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.

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!

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!

The devil is in the details.  That’s a phrase you hear thrown around quite a bit, particularly in PR.  There are so many details that you have to “get right” when you’re doing a PR campaign, launch, pitch, executive briefing book – that even the smallest mistake can have major repercussions.

Today, Netflix announced what some are calling an “abrupt” change in strategy.  And while it may seem abrupt to consumers, every communications professional knows that there were endless hours spent on the topic and corresponding items:  crafting CEO Reed Hasting’s letter to customers, writing and planning the blog post, messaging around the re-naming of the DVD-mailing service to Qwikster, planning for media inquiries, reserving the Qwikster.com domain, preparing to scan for the tone of coverage in the media and on social media platforms like Twitter, wait…Twitter? Was Twitter on the to-do check list? Did the team think about how they would use Twitter and the Qwikster name? Or did the communications team forget to address it?

Whatever conversations did (or didn’t) happen around Twitter don’t really matter at this point, because Qwikster is now getting almost as much attention for the person who owns the Twitter handle. And while the owner doesn’t have any bio information on his profile, it became very clear very qwikly that the person behind the @Qwikster handle is not from Netflix’s communications team – that is, unless Netflix is suddenly a big fan of Sesame Street and marijuana – which I’m guessing isn’t the case.   Ultimately, this oversight won’t hurt Netflix’s business and it will likely be quickly forgotten – but it doesn’t help the perception that Netflix made these strategic decisions hastily.   And, we all know, perception IS reality when it comes to PR.

When something like this happens, I always feel a pit in my stomach thinking about the PR person who is most likely responsible for *not* catching it.   Because that person is having a bad day.  That person is cursing the devil and his details.  And probably Elmo too.

I’m a PR newbie.

Well, let me qualify that: I’ve been in the industry just over 4 months now, and it’s amazing how much one can learn about PR in such a short amount of time.

That being said, I walked through the doors of Matter as a clean slate, willing and eager to learn the ropes armed with the skills and experience I had packed along for the ride.

PR lingo? That I had to learn as I went along, as no phrasebook had been tucked into my new hire packet. Vets, you’ll probably get a kick out of the terms I found to be foreign. Future newbies of Matter Communications, allow me to spell out a few things:

OPP: [op] Noun

1. Short for “opportunity” — not just any opportunity, but a coverage opportunity, or strategic outlet that’s been deemed a prime target to convey your client’s key messages.

EOD: [ee-oh-dee] Noun

1. Acronym for “end of day” — a common deadline.

• “I need this by EOD.”

*Note* I believe it was Nick Porter who got to field my awkwardly formal email in response to a deadline he sent me:

Hi Nick,

What does EOD mean?

Thank you,

Talia

PUB: [puhb] Noun

1. Short for “publication” — this could refer to a magazine, newspaper, broadcast media outlet, or blog.

2. A fine malt beverage establishment…at (you guessed it!) EOD, of course.

*Note* Have you seen the new kitchen kegerator?

Hashtag: [hash-tag] Noun

1. The “#” prefix symbol on Twitter — the community-driven tool used for adding additional context and metadata to your tweets. It helps those with shared interests find information on Twitter.

• #PRisforlovers (No? Ok, I’m still learning.)

2. Also known as “the pound sign” on your touchtone key pad

UV: [yoo-vee] Noun

1. Acronym for “unique visitors,” or the number of individual web users to visit a site.

• Put on those shades…as of today, Examiner.com has a UV number of 7 million. That’s hot.

FU: [ef-yoo] Verb

1) An acronym for “follow up” — a means of being thorough, checking in, or being the squeaky wheel to get results.

• “FU with the executive and make sure we have the right contact information.”

*Note* Best if used in combination with other words, as was not done on my first encounter with the term:

One-line email from a Matter colleague: “FU.”

Me: “GASP!#$….Why are they so hostile?!?

PR: [pee-ahr] Noun

1. Acronym for “public relations” — doing anything and everything communications-based to help your clients with whatever they need, whenever they need it.

• May include: anything (that will get them positive results that matter…by EOD)

My colleague Rachel Schlacter & I share the above definition. What is your personal definition of PR?

*Note* My friends and family have a very hard time understanding what I do. Explaining it? #Forgetaboutit.  I guess my colleague Matt Mendo (#2) has had similar experiences.

A recent national survey commissioned by TeleNav examined Americans’ attachment to mobile phones and the results showed that we are willing to give up many joys in life over our beloved mobile devices. So just how attached to mobile phones have we become?

According to the study, guilty pleasures were among the higher rated items that people would be willing to give up for a week over their mobile phone such as alcohol (70%), chocolate (63%), caffeine (55%) and even sex (33%).

As a PR professional, I consider my mobile phone to be a luxury item that allows me the freedom to step away from my computer while still remaining connected to my clients, family and friends, and the world-at-large. In the ever moving fast paced world of PR, I hold my cell phone in high regard and consider it a necessary tool to perform my daily tasks. But would I give up some of life’s greatest pleasures to in order to keep it? Chances are, probably not.

Others, however, seem to place their iPhone, Blackberry or Android higher on the priority list. In fact, they are even willing to go as far as to give up exercise (54%), shoes (21%) and their toothbrush (22%) all before parting ways with their mobile phone. Health and hygiene is now second to mobile phones? Maybe it’s time to draw the line.

