Third Way’s Post

In Public Relations, we often emphasize the word 'Relationship building' with journalists, clients and managers. But is relationship building only limited to these three stakeholders? Try to support a colleague with an assignment or a random PR professional or a journalist struggling with a job. Every relationship matters, not just with your internal and external stakeholders. Be kind. #Kindnessmatters #Relationshipbuilding #Publicrelations #externalstakeholders #internalstakeholders

#publicrelations is overrated! That's the belief of a fellow I met recently. I asked why he believes so. He said PR is nothing more than 'talking to journalists to publish #news'. Wowed I was! So, I schooled him a bit: PR isn't overrated. It deserves all the hype it gets. PR is much more than engaging with journalists as it's a management function that cuts across key aspects of the business. You can actually do PR without necessarily engaging with journalists. Not every PR endeavour entails #mediarelations. Journalists constitute only one of the several stakeholder groups that PR people manage. That's why we have community relations, consumer relations, investor relations, employee relations, analyst relations, government relations, etc. PR is so broad that capturing it as only media relations is unfair to the practitioners. It diminishes the enormous value these professionals create in organisations and the larger society. Lastly, I told this fellow: PR equals public relations which basically means 'relating with the publics of a brand to ensure the latter gets the desired supportive actions from the former, and both parties function in harmony'. #reputationmanagement #communications

Some companies may excel at what they do, but sometimes their work alone isn't enough to attract media attention. Our solution? Offering journalists an exclusive opportunity to visit our clients and get to know them firsthand by inviting them on a press trip. But what exactly is a press trip and how does this PR move create a win-win-win situation for everyone involved? 🤔 As defined by our CEO and PR expert Kristina Skindelyte, the press trip organization is one of many tools in the world of public relations. Journalists are given a chance to explore their interests and gain a more personal experience with our clients, as well as a deeper understanding of the work that they do. In return, the content they publish post-press trip gives experience-based insights on our clients’ services or products that might resonate with their audiences on a deeper level.  For our clients, this is an unrivaled opportunity to showcase their hard work, and for us — a chance to continue a mutually beneficial relationship with journalists from top outlets in the future. Stay tuned for tips & tricks on how to make a press trip meaningful and successful! 💡 #publicrelations #mediarelations #presstrip

Public relations is about relationships, not press/news releases. And that means the best way to secure coverage is to have an ongoing relationship with the reporter or editor. The key is to understand that we’re not “pitching”; we are “communicating”, talking, and trying to meet their needs. Are they looking for an hyper-specialized subject matter expert or a generalist to interview or quote in an article? Do they need an non-promotional / non-fluffy, authentic and in-depth opinion piece to share with their nuanced audiences? What is your unique value proposition that makes your PR efforts stand out? What do you – as an executive, founder, or entrepreneur – bring to the table that will help media professionals do there job? How can you prove yourself to be a valuable source of information, resources, and access? Answering this will bring you one step closer to forming long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships with journalists, editors, and publishers. Cision surveyed 3,100 journalists in 17 markets around the globe to get their thoughts on how communicators provide value. Check out the results below.

In the world of public relations, there's a lot of chatter about media connections and having the right messaging... but let's shift our focus for a minute. The real game-changer is putting journalists at the center of your efforts. Here's how you can do that: 1. Dive deep into what piques each journalist's interest and tailor your pitch accordingly. When I was a reporter, I was more likely to fight to cover a story if I was really interested in the topic. 2. Strive to simplify their lives. Make interviews a breeze, reduce email back-and-forths, and ensure you provide everything they might need upfront. 3. Keep your expectations realistic. Avoid pushing them to write a certain story or angle and spare them the hassle of drafting interview questions beforehand. Remember, it's not a reporter's job to give you coverage because it's your job to get it for the client. By making a journalist's work smoother, you'll pave the way for greater success in the media world, for you, and your clients. #PR #PublicRelations #EarnedMedia #Marketing

This is how to fail at public relations. Kara here simply emailed all the people who write for big media outlets the same generic pitch whether it was relevant to them or not. PR is not a numbers game. Pitching the RIGHT journalists is the key to success. Spamming everyone you can find is nothing more than a sure fire way to annoy journalists and waste both their time and yours.

