To celebrate the fall season, we decided to host a pumpkin carving social. You might think an office pumpkin carving contest would be a time to take it a bit easy, kick back and have fun.  But at Matter Communications, the creativity, hard work and “do it well or don’t do it at all” attitude were brought from the PR business to the carving business (at least for 25 minutes or so).

Enjoy this video tribute to the intrepid souls who made Halloween special in our Newburyport, MA office.  They wore lobster fishing clothes, created balloon shapes, and brought new meaning to the phrase, “carving out quality time.”

All the contestants were talented and deserved applause, and the winner, chosen by an impartial judge, was an extraordinary take on a “Halloween Hamburger.” Here’s a video to give you a glimpse into our recent get together, complete with pumpkin beer, cider donuts and candy corn. Lots and lots of candy corn. Happy Halloween!

Words by Andy Meltzer

Since 2004, Matter has participated in the PDN PhotoPlus Expo in New York, a gathering of the Who’s Who in photography.  We’re (exhaustedly) getting back into the office following this year’s fantastic event and I wanted to use this space to express some thanks to the many who made our presence at PPE a major success:

-     Our clients: SIGMA, Unified Color, Spider Holster, ILFORD, Gary Fong, Camera Bits, Datacolor, DxO Labs, Lowepro and Acme Made, and, of course, our booth neighbors at Lexar.  All of these brands came out strong at PhotoPlus and trusted Matter to help make their investments in PPE that much more effective.  Additional thanks to our client, Pinhole Press, who sat this one out but helped provide collateral that was incredibly well received!

-     The media: It never ceases to amaze me how Matter staff and members of the photography trade media interact at this and other events – almost as if we were seeing old friends at a reunion.  The photo community is a very tight group, even as it grows on a yearly basis.  We are honored to consider ourselves a part of this network and it is our relationship with the media that help make that a reality.  We staffed about 125 press meetings at this show and we can’t thank those who took time out to meet with our clients enough.

-     The team at Matter – in no particular order: Zachary Heath, Tobi Young, Greg Wind, Chrissy Kinch, Kristin Amico, Colleen McCarthy, Andrew Rodger, Sheena Guide, Tim Bradley and, of course, the Boss, Scott Signore.  At home in PVD, Theresa Freeman and Julie Sellew did serious grunt work and held down the fort.  Thank you for your incredible and diligent work before, during and after this show, for making a naturally chaotic experience run like clockwork, for trudging through rain, snow and cold and still keeping up your enthusiasm for your work and for sacrificing the treads on your shoes to the Javits Center floor.  You guys are the best.

I will let Tim’s sweet video (that’s only fault is that it contains my visage) give you a sense of what it all looked like, but to all who were there and made this year a rousing success for Matter and our partners, my sincere thanks and see you at the next show!

Don’t bore me. I’m not being mean, I’m offering my best advice for getting someone to read your writing. Whether it’s a press release, a pitch, a blog post, or a Tweet, you’ve got to grab that reader right away. You’ve got to hook ‘em.

So make that first line a great one. Here’s how:

Be excited. Your tone matters, maybe even more so than the specific words you use. Find an angle that gets you pumped – a trend, a statistic, a new product or feature – and build from there.

Be clear. Go ahead and get to the point. Know what’s important to your client and why readers would care. Be sure to prioritize the messages so that the most important point comes first.

Be succinct. Cut unnecessary words. Use good verbs (don’t run quickly. Sprint!). If you get stuck, think about how you’d write each sentence for Twitter.

Be genuine. Think for a moment about another kind of opening line, the pick-up line: bad ones are notoriously bad. They’re funny because they’re slimy. If your opener makes you want to run away, chances are the reader will have a similar reaction.

For some inspiration, pay attention to openers that work for you in books (here are some famous ones), articles, and even when striking up a conversation with a stranger. It won’t take long to pinpoint what bores you and what hooks you.

Tell me, what are your favorite first lines?

Last week I received an email from a former professor and head of the public relations program at my university. He was reaching out to his former PR students looking for us to share any wisdom we’ve acquired with his current seniors. Having only graduated in May, I find it a little bizarre to be giving advice to students when I feel like I’ve only just started a whole new education myself in the real world of public relations. However, I would have been comforted to hear from someone just starting out this time last year, so I gave it a shot:

Perfect Your Time Management Skills

This is the single most important practice you can teach yourself as it is CRUCIAL in the world of PR. Chances are you’ll be working on multiple accounts and they’ll all have individual demands, often at the same time. Everyone has their own way of organizing their thoughts and tasks, find your system and stick to it. The more organized you are, the less hectic your work day will be!

