publicity — Get In Front Communications

Secrets to pitching major news media

How do you gain trust and influence with reporters at big time news outlets?

Joe Connolly receives hundreds of pitches and press releases every week. He’s The Wall Street Journal Business Correspondent for CBS Radio in New York.

Like Connolly, I have been on the receiving end of pitches from businesses, government agencies, and nonprofits. Some days you don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

In a recent interview, I asked Connolly to share some dos and don’ts when pitching stories. For example, Connolly admits he has a hang-up with the word ‘announce.’

“If the release says ‘so-and-so is pleased to announce,’ I don’t read any further. I don’t want self-serving. The headline and lead have got to ring true.”

The secret sauce

You may be surprised, but Connolly suggests that anyone writing a news release start two-to-three months in advance. “Follow your local paper, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, television and radio until you see or hear something about your industry. Look for things that you think are really good, really on the mark, and really accurate. Then call or e-mail that reporter saying you saw the article or interview. Tell them, ‘I’m exactly like XXXX, you might be interested to know we are also doing such and such…’”

Connolly goes on to remind us about the importance of complimenting reporters. “They are just like anybody else. They want to get positive feedback and they’ll think, ‘Wow, this is a really sharp person.’ A lot of my frequent contacts are people who reached out to me because they heard me talking about something that rang a bell in their industry.”

The best opening line for a phone pitch

Like so many other reporters, Connolly’s pet peeve when getting pitched on the phone is in the opening line. “If I answer the phone, don’t ask me how I am. Just say, ‘Hi Joe, this is xx from X Company, are you on deadline?’ That’s the best opening line of all. I just think that’s the greatest way to open a call with a reporter.” Note to self: Connolly prefers e-mail pitches.

The final tip

For important media, call and pitch the story yourself. You are the business owner, says Connolly. “Whatever you do, don’t have a summer intern call around with news releases. That is an insult unless they are calling a 23-year-old reporter who is starting out.”

Send your pitches to Connolly@cbsnewyork.com.

PS: I invite you to take a peek at my new Kindle book, The Badass Book of Social Media and Business Communication. It’s packed with tips and insights on creating news, blogging, communication, and more!

Filed Under: Communication, Interviews, media, News, PR, Press releases, rapport, Writing Tagged With: Business, credibility, e-mail pitches, interviews, Joe Connolly, listening, Marketing, media, message, nonprofits, press releases, publicity, rapport, Relationships, reporters, Social Media, The Wall Street Journal, WCBS NewsRadio88, Writing

How ‘breaking news’ got broken

by Susan Young at 12:37 pm 3 Comments

How exactly did the process of gathering news get to this point?

We have allowed news readers to go on-the-air and vomit ambiguous language that holds no one accountable.

This is not the first time we have witnessed the media—with its authoritative voice and sheer power—destroy its own credibility.

The reporting of terrorism this week at the Boston Marathon, and the subsequent manhunt for the two suspects, left many ordinary people miffed about how news is gathered and shared.

These past few years, I have watched breaking news stories and 24-hour channels that have repeatedly made sloppy assumptions that mainstream media should never have allowed.

But it’s gotten so bad this week that people with no behind-the-scenes knowledge of how news decisions are made, have been mortified. I’ve worked as a news director and news reporter. I am beyond mortified.

These five phrases have contributed to our damaged news coverage:

1. “We believe that it’s likely…” My take: Accuracy trumps vague.

2. “We are trying to follow-up on unconfirmed reports…” My take: Action trumps words.

3. “There’s speculation from a variety of unnamed sources…” My take: Fact trumps speculation.

4. “We are just as confused as you are as we try to put the pieces together…” My take: Clarity trumps confusion.

5. “We have no new information.” My take: New information trumps empty words.

Veteran network newsman and strategist David Henderson writes:

“The media–especially cable TV–is like a drunk on a binge, and cannot control their near-insane rush for dramatic announcements, replete with bold red warnings of apocalyptic disaster on the screen. Everything is an ‘Alert’ or ‘Breaking News.’ Yet, it seldom is. Wolf Blitzer saying over and over that John King has ‘exclusive information’ is not news. It’s promotion, publicity, boasting. As it turned in the Boston terror story, King’s ‘exclusive’ information was wrong. King was a font of misinformation … gossip.”

