after 9 a.m. and before noon (44%), or even early morning, before 9 a.m. (39%). 
• Timing: For news geared to a specific event or trade show, be aware that reporters are flooded with pitches the first day of the show and during the conference, when they have limited time to review them all. So send your pitch well in advance of the show or even after the conference to avoid the crowd. 

4. Your website is your 24/7 newsroom 

GovCon reporters do their own research before writing stories. Nearly 90% of all reporters surveyed said their top source is the company website. Be sure yours is built to help reporters get the information they need, with: 

• A dedicated media/press room where you place all your press releases and media coverage. Make sure this page is on the top menu bar or only one click away from the home page. Do not make reporters hunt for it. 
• Press contact information. This should NOT be a generic email address such as media@PRcompany.com. Instead, provide an individual’s name, email address and phone number so reporters can get to a knowledgeable resource fast.  
• Graphic assets. Provide high-quality company logos, executive photos, product shots and  other images that will help reporters with their story. 

• A defined “About Us.” This simple paragraph gives reporters quick access to the correct spelling of your company name, your HQ location, your customers and an idea of the top services you provide.  

Do not give reporters a gated form to fill out before getting to the asset. This slows them down (plus, they really hate forms).  

5. Media train and practice

Next to relevant pitches, GovCon reporters want access to executive leaders and other company spokespersons who are adept at providing information. Responsiveness is essential. They want to connect when the story is unfolding, not days later.  

Be sure your executives are available — and well-rehearsed.  

• Make sure the executive agrees to engage with the press within hours when requested. 
• Be sure they are formally trained to speak with the press, so they can confidently and succinctly engage in interviews. 
• Reserve time on executive calendars for the interviews if you have breaking news such as an M&A announcement. 

Ideally, you and your PR firm will open the call and handle all follow-up. 

6. LinkedIn is No. 1

LinkedIn is the preferred social media channel for GovCon reporters. Most of them plan to spend more time on it in the next year.Regularly review your company’s LinkedIn profile and ensure: 

• The company description is current. 
• You are posting consistently, sharing both hard and soft news.  
• The posts convey a company outlook to demonstrate industry thought leadership.  

7. Level-up your skills

GovCon reporters want to work with good PR pros. In fact, over 90% of GovCon reporters characterize interactions with PR professionals as neutral or mutually beneficial.  

That said, busy GovCon reporters have a low tolerance for working with PR pros whose skills are lacking. They called out these examples of amateur moves that waste their time or raise their ire:  

• Sending a pitch that begins, “My name is …” 
• Lengthy pitch introductions designed to pique interest.  
• Presenting themselves as the source, not the conduit to reach the source. 
• Asking to see article drafts before publishing. 

Instead, be sure PR pros who are early in their careers get the basic training required to understand their roles. Then, provide mentoring, coaching and support to ensure you and your team are always making the best impression to protect your brand.  

Armed with the right education, training and initiative to learn about the industry, a service-minded PR professional can thrive in the GovCon market. By tailoring your actions to reporters’ needs and preferences, you will serve your company or client and reporters well.  

The post 7 best practices for working with government contracting reporters appeared first on PR Daily.

Liz Vaccariello is a writer, editor, consultant and member of New York Women in Communications. 

Several editor-in-chief jobs ago, I had the most useful media training of my professional life. I had done dozens of morning television talk show appearances for magazines over the years to promote stories that my teams of journalists had researched and rigorously fact checked. But the head of corporate communications for my publishing company had budgeted money for all the top editors to get next-level media training. 

In my years promoting stories, I had always shown up prepared, having memorized the content to be discussed and practicing my talking points so many times that no matter how nervous I got, the correct words would come out of my mouth.  

Besides, if I didn’t have to work hard to pull out the facts, I could concentrate on my energy and delivery. Morning show producers knew I was a reliable guest, that I would deliver credible, interesting information with a relaxed and polished persona. 

I was also busy busy busy — and perhaps too confident for my own good. I wasn’t sure how much more a media trainer had to teach me. I signed up for the session having no idea my approach to talking on TV was about to change forever.  

That’s when I learned about “attention sentences.” Instead of memorizing the content as it had been written in the magazine – instead of memorizing full sentences period – think about the mind of this audience, this television viewer. “The Today Show” or “Good Morning America” viewer wasn’t reliably hanging on my every word.  

Probably she was also making her coffee, curling her hair, packing her kids up for school. It was pointed out to me that my remarks could quickly fade to mere background noise — especially if it was a few minutes into the segment.  

The guidance was this: once or twice, ramp up to your main point with a short, quick phrase that lassoes the viewer’s attention back to your voice.   

