Don’t Take It Personally: Media Relations Can Be a Brutal Business
by Robin Embry on July 29, 2010 | 1 comment
in Media Relations, The Media, public relations
Salespeople aren’t the only ones who have to make “cold calls.” In the PR world, we have to pick up the phone everyday and talk to the media…busy people who are often frantically working on a deadline…doesn’t that sound like fun!
I used to think if I adhered to Media Relations 101 and pitched a reporter a newsworthy story that fit their beat, it would be worth their time to listen. But, hey, reporters are no different than the rest of us and they are entitled to a bad day. At the other end of that bad day, we’ve received some entertaining responses over the years.
Situation: A serious infection is consuming the country and my client released the fastest test on the market that can ultimately save lives. I call a reporter who consistently covered the infection outbreak for a solid month.
Response: “Seriously, do you know how many PR people call me every day hoping I will write about their client. I don’t care if this test saves lives, I’m not giving a company free advertising. You guys exhaust me!” (Note, this “well-respected” reporter called me two days later and apologized for her outburst caused by lack of caffeine that morning.)
Situation: We read in the local newspaper that a local company “might” be expanding into China. We assume if the reporter thinks just the possibility of overseas expansion is news then surely it’s newsworthy that our local client has just opened an office in Australia.
Response: “Don’t call me about companies opening businesses outside of Nashville…we don’t cover companies that are expanded outside our city.” (We wanted to say…”Have you READ your newspaper this morning?!”)
You know the old saying “there’s no crying in baseball.” Well, there’s also no crying in PR, so we take things on the chin and move on. If you’ve had a funny experience, please let me know. I can always use the comic relief.
10 Tips for Successful Pitching
by Ashley Webb on July 16, 2010 | 1 comment
in Media Relations, The Media, public relations
- Contact the correct person. It’s plain and simple – do your homework. If you’re unsure who to contact, the organization’s website is a great place to start.
- Know how the person likes to be pitched. Many journalists prefer email to phone calls, but not in every case.
- Tailor your pitch. This shows them that you care – that you did your homework. Mistargeting is one of journalists’ biggest pet-peeves. And a blanket pitch is not going to work!
- Keep the pitch short and sweet. The subject line is the most important part of an email – it HAS to grab the person’s attention. And once you have their attention, the first two sentences must intrigue them to read more. If you’re pitching a TV outlet, set up visuals.
- Use bullet points. Most people are visual learners, seeing a simple list helps people understand the most important facts.
- Sell your expert. If you have an expert on the matter, sell him! Think about what makes that person unique. But be careful not to promote someone as an expert if they’re not. Someone with a few years of experience is not necessarily an expert.
- Avoid attachments. Many journalists have spam filters for emails with attachments. And let’s be honest, who opens attachments from people they don’t know? If you need to send an attachment, make note in your pitch that you’re sending a second email with an attachment, or ask them if they accept attachments.
- Take “No” for an answer. Know when to step back and when to push. If you have this great, timely, newsworthy story that’s on fire and the journalist says “no” then step back. Don’t continue to push the story in subsequent emails, phone calls, tweets, etc. This is an annoyance for journalists. Stepping back can leave the door open for future opportunities.
- Do NOT leave long voicemails. A long, breathy voicemail is sure to get deleted. When you leave a voicemail, leave your name and phone number at the beginning of the message and keep it short and to the point.
- Anticipate the journalist’s needs. Provide a phone number where you can be reached during and after business hours. Be sure you know your pitch inside-and-out and be prepared to answer questions and provide additional information.
Use Your E-Newsletter Analytics
by Jessica Turner on July 13, 2010 | no comments
in Marketing, Measurement, Newsletters and E-Newsletters
Many companies have email newsletters down pat. They know that communicating through email on a regular basis is a cost-effective way to connect with their target audience.
However, few companies take email newsletters to the next level by analyzing the open and click-through rates.
Recently, I was impressed by this email I received from Red Envelope.
Every Thursday the company does a special, one-day sale.
An item that was on sale interested me and I clicked through, but opt-ed not to purchase the item.
The next day I received this email.
Clearly, they had taken the email addresses of the people who had opened the email, cross-referenced it against the accounts that had purchased from the site and sent out an appropriate follow-up.
Brilliant.
Next time your company sends an email blast, look at the analytics with a fresh perspective.
Who clicked on the links? What does this say about them? What are they interested in? How can you better target these people?
