PR on a Budget (ANT Wireless Symposium)

Editor's Notes

• #2: Thank attendees Created #HASHTAG hashtag in case you want to post anything from this session.
• #3: Let’s talk PR. I’d like to start with a little story that eases us into our topic. A potential client who came to me after they were “doing PR by themselves”. He said he didn’t really have the budget to hire a big PR firm, but he felt like the company had a lot of news to share and that… Wrote 2 press releases a month Put them on PR web Wondered why they weren’t getting any coverage
• #4: Let’s start with a basic question… What is public relations?
• #5: At it’s most basic…and for our discussion today, let’s define PR as
• #6: It’s also just as important to answer the question, what ISN’T PR?
• #8: Knowing what to talk about and when is a huge part of PR Messaging (getting the story straight for the right audience) Leadership PR – Go beyond the product launch. Look at who got you there! Media 101: Unless your Apple or Google or Volkswagen, you’re not a household name, so not all reporters know you…or even know accurate information about you (Visa, for example). Be prepared to tell the basics and use that as a way to get your foot in the door. Eco-potential….what’s your bigger picture story Product…the one part most companies focus on, but in reality often leads to the least sustainable coverage Interjection: naked pictures Social media: Is your social media reflecting what your PR team is doing Measuring results…identifying success
• #9: What’s success look like for you? Decide that before you plan
• #11: Make sure you’re telling the stories you want to tell
• #12: You have a lot to tell, but that doesn’t mean to you have to. Refine your messaging, tell the story how you want to tell it and to whom
• #13: Before you start reaching out to reporters, I can’t stress enough that you have to have your house in order. Spend time on messaging Go beyond what’s news…tell your own story through a variety of methods
• #14: http://www.cnbc.com/2015/08/20/p-out-to-track-every-line-of-code.html No one reads them and here is why. Your sending the same piece of news to every reporter in the world. And unless it’s truly news, why would a reporter want to write something everyone else is writing. Have a look at this CNBC article. It’s origin was not a press release, yet it hits every note about a company that you’d want to put in a press release: AppDynamics has big clients, their products do amazing things, and they have a shit hot CEO. Every press release says that in one form or another. Stories like this don’t come from press releases…they come from fostering good relationships with reporters….
• #15: Define your inner circle Who are they? What do they write about? What do they care about? Discreetly stalk them…read their articles, read their tweets, understand the cadence of what they cover/write about Better to be a sniper than taking a shotgun approach INNER CIRCLE
• #17: If you can answer these and answer them well in 50 words or less, then you might get some decent coverage
• #21: Who are you? You know, the basics: their name, their news organization and their beat. What can you tell me about the story you’re working on? Listen closely to what they say...the more they talk, the more they’ll reveal. Ask follow-up questions to clarify any points you don’t fully understand. What’s your angle? Don’t ask it that way, but the goal here is to understand if the reporter is approaching this story from any particular perspective. Who else are you talking to? Reporters may not always reveal this, but it’s worth asking. You’ll get a sense of the story’s tone by learning whether other sources in the story are friendly or antagonistic toward your cause. What’s the format? For print interviews, this question will help you determine whether reporters just need a quick quote from you or whether they’re writing an in-depth piece that will focus extensively on your work. For broadcast interviews, you’ll be able to learn whether the interview will be live, live-to-tape, or edited. For television, you might also ask if the format will be a remote, on-set, or just for a soundbyte. What do you need from me? Ask the reporter how much time the interview will last and where the reporter wants to conduct the interview. Also, ask if you can provide any press releases, graphics, photos, videos, or other supplementary documents. You can often expand your presence in a news story—and influence the narrative—if the reporter chooses to use your supporting materials. 7. Who will be doing the interview? For many radio and TV interviews, you will be contacted initially by a producer rather than by an on-air personality. Ask for the name of the person conducting the interview. 8When are you running the story? Review the story as soon as it comes out. If it’s a positive story, share it with your online and off-line networks. If it’s a negative story, consider issuing a response or contacting the reporter or editor to discuss the coverage.
• #22: Off the record: There’s no such thing Deadlines: Try to get the story on your term. The more apt rule is: Return a reporter’s call promptly, but don’t rely on their deadline...control the information supply chain Be prepared: Anticipate what’s coming, embrace it and make it an advantage Take control: The interview is yours, not the reporter’s - you’re there to transmit a message
• #23: Peter Jennings anecdote: Don’t know the answer? “Well, here’s what I can tell you”
• #24: Compromise
• #26: Your messages: - Be clear about your messages before the interview - Few in number (three is a good amount) - Support them with data and proof points Strong bias toward being truthful
• #27: Compromise
• #28: Setting Your Expectations: Steps + Average Timeline Getting a story published – small and large outlets CREATE A GRAPHIC