But it doesn’t stop just there. The impact of mobile phone on our lives is becoming personal. From deciding who would make a good match for us (83% of iPhone users thought other iPhone users would make the best romantic partners) to the way we communicate an end to a relationship (18% of smartphone users have ended a relationship via voicemail, text message, email, Facebook update or Twitter post), it’s seemingly apparent mobile phones have become as important to us as our loved ones. Or perhaps even more so as 22% of smartphone users even said they would rather go a week without seeing their significant other than surrender their phone. And they say chivalry is dead.

Advancements in technology have allowed us many things, including our cell phones. And there’s no denying that they have become a part of our daily lives. But before you read another email at the dinner table, or reach for your mobile phone before stepping foot out of bed in the morning, consider this: just what would you be willing to give up. You make the call.

As a seasoned PR practitioner with more that 15+ years of experience, I’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly of mismanaged media opportunities. Most recently I volunteered at a fundraising event that was attended by Dr. Jill Biden, the Vice President’s wife, and other prominent political figures. I knew these personalities would attract both local and national media and potentially further expose the goodness of the cause.

Upon arrival I saw reporters, camera crews and photographers standing around waiting for Mrs. Biden to speak while, 4,500 people were eating, drinking and enjoying the day. I thought of the endless possibilities of where this story would run because the “White House” has arrived. CNN, NECN, ABC’s World News, NBC’s Nightly News – the list went on and on in my head. As the event drew near completion I realized that the media was ignoring the real essence of the event – the community who came together to support and raise money for military families in need during these difficult times. It was for this reason that the Vice President’s wife was there, after all.

As I curled up on my couch that evening and flipped through the various channels looking for coverage, I couldn’t find what I was looking for. Sure the media provided sound bites of Biden and the others, but neglected to include the purpose of the event, who it supported and where it took place.

After seeing the holes in the coverage I was watching, I was reminded of how important it is to properly manage media opportunities, especially live broadcast:

*Set the agenda – ensure the media knows the angle of the story, the facts and who is involved

*Control the environment – communicate, confirm and re-confirm

*Never assume anything – make sure your messaging is communicated before, during and after an interview/event.  Just because a “notable” personality shows up doesn’t mean your key messaging will be pulled through or automatically included.

Since the beginning of time, I have feared change. I love knowing exactly what to expect and when to expect it. For example, today at lunch, I knew there would be a ham and cheese sandwich waiting for me in the fridge, the same sandwich that has satisfied my hunger pains since pre-school.  I also know that when I get home, my television shows will be airing the same time they do every week on the same channel.

But what happens when the deli is out of my favorite brand of ham, or a public service announcement pops up at the exact time I tune into my show? It used to mean absolute chaos in my life. However, in the past two years since I started working at Matter, these small changes no longer ruin my day.

PR can be an extremely fast paced environment. We are constantly drafting press releases, finalizing plans, running in between client calls, brainstorming new ideas and so much more. We strive to be ahead of the game and make it a priority to inform our clients of the latest and greatest tools and technologies out there. Even if it means moving from what we know to researching something totally new.

For example, last year I helped launch a Twitter account for one of my clients. At that time, Twitter was relatively new to me and I started relying on certain programs for my day to day activity. However, I quickly realized that I should be embracing the changes and not rejecting them.  In the social media world, new programs come out every day. While there will be tools I never use, I’ve found that there are some that have been extremely beneficial to my client, and have even made my job easier.

So is change really that bad? I would have to argue no, but this doesn’t mean I’ll be enjoying a turkey sandwich anytime soon.

I’d rather be called crazy than boring.

Sure, that could be applied to my personal life, but it’s something I’ve always said about client relations.  To me, there is nothing worse than having a client part ways because they felt like they were sold on creativity, only to be managed by a team that was okay with things being “status quo.”

In today’s world, status quo just doesn’t cut it.  Status quo isn’t going to get the attention of the reporters who are stretched too thin and are tasked with finding the stories that are impactful AND will drive click-throughs.  Status quo isn’t going to create evangelists for your brand.  Status quo isn’t going to drive enough sales to justify a significant PR spend.

When I saw this infographic on PR Newser (based on soon-to-be released research from the Horn Group and Kelton Research called The CMO Challenge) – the number that jumped out at me was that only 3% of CMOs felt like their agencies were leading the charge for innovation.  Three percent is a sad, sad number.

I have sat in a lot of brainstorming meetings in my career.  It’s probably my favorite part of this job.  And, in almost every one of them,  one or two crazy ideas surface.  Crazy ideas that are actually tied to a client/prospect’s business goals and/or objectives.  Crazy ideas that could help a company break away from the status quo pack and get some well-deserved attention. I have been part of pitch teams where I KNOW that the ideas are what sealed the deal.  I have pitched crazy ideas to many clients – and they are usually met with a twinge of excitement and a general appreciation that their PR partner is thinking about things differently.

To me, the biggest affront to my professional pride is to hear that we didn’t win a piece of business because our ideas “weren’t creative enough.” I know I can’t win them all, but I’d rather not participate if my team can’t — because they don’t have the time or the ability — deliver thinking that inspires the imagination and gets people excited. I hate to disagree with the popular axiom, but showing up IS NOT half the battle. A chimpanzee can show up.

Sure, it’s true that sometimes creative ideas don’t stand up to rigorous vetting against the goals of a business. Not all of them are going to be winners and, let’s face it, some of them turn out to be kind of nutty in retrospect.

But long-term clients of mine have told me time and again to “keep the crazy ideas coming.” They never ask for ideas that will maintain the status quo. Clients never urgently call me for ho-hum ideas.

So I’m okay with crazy.  I’ll never be okay with boring, and you shouldn’t be either.