Practice Writing

From pitching to press releases, a large portion of your time will be spent on writing material for your clients. From the language and message of the client, to the technical lingo of the industry or publication you are reaching out to you’re going to have to do some extensive research. Adjusting your writing style to each individual pitch or press release will only help yield a better end result.

Don’t Let Frustration Distract You

There will come a point where you will feel like ripping your hair out. You’ll encounter grumpy media, needy clients, and stay up finishing presentations just like all-nighters before a midterm. This job is not for everybody and it can be very overwhelming, especially just starting out, but always face challenges head on. Learn from your mistakes, don’t take rejection personally, and always stay determined.

This is an Amazing Industry

The biggest lesson I’ve learned so far is that there is no other profession I can imagine having other than public relations. It really is a great feeling being able to apply everything you’ve learned for four years in the classroom and at internships to a real career. Take pride in the work you are doing, and most importantly enjoy it! No one wants to be miserable 9-5 every day, but if that’s how you find yourself come on over to Matter Communications – I certainly am glad I did!

So there are my humble words of wisdom for all the future PR superstars out there looking for advice. Everyone will have their own experiences and learn their own lesson, but I hope if anything, like me, they’ll be thrilled to be starting out on their PR career path.

Press kits used to be a simple matter of some smart-looking file folders and well-written material. Today, though, that once mundane delivery unit has become increasingly important. In our environmentally-conscious world, the ditto machine has gone digital and some major industry events have even banned paper press kits entirely! Instead, we rely on DVDs and flash-drives of all shapes and sizes to ensure our friendly editors have what they need to write about our clients.

Next week will bring the annual PhotoPlus Expo, the largest photo imaging trade event of the season. With so many digital imaging brands on our roster, it is a date marked on many calendars throughout the Matter offices. So, as we are making preparations for our clients at the show, some colleagues and I ended up talking about the next evolution of the press kit. From folders of printed pages, to a simply digitized version of that folder….what comes next…and after that?

In my mind, the traditional press kit is almost unnecessary. The ability to simply load all of your media collateral onto the company website and make it available for download seems to be simple enough. So, the true value of the press kit is as a leave-behind, a reminder of how your client is changing the way we do something…share images online, reduce our carbon foot print…build a better wrestling turnbuckle…it’s all important stuff and we want to stand out from the hundreds of other brands telling similar stories of innovation.

So, the question becomes, how do you craft a press kit that delivers the necessary information while being memorable in its simplicity, and still continuing the trend of smaller, easier, more accessible material? Here are a couple of the ideas that came from our impromptu brainstorm.

Zach: “Why not just offer iPods with all the files loaded on, maybe you turn the collateral into a video deliverable. Then when the iPod is plugged in it synchs all the data to the computer.”

While this achieves the goal, I was reminded that iPods are sooooo 2001…and they still cost a little more than a flash drive. Plus, auto-synching data to someone else’s computer could be frowned upon….”I’m just gonna leave some unwanted data right here for you til you need it…okay.”

Kristin: “If you use a QR code, a simple scan of the code and you have the online media kit in your bookmarks.”

I like it, but I think the QR codes are not as widely used by consumers as we’d like to think. Plus if the editor doesn’t have a reader app, it could take an extra few minutes to install, time they may not have.

Andy: “You gotta Bump it! We already trade contact info with a simple bump of the smartphones, so why not press release, pictures and video?”

I think he’s right. This is quick and, unless you’re Jim Harbaugh, usually painless. Again, its dependent on everyone have the right app though.

These are some great tech, okay mine was not so great, solutions to the questions, but I still think there is value in some sort of deliverable that stands out of that tchotchkes menagerie. So, ponder on, faithful reader and post your thoughts in the comments.

The Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center, the highly-respected (and now nationally-known) Newburyport-based organization that developed a ground-breaking program toward ending domestic violence in local communities, is one of the many local charitable entities supported by Matter. We have contributed to this organization in a number of ways over the past few years and just yesterday more than 30 of us (including friends and some family) participated in its Annual Walk Against Violence.