Three underrated skills in PR agencies and company press offices 1. Being able to explain a complex subject clearly and concisely without having to go back to a company expert to arrange a second call with the journalist. The information can be on a background basis and paraphrased in the article. The best PRs/comms professionals make sure that they are well briefed on key subjects. They have the confidence to brief journalists and handle follow-up questions. 2. "Let me sort this" Being able to handle a difficult business executive who, for example, is trying to insist on "quote approval" prior to publication/struggling to put things in plain language in an interview/failing to understand the transactional nature of journalism and PR. 3. Being able to pitch stories and write stories like a journalist PS: Did you you know that I've 20 years' experience advising companies and PR agencies on how to improve their media coverage, e.g. making the leap from trade media to national media? Need help? Message me on here or email me: nickhuber72@googlemail.com

“Off the record” Whilst prepping a spokesperson for that big press interview, in my twenty plus career in PR, I’ve always had to remind them of the fact that no journalist is your friend. They may chat with you on the phone, on text or in an email in a casual manner, typically bypassing the gatekeeper that is your PR and Comms contact, and you may exchange interesting commentory with them, but a journalist’s goal is to write the best, most dramatic, most newsworthy story possible – and not to be concerned about your sensibilities or that of your businesses’. You have to be careful and measured about what you say, and if you don’t want what you say to appear in a news story, preface it by the statement that - what you’re about to say is “off the record”. And even when you’ve used the magic phrase, remember that - that information is invaluable to the journalist and they may be eager to use it, so as a spokesperson, if you wish to ensure confidentiality, I would highly advise you to discuss the "terms of use" before disclosing it. Also, there are some journalists and news organizations that have policies against accepting information "off the record" because they believe it interferes with their ability to report truthfully, or because they suspect it may be intended to mislead them or the public. But remember this always, even if a journalist cannot report certain information directly, they can use "off the record" information to uncover related facts, or to find other sources who are willing to speak on the record. So tread with caution always, and work with your Corporate Comms and PR teams closely to ensure only the desired messaging is delivered, to avoid the fire fighting, that would follow after! #PR #MediaTraining #Offtherecord #SpokespeopleTraining #MessageDelivery #MediaRelations #PublicRelations

In the world of public relations, there's a lot of chatter about media connections and having the right messaging... but let's shift our focus for a minute. The real game-changer is putting journalists at the center of your efforts. Here's how you can do that: 1. Dive deep into what piques each journalist's interest and tailor your pitch accordingly. When I was a reporter, I was more likely to fight to cover a story if I was really interested in the topic. 2. Strive to simplify their lives. Make interviews a breeze, reduce email back-and-forths, and ensure you provide everything they might need upfront. 3. Keep your expectations realistic. Avoid pushing them to write a certain story or angle and spare them the hassle of drafting interview questions beforehand. Remember, it's not a reporter's job to give you coverage because it's your job to get it for the client. By making a journalist's work smoother, you'll pave the way for greater success in the media world, for you, and your clients. #PR #PublicRelations #EarnedMedia #Marketing

It’s way past time to ditch the generic bulk email pitch.👎 Journalists hate them, and they make PR look bad. A personalized approach is the only way to get a journalist’s attention these days. This is where the “relations” of public relations comes in. Our job as PR pros is to forge relationships with people who are interested in what our clients have to offer. 💡 A journalist is more than a “target.” She or he has got a name, and a specific beat, and interests outside of work. The best PR practitioners take the time to get to know these things. Every journalist is an individual, and they should be approached that way. 👍 #publicrelationsagency #pitching #bestpractices