A sentence in my magazine might read like this: “Walking 30 minutes a day lowers your risk of heart disease by 70%.” But what if I say it on television like this: “We know walking is good for you, but we were surprised to learn how good. Doing it just 30 minutes a day…..” 

“We were surprised to learn how good” is the attention sentence. 

Similarly: “The new ski jacket by Burton retails for $3,000, but it’s worth every penny because of the technology built into the garment, which includes Bluetooth in the hood, hand warming mittens and a water repellent Gore tech.” Tuck in this ramp-up sentence to break up your points: “Burton’s new coat warms hands and repels snow unlike anything else out there. But here’s the ingenious part: these Bluetooth earphones sewn into the hood.” 

“Here’s the ingenious part” is, of course, the attention sentence. 

These phrases work to consciously and even subconsciously shift the viewer’s attention back to what you’re saying, making sure it’s where you want it when you make your big point. 

By tapping into the broader communications expertise at my company, I learned how to share a story while always earning the audience’s attention. It was a tactic that was unique to this medium, that made me a better television show guest, and that I never would have learned working alone in my editorial silo.  

After only a few months of rethinking my talking points in this way, my segments rated more highly with viewers and I felt better knowing that even more people retained the information my team and I had worked so hard to develop.  

Selling while telling is  just one of many valuable tactics I have learned from my marketing and corporate communications peers.  

Join NYWICI for “Building Bridges: Cultivating Connections in Communications” on Thursday, Nov. 9 at the IBM Office, 590 Madison Ave., New York City. This event is part of Communications Week. Register now! 

The post The time I learned to tell and sell at the same time appeared first on PR Daily.

Dustin Siggins is founder of Proven Media Solutions. 

Every PR professional’s nightmare is a client or boss who wants a Washington Post feature story, an appearance with Oprah Winfrey and a gazillion visits to their website.

And get it done by next week, please. 

Managing expectations is a critical skill under these circumstances, such as by a) explaining that hockey stick-style brand growth doesn’t happen overnight, especially in saturated markets, and b) laying out a plan to break through the media noise with metrics of success along the way.  

These thoughts came to mind recently as I was writing about the University of Chicago’s $13 million payment to settle financial aid price-fixing allegations. It was a black eye for the university and the other 15 “elite” schools included in a class-action lawsuit … but it also created an opportunity for colleges and universities without major name recognition to reach and influence target audiences more quickly. So-called “elite” schools receive disproportionate media coverage, have huge marketing budgets and communications teams, and can tout new programs and big-name professors; while community colleges and non-flagship four-year state schools have to break through bias and stigma to prove their legitimacy. 

But these schools can offer the same educational quality and job opportunities, often for a lower price, as the big schools. They just need to get the word out. 

Here’s how: 

Don’t try to swim with the big fish; dominate your smaller pond 

Less-known schools with significant impact in industry niches or geographic regions should be proud of their smaller pond. Not everyone needs to compete against the sharks in the sea. Let the sharks eat other alive while you build relationships with employers, influencers, media, community and industry leaders, and other important stakeholders. 

There are several benefits to this approach: 

1. Fewer resources focused more effectively can have an outsized positive impact, especially when the competition is elsewhere. Purdue University was already a significant school before former President Mitch Daniels took the reins. After 11 years of frozen tuition and a narrow focus on building a nationally-recognized STEM program, Purdue saw huge increases in student population and relationships with key STEM-related employers. 
2. It’s easier to build relationships with the right employers because – contrary to popular rumor – many hiring managers don’t care about the fancy letters on the diploma. Spokespeople for two large technology companies told me what matters far more are talent and desire – even in specialty industries like national security and IT. 
3. Messages stand out more and reach target audiences better when they are narrowly tailored. For example, prospective students and their parents dread large student loans, so schools that are not well-known have the opportunity to show how students will receive a great education and have the fast-track to a great job without a large debt load.  

Create a veritable rainfall of positive news 

Big opportunities rise and fall – but hockey stick growth happens when the foundation is solid. Colleges and universities have hundreds of opportunities each year to achieve the “drip, drip, drip” of good news that most PR experts envy, such as: 

• Student success stories, such as winning inter-school sports, academic, and music competitions. 
• Graduates getting great jobs…and employers bragging about those students.
• New hires and partnerships.
• Grants and donations from alumni, businesses, non-profits, and government agencies.
• Events, especially ones that bring key influencers together.
• Graduation ceremonies. 

Good news begets good news … and primes your target audiences to make the choice(s) you want when opportunities arise.  

Create promotional partnerships 

Earned media is powerful in part because it includes third-party endorsements of a message or narrative. Self-promotion eventually becomes background noise at best – and unbearable bragging at worst. 