People around the world have been offering prayers for the victims and people of Boston.

Let us also extend a prayer for the pained news media.

(Image via)

Filed Under: Crisis Communication, Journalism, media, News, Writing Tagged With: articles, audience, Boston Marathon, CNN, Communication, content, credibility, David Henderson, interviews, John King, Leadership, listening, message, News, publicity, reporters, Social Media, Wolf Blitzer, Writing

10 PR and social media cheers and jeers from the Boston Marathon tragedy

by Susan Young at 10:10 pm 2 Comments

Moments after the two initial explosions that rocked the finish line at Monday’s Boston Marathon, social media, bloggers, and traditional reporters took to various networks to ‘cover’ the unfolding story. Another opportunity for citizen journalists.

I have watched the live coverage, video clips, tweets, and news broadcasts and have been struck by the following:

Cheers to the people who immediately cancelled their automated tweets and postings.

Cheers to the ‘real’ PR pros that didn’t bother to call newsrooms, send releases, or pitch stories that have no obvious connection to the marathon.

Cheers to people on Twitter who quoted their source or offered a link to a new development. Information without a source flies in the face of journalism. Well, it used to be that way.

Cheers to people on the scene who used disclaimers when posting graphic visuals.

Cheers to the reporters who were running in the marathon for jumping into “media mode” amidst the chaos and fright.

Jeers to the chat organizers who plan to “carry on” as usual tonight.

Jeers to people posting non-related motivational quotes on Twitter. Really?

Jeers to those playing up the Sandy Hook victims angle. Yes, there were relatives near the finish line and yes, the victims were remembered at the start of the marathon, but these folks have had enough. Leave them alone.

Jeers to the reporters who complained on line that their assignments were changed at the last minute and they had to travel to Boston.

Jeers to people tweeting about the Jodi Arias trial.

Anything you would like to add?

Prayers and blessings to everyone affected by these senseless acts.

(Image via)

Filed Under: Journalism, media, News, Press releases, Social Media Tagged With: Boston, Boston Marathon, Communication, content, credibility, interviews, media, message, News, PR, press releases, publicity, reporters, technology, Twitter, Writing

Entrepreneurs: 4 ways to use press releases for publicity

by Susan Young at 9:52 pm 3 Comments

One of the most confusing parts of a small business owner’s marketing plan is the press release. While virtually all entrepreneurs understand that marketing and publicity are essential to business success, how and when to write a press release is baffling.

In the social media landscape, many wonder if press releases are still relevant. As a former radio news reporter and news director, I say, yes they are relevant. But ONLY when used to announce something that’s newsworthy.

Therein lies the confusion. How do you know what’s newsworthy? What do reporters and bloggers look for and cover?

Here are four press release strategies for small business owners:

1. Avoid self-promotion. Remember that in the word “newsworthy” is the word “new.” When writing a press release or a pitch, be sure you have a fresh angle on a story, trend, or issue. Your announcement must be timely, relevant, and compelling to the public. It must fit with the reporter’s niche or demographic. Sales pitches are for the advertising department, not the newsroom. Hire a PR coach or read books on how to write and frame your story. Many of my blog posts cover this topic. Discover how you can help reporters and editors. The key is to build relationships and become a trusted resource. Before you begin writing a press release, ask yourself, “Who cares?” If your announcement doesn’t impact the public, you’re on the wrong path.

2. Keep your news antennae up. News is about people. People love great stories. You have great stories right under your nose but you’re busy running your graphic design company, staffing firm, or retail shop. And of course you’re consumed with learning social media. Take your ear buds out and pay attention to what’s happening around you. What trends can you comment on? Is your company celebrating an anniversary? Have you recently expanded or gotten a small business grant? How have you helped a client to succeed? Do you have an interesting hobby or talent that’s out of the ordinary?