The answers may lead to new leads and bigger sales.
What can you company do to better maximize your email newsletter data?
Is Nashville the Health Care Mecca?
by Andrea White on July 8, 2010 | no comments
in Healthcare, Lovell, Nashville
It turns out that Nashville’s health care industry contributes nearly $30 billion and 210,000 jobs to the local economy, securing Nashville’s position as a health care industry hub. This week the Nashville Health Care Council released an updated economic impact study that shines a spotlight on the role of the health care industry in Nashville.
Health care is the engine of growth for Nashville’s job base and directly accounts for one in eight jobs, with health care companies paying more than 20% of the local tax base and providing more than 20% of local personal income.
At Lovell, we have the privilege of being a part of this growth engine every day, working with dozens of health care companies (locally and across the country) from many different sectors of the industry.
We consider ourselves very fortunate to have been on the front lines as Nashville’s health care scene for more than two decades as it has built critical mass, bred its own successes, and inspired possibilities for Nashville’s future in projects like the Medical Trade Center.
95 percent of Council member CEOs indicated that a Nashville headquarters location is important to their company’s positive performance, and approximately half believe that health information technology is the most promising sector to enter today. Having seen our community and industry leaders in action, we know it is no coincidence that the anchor tenant for the Trade Center, the Health Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), will very specifically attract vendors from the health I.T. sector and their customer base, which includes pretty much every company in America that remotely touches patient information.
Perhaps the moniker of America’s “Health Care Mecca” is not so far off, after all.
Old Spice Scores Again
by Jan Morrison on July 1, 2010 | 6 comments
in Advertising, Branding, Video
Old Spice has done it again. The company released its second commercial on Wednesday, as part of its campaign to win over a new demographic and keep the brand alive. And it is even better than the first one, by including even more elements of the most comprehensive female fantasy every created.
Old Spice’s advertising agency Wieden + Kennedy, chose the perfect spokesperson in Isaiah Mustafa and gave him just the right script to attract a younger audience to a product line that used to be for men who you would only refer to as “sir.”
Mustafa’s character fits the mold of contradictions many women daydream about—strong, kind, perfectly toned, handy around the house, skilled with baking, romantic and a little dangerous. I picture a table (or more likely, a bar) full of creative people brainstorming every possible element of any woman’s relationship fantasy. The only things missing might be caring for a baby, cleaning the house, or asking what happens next in my vampire romance novel.
Old Spice accomplishes all this without dismissing its heritage as a product for gentlemen. Its new deodorant packaging even pays homage to its past by audaciously printing this on the back:
THE ORIGINAL.
IF YOUR GRANDFATHER HADN’T
WORN IT, YOU WOULDN’T EXIST.
The logo still incorporates some imagery from the previous version, the packaging uses the same color scheme, and the commercials still contain a little whistle at the end.
We do not know exactly what the return on investment (ROI) has been for the campaign. The company has not released any sales or profit data that reflects the result of the new campaign, and Procter & Gamble Co., has invested almost all of last year’s advertising budget into this one campaign.
But if any other women who are in charge of purchasing for their households love it as much as I do, the company will reap significant results from Mustafa’s personified female fantasy.
Dr. Scholl’s Ad Is Off On the Right Foot
by Jan Morrison on June 22, 2010 | no comments
in Advertising, Branding, Marketing
As I’ve mentioned before, I love a good advertisement. I appreciate good ads because they are so hard to create. When I pursued an advertising specialty at my journalism school, I learned very quickly that I was not cut out for the graphic design side of the business. I am a writer, which is the other reason why I love a good ad so much. I admire the skill and vision of those who have the creative talent to produce attractive, effective, visual messages.
My most recent favorite advertisement is a print ad for Dr. Scholl’s For Her Open Shoe Insoles. The ad is so simple. It is printed on heavy cardstock to withstand the weight of one real life shoe insert that is stuck to the paper. It is not a replica. It is an actual shoe insert for a right shoe. The cardstock contains this terse copy:
Thin.
Cushiony.
Virtually invisible.
Try one. We bet you’ll buy two.
This ad is effective because it meets the most basic criteria for advertising:
- holds your attention,
- reinforces the brand,
- motivates you to action or influences your mindset.
The last criteria is key. In fact, one heel-wearer in our office (not me because I don ballet flats 24/7) tested out the insert before I even told her my plan for this post. She wore a pair of heels all day with one shoe insert in her right shoe. She felt the difference by the end of the day.