Partnerships alleviate this problem because target audiences hear the same message in different ways from diverse mouthpieces. Good news becomes: 

• Hiring announcements on the college’s website and social media…and the employer’s platforms. 
• High-profile events that are in the local paper because of the regional Chamber of Commerce and in trade outlets because of two industry sponsors. 
• Ads getting through to prospective students and their parents because they can see the path to success. 
• Alumni seeing how their donations of time, expertise, and money are making a difference. 

Don’t forget about data  

Every PR pro knows that stories sell better than numbers. That’s why anecdotes lead articles; and it’s why data is often wrapped in a storytelling sandwich. 

But facts are also the foundation of trust. The smooth-talking guy had better put his money where his mouth is to win the girl’s heart, and the right data drives home claims made in a communications campaign. 

For smaller, or simply lesser-known colleges and universities, these data points can include: 

• Low debt compared to national averages and elite schools. 
• What students do with their savings, such as buying a better car, putting a bigger down payment on a home, or starting a retirement account sooner.  
• Rates at which students get jobs in their degree field – which is a lot easier when students don’t have debt forcing a choice on them. 

Hockey sticks happen when the time is right 

Nobody can predict when the competition will have a scandal, go bankrupt, or simply miss the obvious opportunity. But the well-prepared brand – whether it’s a school, a pizza shop, or a tech firm – will be ready to turn that mistake into long-term, sustainable hockey stick growth.  

The post 4 ways lesser-known universities can stand out among the big dogs appeared first on PR Daily.

Dora Scheidlinger is vice president at Method Communications. 

With audience members comparing it to a dumpster fire and reporters like The New York Times’ Mike Isaac claiming it was one of the poorest executive interviews they’ve ever seen, there’s no question that X CEO Linda Yaccarino botched her recent interview at Vox’s Code Conference. I was as horrified as anyone, but as a former broadcast reporter, I was struck by how relevant the basic rules of PR still are. 

Invest in media training

Media training is essentially a crash course in how to do an interview, including how to answer hard-hitting questions and how to prepare for the unexpected. It’s an opportunity to finalize the messages you want to convey and learn how to convey them in a quotable, catchy and memorable way. 

And perhaps most important and relevant in this case, media training teaches executives the art of “bridging,” which is essentially a verbal control and defense tool. By using phrases like, what’s most important is, or that’s not my area of expertise, but I think your audience would be interested in knowing, you can politely steer a reporter away from controversial, uncomfortable or unflattering topics and get back to the messages you want to share. 

Come prepared 

It’s important to come to a high profile interview feeling confident in your message and armed with data to support any claims you’re making. This preparation, which is often part of media training, will make it harder to throw you off your game plan. 

Listen for  question “types” and respond accordingly

There are a variety of questions a reporter may ask and you don’t necessarily have to answer them all. Often, an interview will start and end with softball questions like, “What’s new at XX?” and “Is there anything else I should know that I didn’t ask you?” These are invitations to get your message across, so crush it and hit it out of the park. And believe it or not, a hardball question can also be an invitation to get your message across if you acknowledge the jab and use the bridging technique to pivot. If the question is unclear or ambiguous, ask for clarification. If it’s an assumptive question (as when CNBC’s Julia Boorstin asked Yaccarino when the last time she saw Elon Musk in “demon mode”), refute it – but do so clearly, kindly, and without letting the negative words come out of your own mouth. 

There are also a variety of ways to say “no comment” without actually saying “no comment” if you incorporate bridging into your answer. For instance, use phrases like, “I can’t comment on that directly, but let me tell you” to re-route the conversation.

Be humble and human

Let your accomplishments speak for themselves while using every opportunity to demonstrate your humanity. Share personal anecdotes and paint a picture about where you were, what you saw and what you felt during the time in question. Don’t school the interviewer by criticizing their questions or reminding them of your previous answers, and at all costs avoid the condescending phrase, “as I told you before.” Express empathy when discussing other people’s hardships and respond to the interviewer with authenticity, saving corporate jargon for the boardroom. Make eye contact, smile when appropriate, and don’t be afraid of silence, which some reporters create intentionally, in hopes you’ll fill it with some stress-induced comment you didn’t plan to say. Be friendly and respectful to the reporter because they’re also humans trying to do their job.

Most importantly, get in or get out, but if you’re in, go all in: A surprise interview with former Twitter trust & safety head Yoel Roth a few hours before Yacarino’s coveted closing speaker spot clearly threw her for a loop. At that point, Yaccarino had two choices: back out of the interview or go on stage as planned. If you choose door number two, remember, it’s not a deposition. It’s a voluntary agreement to have a (in this case, recorded) conversation about what’s relevant, current, and interesting. Will there be hard questions? Yes. If you’re not up for that, door number one’s your best option.