3. Think multimedia. Reporters expect to see more than words; they want images, action, and video. They want to hear something. Have you considered using a flip cam to record your press release or pitch? These tools allow the reporter to get to know you by hearing you explain your story and watching your body language. Think about how a Pinterest board can visually tell your story. We live in a creative space. Stand out by inviting news decision makers to connect with you on an exciting and deeper level.

4. Write tip-sheet style releases. To build your credibility, help people solve their problems. Position yourself as the expert in your industry. People have a pain and you have the medicine that will ease their discomfort. The tip-sheet format (like this list) is effective because it’s reader-friendly in our crazy, busy world. The bullet points allow readers to skim the content and glean nuggets of information. Our cognitive bandwidth is more limited than ever. Brief tips are usually appreciated.

Once you have a few press releases, think about how you can repurpose them into blog posts, short video clips, and content for e-zines. Minor tweaks to the format can easily create new content and marketing pieces.

The bottom line: Your presence affects your prosperity. Don’t be the best-kept secret!

PS: If you want lots of tips like the ones above, you’ll want to see this! Hot off the Press: My new Kindle book, The Badass Book of Social Media and Business Communication. It’s packed with hundreds of pointers and strategies on PR, news interviews, pitches, writing, blogging, and social media.

Filed Under: Business trends, media, PR, Press releases, Public Relations, publicity, Writing Tagged With: audience, Business Trends, content, entrepreneurs, interviews, Marketing, media, message, News, PR, press releases, Public Relations, publicity, reporters, small business owners, Social Media, Video blogs, Writing

5 secrets to successfully pitch a Mediabistro editor

by Susan Young at 3:28 pm 5 Comments

Patrick Coffee is the Editor of PRNewser, a daily blog published by Mediabistro.com. Coffee and his team write about news, trends, and announcements in PR. He is based in New York.

Here are highlights from our recent conversation:

On contacting him: I get lots and lots of e-mail pitches every day. They come from most of the major PR firms, especially in New York City. Occasionally I’ll get phone calls, but it’s very rare, and that’s a good thing. I personally want e-mail. The more often someone calls me the less likely I am to run their story.

On subject lines: The most important part of an e-mail pitch is having an effective subject line. It has to get my attention without pandering or telling me, ‘I must read this.’ Writing subject lines is a subtle art form. It’s similar to Twitter, where there’s a limited space to get your message across. In terms of tone, convey to me there’s something interesting for me in the e-mail, without being too pushy about it.

On the e-mail pitch: The message has to be very clear and interesting to me. Make it clear to me why my readers would be interested in the story, why does it stand out? E-mail pitches should be personalized, beyond just copying and pasting my name and a greeting. A certain degree of personalization in the first couple of sentences is a very good idea. Tell me why you thought of me for this story and the people who may like this story. What is appealing about it? I always appreciate a quick summary of what the entire story is about in just a couple of sentences.

On building a community through blogging: A lot of my readers come from my Twitter feed. I tweet a lot and that attracts readers. For anyone who blogs, there has to be some degree of interaction. Everyone loves when someone responds to something they say. I’m not a big fan of people begging for attention. If you write a blog you’ll take some satisfaction knowing that people are not just looking at what you do, but that they are thinking about it and that they are responding to it in their own way. You can encourage that by retweeting what they have to say and following them back.

On PR and social media: A lot of people in PR are very familiar and comfortable with social media. One concern is they are too comfortable. When working to promote a client or your own brand, you have to be disciplined in your message. It gets too casual sometimes, like with automated messaging. You want to be sure people know there’s a live person behind your account.

Final thought: Always think multimedia.

PS: Do you want hundreds of tips on news pitches, PR, blogging, and content development? Get my new book, The Badass Book of Social Media and Business Communication.

Filed Under: media, Mediabistro.com, Pitches, PR, Social Media, Writing Tagged With: Blogging, credibility, e-mail pitches, interviews, media, Mediabistro.com, message, multimedia, New York City, Pitches, PR, PRNewser, Public Relations, publicity, reporters, Social Media, Writing

10 PR stars reveal secrets for social media success in 2013

by Susan Young at 4:25 pm 13 Comments

Want to kick-start your social media optimization in 2013? Of course you do.