The work that takes place daily at the Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center is nothing shy of tremendous and it puts in perspective so much that we prioritize in our respective days. I’ve enjoyed getting to know the selfless dedicated staff of the JGCC who work so hard to help others, and I am consistently in awe of their commitment to success. Supporting this organization has been a significant source of pride for me.

However, an equally great source of pride continues to be the wonderful, committed and supportive people who work at Matter every day. In addition to being outstanding PR professionals, we have so many “good” people who understand that the success we experience in work is only one piece of a complex puzzle that makes daily life positive. With regularity, Matter employees sacrifice their personal time and energy for the benefit of others. During yesterday’s walk, I was reminded by a friend of how significant it is to have so many employees, friends and family spend a good portion of a beautiful Sunday in October for this cause. While not necessary, it was another nice reminder of how fortunate I am to work side-by-side with such a wonderful team.

For new PR professionals, pitching can be nerve-wracking and
nausea-inducing – without sounding too dramatic. The thought of selling a story
to an editor who may be stressed, extremely limited on time and over-worked can be
intimidating and seem almost impossible. The good news is, it’s not!

So, before you dread that next pitch, here are a few tips to
limit the nerves and be successful:

Prepare – but not too much – Yes, being prepared
(I.e., having your talking points at hand and key selling points, and even a
brief Q&A sheet) is necessary. But I find that having a script as your
guideline for the conversation doesn’t work. Know your client/product/service
and be prepared to answer questions related to your pitch, and also questions
from left field related to a recent crisis/media frenzy.

Be short & sweet – The person you’re calling is
probably swamped, and you may be their 50th pitch/follow-up call of the day.
It’s important to get straight to the point with the intent of your call. (that
means refrain from “how’s the weather in your area” questions).

Beware of putting your foot in your mouth – Nowadays
getting an editor to actually answer your call (versus getting their voicemail)
may catch you off guard. Now imagine getting someone live on the phone AND
they’ve expressed interest in your pitch – this can cause initial shock. Remain
calm and stay focused on your messaging. Don’t allow excitement/nervousness to
cloud your judgment of answering questions appropriately or
revealing information that’s top secret.

Relax! – Often, PR professionals forget that the
person they’re calling is human just as they are. If you’re not nervous
talking to a fellow co-worker or your boss, why be nervous now?

Be prepared for “no thanks” – Sometimes, despite you
pitching a topic well within an editor’s focus/interest, they still may be
uninterested. In this case, it’s appropriate to ask if his/her colleague covers
this topic. If not, thank them for their time and move on to your next efforts.

See, pitching isn’t THAT bad – is it? Good luck!

A few weeks ago, one of my college professors asked me to speak to a class about my job at Matter and how I got here.  The class, called “How to Sell Yourself in a Tough Economy,” focuses on branding yourself and getting ready for the interview process that follows graduation. I remember how helpful it was to hear from someone other than a professor about what life was like after college, so I immediately wrote back and said I’d be happy to visit.

…and then reality set in.

Me? Speaking to a class? A little over a year ago, I had no idea what I wanted to do, and now I’m supposed to influence young minds about the job search process and life as a PR professional? Oh. My.

However, after all was said and done, I learned a lot about myself and my job. Specifically:

There is no daily routine to PR. A student asked me to describe what I do on a day-to-day basis, but I couldn’t tell them. PR is such a whirlwind, and that’s why I love it. Sure, I could name some of my daily tasks, but that doesn’t accurately paint the picture of what life in PR is like. Schedule? No thanks. I’ll take craziness over routines any day.

I’ve come so far in a year. Explaining to this class how I got here was hilarious, mostly because I couldn’t remember all of my extracurricular activities I did to build out my resume from when I was interviewing. Instead, I talked about how I have awesome clients and get to work with all aspects of their businesses every day. I work with so many people and on so many different projects that I feel I’ve grown more in a year at Matter than I did in four years at college. In the world of social media, I would have to say that I am currently #WINNING (or #failing for my college career, can’t quite decide).

Working in a PR agency is not for the faint-hearted. I saw the students’ eyes widen as I explained my job description and responsibilities – and I’m not going to lie, I felt that way too when I first started. I realized that not everyone can – or would like to – do what I do, and that’s what makes PR folks a special kind of breed.