The post How not to botch an interview appeared first on PR Daily.

You’re probably giving plenty of thought on how you will reach Gen Z consumers as this demographic, ages 11-26, begins to change the marketplace and workforce.

But have you spent the same amount of time considering how to best reach Gen Z journalists?

A new survey from Greentarget sought answers from 100 working journalists and students to better understand what motivates them — which can help PR professionals better target them with messages likely to resonate.

What they found was a cohort of professionals who are optimistic and mission-driven, despite the steep challenges facing their industry.

Propelled by values

In the year 2023, no one considers journalism as a path to riches. Instead, they’re entering this field because they want to make a difference, the survey found.

While some Gen Z journalists are entering the field because it’s exciting (37%) or to become famous (9%), most are driven by more idealistic values, like helping people make informed decisions (62%), exposing injustice (58%) and fighting mis- and disinformation (45%).

This makes Gen Z journalists a receptive audience to your messages about CSR, ESG, DE&I and other initiatives that seek to improve the world around us. It also means they’re ready and willing to call your organization out for real or perceived missteps in these areas — 58% are eager to expose injustice and 29% seek to hold governments and institutions accountable.

Indeed, these journalists also seek to hold newsrooms in their own industry accountable when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion. Fifty-nine percent agree or strongly agree that they are “concerned about the current level of diversity in journalism among practitioners/leadership.” Additionally, 85% agree or strongly agree their journalism programs stress the importance of diverse sources.

In other words, if your organization does not include voices from historically marginalized communities, you may be missing out on press opportunities as journalists look elsewhere for inclusive voices.

Technology and the future

Young journalists see both social media and AI as valuable tools in their chosen field — but they also are aware of the downsides.

Seventy-six percent of respondents point to social media as a major driver for mis- and disinformation, though a variety of political entities got their fair share of blame, too.

Still, it’s clear that social media has embedded itself into the foundation of modern journalism in a variety of ways. Eighty-two percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that social media was part of their journalism education, and 86% said social media shares were an important or very important way to measure the impact of a story. And social media networks are still considered a valuable tool for both generating story ideas and doing actual reporting, with X still leading the way with a whopping 95% of respondents using the social network in one or both of those ways.

In other words: social media is a valuable way to catch a journalist’s eye, and even platforms where your target audience isn’t present may be worth maintaining if it is a gathering spot for reporters.

Gen Z is actively watching the evolution of AI, with 74% predicting this category of tools will have a “significant” impact on journalism. Among the tools they anticipate having the biggest impact are translation tools (52%), writing tools (43%) and research tools (39%). Fully half see these tools as a “threat” to journalism as a whole. The question did not specify if they see it as a threat to their jobs, to the credibility of the industry or something else, but early journalistic forays into AI have already given us cautionary tales.

Yet in spite of this, they remain hopeful. Seventy-two percent remain very or somewhat optimistic about the future of the field.

Here’s hoping they’re right.

Allison Carter is executive editor of PR Daily. Follow her on Twitter or LinkedIn.

The post What PR pros should know about the newest generation of journalists appeared first on PR Daily.

There’s nothing that can match the excitement of opening a piece of earned media you helped pitch and place.

And there’s nothing that can match the pit in your stomach when you realize there’s a glaring error in the story.

What happens next isn’t a fun situation for anyone — not for the PR pro, not for the client and not for the journalist who made the error.

But how you respond to this situation can define your relationship with that journalist moving forward — for better or worse.

So you’ve spotted an error

Whether a mistake is as simple as a typo in a name or as complex as misunderstanding a new product offering, it’s important to take a beat before you reach out to the journalist. You want to approach them with an attitude of empathy, not anger.

“It’s a very human reaction to come at the reporter hard when you’re when you’re feeling that pressure,” Adam Kiefaber, an experienced corporate communicator with a background in journalism.

But all the communicators we spoke to agreed that approaching the reporter respectfully is key to getting the error fixed and preserving that relationship.

“From experience, it has to be done in the right way and in the right tone – in a softer, hands-off type way if you can – especially in email,” wrote Chris Cradduck, a partner with LDWW. “You are talking to someone about their work, so the goal is to be 100% respectful on the piece and what they’ve written, and focus only on what should be updated factually.”

Melanie Doupé Gaiser, VP of healthcare at Ruder Finn, agrees.

“I generally note that I know how important accuracy is to them and wanted to flag that ‘XYZ’ should say ‘ABC’ to be accurate,” ” she wrote in an email to PR Daily. “Then I ask if they ‘would be willing to consider this correction request. I phrase it that way because it inherently and respectfully acknowledges their ultimate control over what is published.”

Ultimately, you can’t force a correction, no matter how much you may want to. You have to convince them.