I asked 10 distinguished PR and social media pros to share their views on how it can be done.

Here are their responses, with my appreciation for their insights!

Margo Mateas, Founder, The PR Trainer: “PR pros need to remember to take time to become part of the communities they want to reach, and not just engage in ‘driveby’ social media. It only takes a second to ‘Like’ someone else’s post or to leave a supportive comment. This strengthens trust and makes it more likely for them reciprocate the next time you’re promoting something.”

Deirdre Breakenridge, CEO, Pure Performance Communications: “Take the best of your communications past into 2013; your ethics, accountability, critical thinking and great communications skills. At the same time, be open to different types of engagement through social media, by experimenting and embracing new technology to build stronger relationships with stakeholders. You need to be 10 steps ahead to counsel senior executives about the changing media landscape, and on the same page with savvy, wired consumers to understand their preferences and to better serve their needs.”

Brad Phillips, Mr. Media Training, author, The Media Training Bible: 101 Things You Absolutely, Positively Need to Know Before Your Next Interview: “Few public relations professionals can keep up with all of the new social networking sites that seem to pop up on a monthly basis. So as a New Year’s resolution, PR pros should try to familiarize themselves with each of the platforms—and then commit to participating in the one that is most likely to help them reach their audiences and accomplish their goals.”

Amy D. Howell, CEO, Howell Marketing Strategies, LLC: “Our firm will be measuring how the social posts are driving more traffic to client websites and how that is helping their SEO. We have completed upgrades to client websites to include integration of social platforms.”

Jeff Domansky, The PR Coach & Principal, Peak Communications: ”I’m excited about 2013. It will be the year of the ‘visual.’ Whether you’re storytelling, blogging, content marketing, doing media relations or social PR, great pics and video will drive your success. And everything you do better work on mobile, too.”

Ann Handley, Chief Content Officer, MarketingProfs: “Focus less on what you think you ‘have’ to do to maintain a social presence. Focus more on what is meaningful for your brand.”

Stacey Acevero, Social Media Manager, Vocus/PRWeb: “Think about social media as a book, or a timeline of the story of your business. But it’s not storytelling, it’s telling a true story well–so write social media posts that inspire conversation, share thoughts and real outcomes that resonate with your audience. Be less ‘braggy’ and involve the insights of others in your PR story.”

Joan Stewart, aka The Publicity Hound: ”Recycle your content, create it in multiple formats, and share it on the social media sites. Example: Take a how-to blog post and turn it into an MP3, and then a video (record yourself offering 3 tips from the article), and then a slideshow for LinkedIn, and then a series of photos for a Pinterest board. Note to self: Do this in 2013 and stop creating content from scratch!”

Michael Cherenson, APR, Executive VP, Success Communications Group; 2009, Chair and CEO, PRSA: “Social media is public relations and today’s professionals, to better serve their clients and help advance their own careers, need to invest in training and learn how to re-learn the art of communications. Every public relations professional must become an active participant, native to various social media platforms. And PR pros need to recognize Google’s algorithm is now one of our most important publics; your content needs to entice your audience and Google’s search engine.”

Shonali Burke, Principal, Shonali Burke Consulting, Inc.: “I see far too many PR pros functioning in a bubble. Offline, they live and work in the bubble of the agency world, and online they don’t interact with people from different industries and walks of life. One of the best things about social media is the way it can connect you with just about anyone else in the world who is using that platform. It’s amazing what we can learn from people so very different from us. So as we embark on 2013, let’s rediscover what makes social media so wonderful-the ability to converse with literally just about anyone.”

Which piece of advice will you be focusing on in 2013?

Filed Under: Branding, Business, Online Marketing, PR, Public Relations, Social Media Tagged With: audience, Communication, communications, communities, content, customers, Engagement, Marketing, message, Mobile, optimization, Pinterest, PR, Public Relations, publicity, Relationships, SEO, Social Media, Success, technology, Video blogs, Visuals

Social media health check: Is your strategy on life support?

by Susan Young at 10:45 am 10 Comments

It’s time to zero in on your social media strategy and determine if you’re having an identity crisis (online, of course). Do you think your digital strategy is healthy or lingering on life support?