Such a simple, effective concept motivated her to try one. Now she plans to buy two.
Your Social Media Policy Needs More Than Teeth … It Needs Bite
by Rosemary Plorin on June 16, 2010 | 1 comment
in Healthcare, Organizational Behavior, Social Media
From the moment we learn to walk and talk, human beings quickly learn that life is structured with rules. But as we master walking and talking and move on to, say, whispering and tiptoeing, we quickly realize that rules without consequences are rarely motivating.
As the Mother of a dear and devious four-year-old, I’m keenly in touch with this educational concept. For my little darling, a rule without a consequence is like a 20-inch, rainbow-striped candy cane: she can’t resist breaking it. Rules are just words; consequences impact actions.
For many of us, understanding the relationship between rules and consequences is a lifelong learning process. Enter five nurses in San Diego accused of violating their employer’s social media policy. Local news reports indicate the nurses “posted personal discussions concerning hospital patients” on Facebook. The CEO of the hospital has said “no patient names, photographs or similar identifying information appear to have been used,” but has indicated his intention to fire the five nurses and discipline a sixth. The California Department of Health has launched its own investigation. A union representative with the California Nurses Association has defended the nurses, who are entitled to a hearing under California law.
Presumably, the hospital has a clear social media policy it has communicated well to employees. Presumably, that policy articulates the expectations of employees while on the Internet – for either personal or professional use. And presumably, the potential consequences of violating that policy were well-defined and commonly understood by the hospital’s workforce. While I’m sure it was a difficult decision for the CEO to take this personnel action, it shouldn’t be unexpected consequence.
The case is anticipated to drag on for months, and the spotlight will likely not fade. The industry and its many ancillary players will be watching this with (self) interest. The impact and potential consequence to hospitals and healthcare providers for violating the federal laws of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and its sister legislation, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH), are real … and the$e con$equence$ have bite.
Under these laws covered entities and their employees must act responsibly and play by the rules – and with the passage of HITECH, so must their business associates.
Rules are rules, and consequences are consequences.
When It “Hits the Fan” Is the CEO the Best Spokesperson?
by Paula Lovell on June 10, 2010 | 1 comment
in Crisis Communications, Media Relations, public relations
Over the years, I’ve had some clients take the position that we shouldn’t use their company CEO as a spokesperson during a crisis. “We need to shield him/her from all the negative media coverage,” I’ve frequently heard.
And I remember when first learning the PR business, I took a media training course from a nationally renowned firm where they preached that you should do everything possible to preserve the firewall around the CEO. “Don’t put the CEO out there unless absolutely necessary because that implies the situation has escalated to a level that involves the senior leadership,” was the prevailing mantra. But that was before the proliferation of citizen journalists and subject-expert bloggers created an era of transparency.
Today, the public expects an almost immediate response from corporate America and its CEOs, and when they don’t get it, they go viral with their disappointment and outrage. When a company fails its stakeholders, they expect leadership to own up to it, and they want the message delivered by someone at the top.
By addressing a crisis directly in an open and transparent manner, CEOs have the opportunity to build credibility or perhaps recast events in a different life. That said, there may be times when a CEO is not the most appropriate spokesperson. For example:
- Local issues should stay local – there is no advantage to unnecessarily elevating the attention level
- Sometimes it’s better to defer to a subject matter expert on a complex matter
- If your CEO is a bad communicator or, even worse, a loose cannon – don’t risk it
- While most issues of substance demand a high level response, there may be issues that aren’t fair to attend to your CEO (i.e., politics, unrelated criminal matters, certain legal issues, etc.)
Let’s say it’s a new CEO who’s been brought in to mop up a corporate mess. Should the CEO step out there and take ownership even though she only inherited the problem and is, in no way, culpable? On the one hand, why taint the new leader with the fallout from mistakes made by a former CEO who may have already taken the hit by being asked to resign? On the other hand, if the new CEO brings a renewed ethical approach, improved business practices and a commitment to fix what’s broken, why wouldn’t you want to identify the new person with the company’s promise to make things right?
The question of whether or not to bring in your CEO to either defend or apologize for a company’s actions is sometimes a tough one, and the answer is rife with caveats. As with most things in PR, there is no “one size fits all” answer. The right thing to do depends on the circumstances and the players involved.
Proceed with care.