Linda Zebian is now senior director of communications for Muck Rack, but she worked in corporate communications at the New York Times for more than a decade, giving her plenty of experience in the corrections department.

“I like to position my note as a question, i.e. using ‘Update your story?’ in the subject line, rather than ‘Correction needed ASAP’ or something that feels aggressive out of the gate,” she told PR Daily.

“I like to begin by thanking the journalist for covering my organization in the story (assuming the story is generally a positive or neutral one). Then I link to the story and also cut and paste the copy that includes the inaccuracy so they know what story I’m talking about right off the bat. Then, I briefly explain why it’s inaccurate. I would not recommend making a suggestion on copy — just give them the facts so they can draft copy as they see fit.”

When a client wants a ‘correction’

Those are all solid tips for when a journalist has made an actual mistake. But what if the client is merely unhappy and wants a correction for something that isn’t actually wrong?

K.C. O’Rourke, owner of KCLO Communications, said educating clients helps them understand why reporters may push back against requests.

“It really helps to educate the client on journalism ethics,” she said. “why that’s not possible and why we give media the space to do what they do effectively. Sometimes it’s coaching the client on what the reality of the job is and the reality of what we’re trying to communicate through the media.”

Doyle Albee, president and CEO of Comprise, has a framework for considering requests for correction. He calls it “the three Fs,” and explained them in an email to PR Daily, edited for length:

• “Fact: Is there a mistake in a fact? Just because you don’t like how something was said doesn’t mean you get to ask for a re-write.
• Fair: Even if a fact is wrong, is it material enough to warrant a request? Let’s say you tell a reporter that you’re launching a product in 4-6 weeks and the reporter writes, “about a month.” Not exactly the same, but not really incorrect and likely not a material problem. In this case, we’d likely recommend an email to clarify and if the reporter chooses to correct, great. But we would likely not counsel a request for correction.
• Friendly: Even if it’s really, really wrong, the conversation can and should be friendly and professional. There is no reason to berate or be demanding.”

When facts in a story aren’t technically wrong but aren’t explained as clearly as they could be, Kiefaber suggests acting as a resource instead of an antagonist.

“Instead of being a correction, sometimes in those cases I would offer up an interview with an executive that they typically might not have access to, and we can go through and help educate them,” he said. “So the next time they understand what the difference between this is and why we thought it was so sensitive,” he said.

Remember that ultimately, everyone has the same goal: a factual, accurate article. Your role is to help the reporter achieve that as best you can.

“Also remember journalists are hard-working human beings and errors happen,” Zebian said. “Your job as a PR professional is not to call them out but help them gather information and facts, so grace, patience and understanding go a long way.”

Allison Carter is executive editor of PR Daily. Follow her on Twitter or LinkedIn.

The post So you need to request a correction from a journalist appeared first on PR Daily.

Erin Dolin is VP at The Fletcher Group.

Earning media coverage continues to be one of the most powerful ways to raise awareness for your brand. The third-party credentialing gained by earning a media placement in a key outlet can drive awareness and preference and give you a meaningful piece of content to amplify further via your own channels.

While the value of media coverage is often inherent, a secondary discussion we have with many of our clients is: Which type of media should we spend our time pursuing? For B2B brands, there are usually many trade media outlets that cover their specific industries in intimate detail. (i.e. PYMNTS.com for the payments industry, Retail Dive for the retail space, American Banker for banking, etc.) But also of interest to many B2B brands is what we call national business media. This includes outlets like the Wall Street Journal, CNBC, Forbes, and Business Insider. These outlets cover business more broadly and don’t focus on a particular industry like trade media do.

There are key considerations to take when pursuing either type of media, as well as expectations for what each will drive for your brand. Below, we explore both:

What to expect with trade media:

Trade media covers one industry and one alone. So, you can expect trade media to be much more thorough in its coverage of industry issues and your news announcements. Trade media is where you’ll have the opportunity to deeply explain your service offerings, competitive differentiators, new partnerships, etc.

Trade media coverage is also faster to earn because of these journalists’ familiarity with your industry and what you’re selling. Even if they don’t know your brand yet, they likely know of your competitors or the market demand that your business meets. Trade journalists are also likely to show up at the same industry events your team attends – whether annual conferences or awards shows.

Trade media often gets a bad rep because circulation numbers are smaller than national media outlets. However, don’t conflate a smaller readership with a smaller impact. With trade media, you can trust that you’re speaking directly to your industry or a particular prospect industry you’re targeting. So, while the readers are fewer, they are more relevant to your business objectives. And because trade media will more thoroughly cover your news, you can expect this media segment to be the best avenue for speaking directly to your prospects.

To oversimplify, we like to say that trade media is the ideal target for driving pipeline.