Your messaging must be:

Cohesive
Integrated
Consistent

The Big Picture

Keep in mind that strategy is the big picture and tactics are the everyday activities to help you achieve success in your big picture (vision).

Do you have a written vision of what you want to achieve and why it’s important to you?

This is not about money. It’s about doing work and providing products and services that you are genuinely passionate about. Don’t panic; you won’t need a 63-page business plan. A few lines can provide clarity and a foundation for our next steps.

Does your staff know your vision? Are they enthusiastic and fully committed to it? Do they use the same verbiage and language in describing the company as the CEO?

Have you identified your niche, ideal client, and target market? Do you know their specific challenges, needs, and problems AND how your company can solve them? Which Twitter chats and LinkedIn groups are decision makers involved with? What’s your message to them? If you are a B2B company, you must focus on what your customer’s customer needs.

Think of your marketing like this: Your prospect and/or client has pain (problem) and you have the medicine (expertise) to ease their discomfort. Focus on the results you get for people, not the title on your business card.

Let the Journey Begin

To create a cohesive, integrated, and consistent strategy, the place to begin is with your website. This is the hub of your identity and activities.

The goal is to use various social and traditional communications to lead people to your site. Once there, you want to keep visitors interested and engaged with valuable information and a clear call to action. Be sure your site is easy to navigate. Simplicity is a good thing.

What do you want visitors to do? Sign up for something, watch a video, subscribe to a newsletter or download a free e-book?

Keep a watchful eye on Google Analytics to see the bounce rate, time spent on the site, and other important metrics. Your focus should be on list building and your sales funnel (monetization).

Another critical part of your online presence and website is the title tag. That’s the short phrase or descriptor with keywords at the top of your site. This phrase can help you hyper-focus on your services. These few words directly impact search engine optimization and rankings.

This point may seem obvious, but be sure to have a professionally designed logo, color scheme, and visuals that communicate the heart of your company. The tone and feel are important.

Your 11-point-Checklist

Your blog. Like your website, your blog must be current, offer sound advice, and be written in a casual voice. How often do you post? How do you decide on content and frequency? Hint: It goes back to the challenges of your niche market. Does more than one person post? Is the voice of your blog in harmony with your main messaging? Who are your readers and why have they chosen your site over millions of others?
Your e-zine or newsletter. Does your newsletter include the title tag from your site? Encourage people to connect online by listing your social links and URL.
Your videos. Do you have an opening and closing slide with your company name and/or logo? Is your website woven into the text so the speaker can subtly promote it as a resource?
Your e-mail marketing. Does the same common attitude of helping people shine through? Don’t sell; build relationships with your target market. Use your title tag descriptor, and forget the jargon, rhetoric, and BS.
Your social profiles. Do your profiles on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and your other channels have (nearly) identical language that’s crystal clear in describing how you help people?
Your business cards. Are business cards are a thing of the past? I don’t think so, but not everyone agrees. If you have cards, do you have one or two social links listed? Do you really need your fax number or is it obsolete? Your logo and consistent punchy phrase of how you solve problems and get results is what people are looking for. Clear, uncluttered, visually pleasing. Dump the cutesy titles; focus on the prospect/client.
Your e-mail signature line. This is an area that tends to be forgotten. Your social links, website, and anything that separates you from others should be included. Use live links as well. Remember, the goal is to get people back to your site or profile.
Your “about us” page. These pages tend to be static, but if you update them periodically with staff changes, awards, accomplishments, and links to new testimonials, it can be compelling for visitors to stay on your site and poke around.
Your Pinterest boards. Is it absolutely clear from your visuals and pictures the field/industry you’re in? Is your profile congruent with your bio, title tag, e-mail marketing, and blog?
Your bio line. Do you have two versions (long and short) that are used at the end of your bylined articles, white papers, and case studies?
Your traditional print marketing pieces. Many industries find success in mailers, print advertising, and other traditional marketing channels. Do these pieces have that thread of consistency and clarity that are congruent will all of the above? Is your message, clear, concise, compelling, and visually appealing? Does your contact information and call to action stand out?