I’m lucky to have such an awesome job. Matter has the coolest employees and benefits, and I’ve come to lean on my colleagues more like I would with a family. A majority of what I talked about with the class was our fun after-hours events and the vibe of our new office. Side note to all future presenters out there: If you tell the college students that your office has a company-branded kegorator, they will pay attention to what you have to say.

So take it or leave it, folks. Sometimes it takes a blast from the past (or a simple return to your college campus) to remember where you are, how you got there, and look forward to what’s next.

As a new face to a new role and title here at Matter, I thought I’d write my first blog post stating the obvious. Well, I should rephrase that: write my first blog post stating what’s obvious to me, the Video Production Specialist, in regards to videos and social media. I will give it to you short and simple, after a few selling points:

• 17M connected their account to at least one social site (Facebook, Twitter, Orkut, Buzz, etc.)
• >12M auto-share to at least one social network
• 150 years of YouTube video watched/day on Facebook (2.5x YOY)
• >500 tweets/minute contain YouTube links (3x YOY)
• An auto-shared tweet results in 6 new youtube.com sessions on average
• 100M users take a social action (likes, shares, comments, etc) every week
• >1/2 of YouTube videos have been rated or includes comments

Videos are 53 times more likely than text pages to appear on the first page of search results. - Forrester

Month over month growth rate for video traffic referral by source:

• Facebook: 40%
• Twitter: 38%
• Yahoo: 35%
• Google: 15%
• Bing: 3%

Video has become one of the most effective ways to motivate people towards certain behaviors. Video is a highly effective persuasion techonology. – Dr. BJ Fogg, director of Standford’s Persuasive Technology Lab.

So how do you capitalize on this wealth of eyeballs? Follow this simple Video Social Media Checklist:

1. After you’ve uploaded your video to the video platform(s) of choice (at least YouTube), use your metadata. Having complete titles, descriptions, and tags will make it easier for your videos to be found in the first place.
2. Enable social sharing buttons in players
3. Enable embed codes for sharing
4. Embed and/or annotate clickable calls to action
5. Promote sharing at video completion
6. Review performance
7. Repeat – create and upload more videos!

Please share some of your video social media success stories in the comments below!

Sources: http://www.youtube.com/t/press_statistics, http://www.slideshare.net/ReelSEO/social-video-marketing-strategies-for-great-social-video

Now that we’ve turned the calendar into the month of October, we also are kicking off the fall season. It’s somewhat bittersweet to open the fall, as it signals the end to summer here in Newburyport, but on the plus side there isn’t much that beats a walk through the town center as the leaves are changing.

But I digress. The opening of the fall, for me, means the chance to renew a part-time job I’ve held on weekends for the last seven years as an Instant Replay Official for the Merrimack College hockey team. In the course of thinking about the obvious differences between my pursuit of PR and my pursuit of video review, I found a series of similarities that found some common ground (let’s call it a neutral zone):

• The key is in the details – Sometimes the most important guidance a client can gain is when you are able to make a recommendation based on the little things. Maybe you tried to fill a speaking role for the client with a customer that made sense geographically, but what about the customer who came to you six months ago in the same region that has some speaking experience on the circuit? In terms of instant replay, nothing ever happens the same way twice. The key is to remember the games you have worked in the past to dictate which events need to be “marked” as replay material, and which cameras capture it best. This means considering details such as what time was left on the clock when it happened, what number was stamped on the “mark” and other important factors.

• Remember where you’ve been to know where you’re going – In the PR world, a long-term memory can be very important. Remember that journalist you spoke to a year ago? It turns out you may need to pitch them again if your client wants to pursue a vertical market you hadn’t considered initially. In the realm of instant replay, it’s important to know which referee crew you’re working with: if Crew 1 called on you four times last game; then you need to “mark” events much more frequently then Crew 2 who only came to you once.

• Say what you mean and mean what you say – Public relations is a very fast-moving industry and by adding extra words or by not making yourself clear the first time, it adds unnecessary cycles to your day. In the instant replay world, fans want the call to be right, and the subsequent time you take to be minimal. This means you need to speak up when you’re on the phone (over the crowd noise) and be direct (make sure you and the referee understand each other).

And most importantly:

• The ability to multitask – The application in PR is evident every single day: prioritizing a to-do list, attending meetings, pitching media and talking to customers. As a replay official, you need to have a keen eye on the action at all times to pinpoint reviewable situations and always be ready in case a goal is scored.  Oh yeah, and don’t forget to sound the goal horn when the team scores!