What to expect with national business media:

National business press covers the national – and oftentimes global – business landscape. This means they are covering the public markets, identifying trends cutting across industries, and focusing on the global and household-name brands that all their readers will know. This also means that often, these journalists do not have a deep familiarity with many B2B brands.

National business press is harder to earn because many B2B businesses don’t have their attention to begin with like they do to a greater extent with trade media. These reporters cover high-level trends and topics and seldom have the time or interest to deeply explore a more niche industry, unless it is one that is exploding with innovation or demand, i.e. crypto or AI.

For this reason, we never expect national media to show interest in covering B2B news like partner announcements or new hires. Even product announcements are a hard sell unless they represent a true groundbreaking promise for the business community at large. Instead, we must approach this media differently. We can supply help for the trend stories they’re compiling – offering thought leadership on the bigger business topics they care about. This could be in the form of original research or just key insights from your leaders. But have the expectation that to make it into national business press, it will be for talking about what you know versus what you sell. Also, keep in mind that this coverage will likely reach a large swath of readers that are of no strategic importance to you because they are in totally unrelated industries.

Despite the difficulty of earning national business coverage, the appeal is evident. National brands are the media names that everyone knows, regardless of the industry they work in.

For this reason, we like to say that national business media is for driving prestige.

Finding the right balance

The key is to create a balanced media relations strategy by aligning media coverage goals with your business objectives. Is the focus on supporting your sales department with meaningful, detailed coverage that will help nurture leads? Trade coverage is the ticket. Are you on the verge of going public or selling and need some top-tier visibility to wow potential investors? National business media should be the priority. There may be many different combinations of goals at play for your business, and you need to be able to pick your priorities and map out how you’ll realistically achieve them. In many cases, we often suggest ways to strategically leverage both national business press and industry trade media for maximum impact.

The media landscape continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Inserting complex B2B storylines into the news is not an easy task. But media coverage remains one of the most powerful endorsements for your business. As your B2B brand endeavors to earn media coverage, be sure you’re carefully considering the pros and cons of approaching both trade and national business media. Each comes with its own benefits and considerations for pitching. This is a key element to discuss as you build out a comprehensive media relations strategy.

The post The value of trade media versus national business media appeared first on PR Daily.

It’s common in PR to think of journalists as an adversary. We’re looking for ways to breach their defenses to get a story published.

But here’s the secret: Journalists want to get ideas from you. They aren’t sitting around with their finger hovering over the “delete” button, cackling and looking for a reason to reject you. No, they want a reason to accept your pitch.

You can make their job easier by giving great story tips, guiding them toward sources and more.

But the key is giving them something they want, which may require thinking differently about what you’re really offering. Considerhow your pitches can help them reach their goals rather than focusing on how it helps your clients and stakeholders.

Before every pitch, ask yourself: If I were a reporter (and many of us were!), what would interest me about this? What would catch my attention amid the hundreds of other pitches in my inbox?

While there’s obviously no one-size-fits-all approach, Nick Lanyi, media relations and crisis communications expert at Ragan Consulting Group, offered six proven pitch archetypes during PR Daily’s Media Relations Conference this past June.

Take a pitch you’ve been working on and try recasting it so it fits into one of these categories. You might find new success — or you might find that it’s time to move on to another one.

1. This one’s fairly obvious. Journalists love being able to splash “exclusive” in a headline. But make sure it’s a real story that’s worth sharing — and worth limiting to just one journalist at first.
2. You’ve heard the old chestnut: “Dog bites man” isn’t news, but “man bites dog” is. Find an angle that subverts the traditional wisdom or tells journalists something surprising. It will catch their eye — and the eye of the audiences you really want to reach.
3. Let’s put a caveat around this one. “It doesn’t mean go out and just try to be controversial,” Lanyi warned. “But if you actually have, say, a CEO, who has a point of view about something, that is actually going to raise some eyebrows,” then they may want to put it out there rather than just repeating what everyone else is.
4. Trends. Journalists love it when you help them connect the dots and are more likely to report on a widespread incident than a one-off. Let’s say you’ve made a hire for a new job title. You’d be lucky to get a passing mention in a news roundup. But if you’re able to say the new hire is part of a trend of organizations bringing chief widget officers onboard, and they can talk about why the role is critical, you have a much better chance of getting attention — and showing off your new hire’s smarts instead of just noting their existence.
5. Breaking news. This one’s also pretty obvious. If you have news that’s objectively big and interesting, get it out quickly. Make sure to highlight what’s actually new and interesting, stripping out as much jargon and puffery as you can, which can obscure what really matters.
6. You’re looking for, “Wow, I never knew that.” Everyone loves a fun fact, a fascinating historical tidbit or a deep dive into a topic that affects them. Consider combining this pitch type with being counterintuitive. You want something that’s educational yet engaging, surprising and useful. Be ready to provide additional resources to the reporter to help them truly teach the audience what you have to share.