Now, what can you do to improve the health of your social media set-up? If your organziation needs help and an outside analysis, contact my office now, mention this post, and receive a discounted fee! You will have a complete report in just 7 days!

Filed Under: Branding, Business, Online Marketing, Social Media, Writing Tagged With: articles, blogs, Business, Communication, content, credibility, Marketing, publicity, Social Media, Writing

Surprise Results: Most Reporters Don’t Want Social Media Pitches

by Susan Young at 1:22 am 8 Comments

It takes a lot to shock me, but this one left me scratching my head. I asked a few of my media contacts and friends who work on the chaotic front lines of the news every day how they prefer to receive pitches. I really wanted to see how plugged in to social media they were.

My bad.

The following is a smattering of their responses. Many people preferred to remain anonymous simply because they didn’t want to deal with the corporate food chain to get approval to speak with me. That’s fine; I just wanted information that I could pass along to you. I interviewed print, radio and TV pros in the New York/New Jersey media market. There’s also insight from a TV producer in San Antonio, TX.

The question: How do you want to receive a pitch or story idea?

“As of right now, I don’t know anyone that would accept a pitch via social media. E-mail is the best way to pitch me, because it gives me time to read the story and go back to it, if I can’t read it right away. That being said, social media is becoming more and more relevant, so I wouldn’t be surprised if stories were found on FB or Twitter. I am on both, but really use them for personal reasons, rather than business.” Producer, Today Show
“We don’t have the time to follow all the pretty little shining objects that people use to try to get their message out. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Digg, MySpace and the other social media are interesting and varied ways to reach consumers, but journalists can’t monitor all of them and hope to produce the necessary stories and material needed for our paper and online platforms. If you want to get our attention, you need to use the basic channels we already have set up – our two main e-mail addresses. These are controllable and simple for us to monitor and use for the basis for future stories – either paper or online. And of course, someone can always, God forbid, pick up the phone!”- Paul Grzella, General Manager/Editor, The Courier News
“The best is to e-mail story pitches that are super short. Tell me what visuals and interviews will be available. No huge files that clog my e-mail and gets immediately deleted. Brief follow-up e-mails are good. Once a relationship with a reporter is built, brief phone call pitches can work. I don’t look for stories on Twitter or Facebook.” -TV news reporter, New York
“I don’t get pitches much on social media, well, maybe a few on FB. Here are my thoughts. Be brief, to the point. Sell me the idea. If you can tie it into a “right now” story, either local or national, that helps. Include contact information, and be available. And don’t take it personally if we don’t pick up on your story. There are many factors that influence daily coverage, and it may have nothing to do with the validity of your story at that moment. ”- Shari St. Clair, Special Projects Producer, KSAT-12 TV, San Antonio
“I don’t like to be pitched via social media at all. That’s silly. I have a private e-mail address and phone number. Why contact me on a public site where everyone can see your pitch? It’s simply unprofessional.”- Reporter, The Wall Street Journal
“I don’t get too many story pitches via social networking. We have an assignment desk at WCBS 880, so I have to refer what pitches I do get to the desk any way. Media professionals are welcome to send me a pitch via Facebook or Twitter, but they should remember that that is NOT the ‘official’ way to pitch a story at WCBS. It’s not an efficient way to do it.”- Steve Scott, WCBS Anchor, NY
“I’m the last person in the world to ask about social media. I’m not on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. Regular old e-mail is my preference for pitches.” – TV Producer at Fox News, NJ/NY

Are you surprised at these comments? Let me know.

Filed Under: Communication, media, Public Relations, publicity, Social Media, Writing Tagged With: interviews, media, News, Public Relations, publicity, reporters, Social Media, technology, Writing

How to Pitch Your News Story to The Wall Street Journal

by Susan Young at 12:59 pm 28 Comments

What’s the secret to grabbing the attention of a reporter at The Wall Street Journal? For the answer, I went straight to the source. I spoke with Gordon Deal, host of The Wall Street Journal This Morning, a syndicated business and news show that’s broadcast on 200 radio stations around the U.S.