Obviously, there are plenty of great pitches that don’t fall into one of these categories. But by using them to frame and inform your thinking, you can truly put yourself in the journalist’s shoes. Be on their side in enabling them to tell fascinating stories — that’s how you’ll rise above the noise.

Watch Lanyi’s presentation here.

Allison Carter is executive editor of PR Daily. Follow her on Twitter or LinkedIn.

The post 6 types of pitches that grab a journalist’s eye appeared first on PR Daily.

George van Rooyen is a senior PR consultant at Coast Communications and Public Affairs, a firm that specializes in crisis comms and media training.

Who in your organization should receive media training?

It’s tempting to focus your media training only on your organization’s CEO and other C-suite executives. After all, the leadership team is most likely to interact with the press when making a public announcement or giving an interview. But a good argument can be made for including other employees, even ones who are unlikely to ever act as official spokespeople.

Leave room for escalation

You might not always want your CEO — or any other C-suite leader — to act as spokesperson. During a crisis, for instance, sending out the big guns could signal that a situation is worse than it really is. If the CEO unexpectedly calls a press conference, the media, employees, investors and other stakeholders could assume that the company is dealing with a significant issue. Sending out someone slightly lower down the corporate ladder indicates that the situation is not quite severe enough to demand the C-suite’s full attention.

Of course, it’s crucial to gauge the scenario accurately. It might absolutely warrant the presence of the organization’s leader, especially if there’s been an injury, death or some other disastrous outcome. And even if you initially choose another spokesperson, you must recognize when to escalate and move the CEO into that role. If a situation deteriorates, or troubling new details come to light, it’s time to call in your CEO.

Speaking of escalation, another benefit of not opting for the CEO as your initial spokesperson is that it gives you the freedom to move up the chain of command. If your original representative provides an inept response, seems rattled, or makes some other mistake that damages their credibility — which can happen all too easily in the confusing opening hours of a crisis — you can bring in the CEO. But, as some argue, if you start with your CEO and things go wrong, you can’t move up. So, you’re left either sticking with the CEO or choosing someone lower down on the org chart, which sends the message that the company’s top leader isn’t capable of dealing with the crisis.

Let the experts speak

When BP CEO Tony Hayward testified before Congress after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, things didn’t go well. His evasive answers angered his interrogators and turned public sentiment further against the company.

Hayward continually answered questions by saying things like “I’m not an oceanographic scientist,” and, “I’m not the drilling engineer.” After multiple non-answers, he explained: “I’m not stonewalling. I simply was not involved in the decision-making process. I don’t mean to be evasive or difficult.”

An exasperated Democratic representative named Mike Doyle eventually responded to Hayward by saying: “I’m sitting here thinking I could be a CEO of an oil company. I hear it pays a little bit better than being a member of Congress. Because I’ve watched you in front of this committee, and you’re not able to give us much information on anything here.”

When you know that tough technical questions are coming during an interview, press conference or public hearing, your spokesperson better be able to answer them. That often means working with your CEO to ensure they have an excellent working knowledge of the technical details.

But it can also mean subbing out your CEO for a subject matter expert who can answer even the most complex questions and explain arcane technology in layperson’s terms. That’s why media training shouldn’t be reserved purely for the C-suite. Having a handful of technical experts with the media savvy needed to face a roomful of journalists can be immensely useful—and it can save your CEO the embarrassment of responding to technical questions with vague answers that make them look incompetent.

Prepare frontline employees for an ambush

Journalists know how to get their hands on a juicy visual or soundbite. For instance, they know that showing up at your head office with a camera crew will likely cause a kerfuffle.

Imagine all the ways in which things can go wrong. Security personnel might push an overeager camera operator aside or clasp a meaty hand over a lens. An ambushed employee might shout “no comment” over his shoulder as he bolts for the elevator. A flustered receptionist might struggle to get hold of a senior leader as an air of chaos and incompetence descends on the lobby.

“Reporters occasionally avoid ‘official’ channels in an effort to get more candid, less scripted responses from staffers lower on the hierarchy chart,” writes Brad Phillips in “The Media Training Bible.” “And too often, receptionists — notoriously more plugged into company gossip than most are — inadvertently say something to reporters that they shouldn’t.”

To prevent the above, employees across the organization should receive media training. They don’t need the in-depth, on-camera training of spokespeople, but they should know the basics. They should understand that a hastily shouted “no comment” makes it look like there’s something to hide and that pushy security personnel suggest a nefarious company looking to intimidate its critics.

By providing foundational media training to frontline employees (and others who a journalist may unexpectedly confront), you can prevent the sort of ill-conceived and damaging soundbite that goes viral online and causes tremendous damage.

The post Who in your company needs media training? It’s not just your CEO appeared first on PR Daily.

Kawita Noramung is a freelance PR consultant in Southeast Asia.

Media relations and psychology form the backbone of successful PR strategies.

Understanding human behavior enables PR professionals to effectively engage with journalists, forming connections that secure favorable media coverage. By personalizing pitches and acknowledging journalists’ expertise, PR pros leverage psychological principles like reciprocity and trust. Integrating theories like Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and attachment theory fosters enduring relationships. Let’s take a look at how we can blend media relations and psychology together to unlock the PR potential.

Self-determination theory (SDT):
SDT suggests that humans have innate psychological needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness. In media relations, applying this theory means recognizing journalists’ expertise and the value they bring to their field to foster their sense of competence. Respecting their
autonomy by allowing them to choose stories that align with their interests and nurturing by showing genuine interest in their work and acknowledging their contributions creates a strong bond.

Social exchange theory:
The social exchange theory posits that people engage in relationships when the benefits outweigh the costs. In media relations, PR pros can apply this by offering valuable and exclusive information to journalists, ensuring that the benefits of covering a story outweigh the effort they
put into it. By making journalists feel special and providing unique opportunities, PR professionals create a positive exchange dynamic that encourages journalists to maintain an ongoing relationship.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs:
Maslow’s theory proposes that individuals have a hierarchy of needs, starting from basic physiological needs and progressing to higher-level needs such as esteem and self-actualization. PR professionals can apply this theory by understanding that journalists, like all individuals, seek recognition and esteem for their work. By fulfilling these higher-level needs and making journalists feel special, PR pros can motivate them to cover stories that align with their interests and values.

Psychological reactance theory:
Psychological reactance occurs when individuals feel their freedom is being restricted, leading to a desire to regain that freedom. In media relations, PR professionals can avoid creating psychological reactance by respecting journalists’ autonomy and choices. Instead of pushing
journalists to cover specific stories, PR pros can present opportunities in a way that allows journalists to feel they have the freedom to choose what to cover, making them more likely to feel special and valued.

Attachment theory:
Attachment theory explores how individuals form emotional bonds with others. In media relations, PR professionals can build strong relationships with journalists by being consistently reliable, supportive, and responsive. This secure attachment can make journalists feel connected and valued, leading to a higher likelihood of them covering stories pitched by the PR pro.

At its core, PR is the art of understanding human behavior and motivations. To excel in media relations and PR strategies, grasping psychological concepts becomes indispensable. Especially in this tech-driven era, the fusion of media relations and psychology not only remains
relevant but emerges as a key differentiator. By understanding psychological hacks, PR professionals can transcend surface-level communication and delve into the core values, desires, and aspirations of their target demographics. This deeper understanding empowers PR
pros to craft messages that resonate on a profound level, forging authentic connections and driving impactful outcomes.

The post 5 psychological hacks for boosting media relations appeared first on PR Daily.

PR Daily’s Media Relations Awards offer the perfect platform to highlight innovative strategies for securing media coverage, show off your team’s ability to navigate crises with composure, and showcase the talent needed to craft engaging and impactful stories. This program is dedicated to recognizing the best media relations campaigns, events, and initiatives from the past year, making it a must-enter competition for individuals and organizations alike.

“PR Daily’s Media Relations Awards is the premier platform to showcase and celebrate the creativity, ingenuity and resilience of the industry,” said Brendan Gannon, senior marketing manager for PR Daily’s Awards programs. “We invite you to enter your media relations work for the opportunity to gain recognition for your innovative strategies and captivating storytelling efforts.”

There are numerous categories available to honor your media relations efforts, including crisis or reputation management, influencer relations, press event or media tour, social media, virtual events, and many more. And of course, you’ll want to enter to win the grand prize: campaigns of the year and professional of the year. The Media Relations Awards program helps organizations put the spotlight on their work and measure success so why not share your bold and creative ideas with the world? But you need to act now. The deadline to submit your entries is August 18, 2023.

All finalists will receive recognition at a special live event in December at the renowned National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Category winners will be announced during the event, where they will receive editorial recognition, along with a coveted awards trophy and a marketing tool kit to help promote your outstanding accomplishments.

Don’t let your hard work and achievements go unnoticed. Take this chance to earn the recognition you deserve for your exceptional media relations endeavors from the past year. Enter PR Daily’s Media Relations Awards today and let your brilliance shine on the national stage. Submit your entries before the deadline on August 18, 2023.

The post Get recognition for your media relations achievements appeared first on PR Daily.