Deal says he looks for three specific elements in an e-mail pitch.

1. The pitch has to be unique. “You have to think, ’Is our story going to improve the life or business of someone else? How unique and relevant is it?’ That’s the filter I would ask someone to put themselves through when looking for a media hit.”

2. The pitch has to be concise. “We all get so many e-mails that we’re tired of reading them. The subject line is your ticket in. It’s got to capture the idea and the readers interest in just a handful of words. If I get so far as to open the e-mail, the final selling point has to be those first two lines because, chances are, I’m not going to get to that second or third paragraph. The sooner you can make your point, the better. Use the subject line to open door, and the first two or three sentences to kick the door open and get invited in.”

3. The pitch has to be timely. ”We’re looking for people to provide relevance. Look at current trends. I do a small business podcast. Maybe you have a great marketing idea, or a different kind of lending and financing deal, or a unique take on hiring people from a large pool of candidates we have in this economy.”

If you want to pitch your small business story to Gordon Deal, his e-mail address is gordon.deal@wsj.com. His programs are available at http://www.wsjthis morning.com. Listen to the small business podcast at http://www.wsj.com/smallbusiness. Please let me know about your success stories. I’d love to share them in a future post.

By the way, if you’re looking for tons of content like this on news, PR, Social Media, communication and business, sign up for my free 21-day video series, “Speaking of Communication.”

(Photo Credit: DPlanet)

Filed Under: Business, Communication, content, Creativity, media, News, Public Relations, publicity, Success, Writing Tagged With: Business, interviews, media, News, PR, publicity, reporters, Success, Writing

A Short Quiz for PR Pros

by Susan Young at 1:44 pm Leave a Comment

Back to school we go! Here’s an easy multiple choice quiz to help determine your PR success. No cheating.

1. When your client texts you on Tuesday at 8:46 pm for no real reason, you:

a. Curse under your breath and hit Ignore

b. Offer an abrupt reply and then curse under your breath

c. Kick yourself for giving him your cell phone number to begin with

d. Secretly wonder if he has a life — and pour yourself another glass of wine

2. Your boss insists you take over 12 accounts on tech platforms, of which you have zero interest and knowledge. You decide to:

a. Smile and head for the restroom

b. Giggle quietly. Silly boss! If I wanted to learn something new, I’d get my Master’s Degree

c. Try your hand at pitching something to the NY Times tech reporter

d. E-mail an old friend you used to call “propeller head” and see if the geek can offer a quick tutorial

3. A prospective client e-mails you a link to his company, his desire to get publicity, and the loaded question of, “What’s your fee?” You:

a. Forward his note to your colleague in the next cubicle with a “WTF” in the subject line

b. Wonder aloud how these dream clients keep finding you. Is it the perfume or the sign that reads “dumbass” on your back?

c. Look at his website and tell him the fee for a proposal is $300

d. All of the above

4. You find out your “favorite” reporter and his entire department has been downsized. You consider who may take his place. Someone who:

a. Just finished writing a story for the campus newspaper. Hey, they needed a front page feature on the Battle of the Bands

b. Doesn’t recognize the names Edward R. Murrow, Peter Jennings or Diane Sawyer.

c. Can barely name all 50 states but is a pro at Foursquare

d. Runs around with a state-issued press pass but couldn’t ask a solid question during an interview if his i-Pad depended on it

Should we grade this one on a curve? Room for improvement?

Filed Under: Communication, media, News, Public Relations, publicity, Success, Writing Tagged With: interviews, media, News, PR, Public Relations, publicity, reporters, Success, Writing

Specializing in social marketing and business communications training

How to Pitch Your News Story to The Wall Street Journal

A Short Quiz for PR Pros

Susan at Ragan Communications

Connect With Susan

Topics

Get instant access to my FREE 21 day video series Speaking of Communication
Name:
eMail: