Just look at it go!

Really, it is. Don't believe me? Take a look at this...




This counter comes courtesy of Gary Hayes' blog, "Personalizemedia". You can find a link to it on my sidebar.

It's a fascinating look into the sheer size and vast expanse of the reach of the internet and how it is not only growing and evolving, but truly exploding. At some point it will probably gather so much information, it will actually become sentient, take over the world and we'll worship it and call it V'ger. (How's THAT for an obscure Star Trek reference? Yes, I'm a geek, but I digress.)

To the point, the counter above tells us something. I mean, beyond just how cool it is to count things. No, the counter tells us just how much opportunity is out there...and how much competition we face as owners and directors of small businesses and non-profit organizations. At one time, organizations really only had to focus on a handful of brick and mortar news agencies. People they could call, and talk to and buy drinks at the club and you knew not only who your competition for customers was, but who else was vying for your time with reporters.

That time has passed. It went away about the same time some computer whiz created UseNet and changed the entire world. Now, you may sell fine clothing, or antiques, and you might know who your direct competitors are in your city or even in your neighborhood. But do you know who might be in competition with you online? How often do you go online and look up the small businesses who sell the same things you do online?

While these competitors might not be looking for the same kind of media coverage that you might be looking for, it's practically guaranteed that they're fighting you for the same sets of eyes online, and chances are, you're losing that battle right now.

But don't lose hope. Because among all those numbers you see growing nearly exponentially at the top of this entry, there is help. Not all of those new websites and Facebook pages are competitors. A great number of them are also folks just like me, or like Gary Hayes, who put together that counter. People who are using the internet to supply information, to gladly give their knowledge and expertise to folks who need it, if they're willing to look.

The point of this entry is not necessarily to say, "whoa, you're in trouble, bub." It's exactly the opposite. Hopefully you're reading my posts and gleaning some valuable information from it. But I'm just one resource in thousands, maybe millions out there. And it's all right there at your fingertips. You just need two things; time and motivation. I'm assuming you can navigate the internet because, well, you're reading a blog.

Most small business owners and non-profit directors complain to me most about their lack of time. This is where motivation comes in. You have a great organization, a great product, offer a great service. You want it to succeed. You have the motivation. It doesn't take hours, I mean, it COULD, but it doesn't have to. Set aside fifteen minutes a day, an couple of hours a week, to just surf the web. Look for online competitors, additional resources to help you learn about the "Wide World of Internet". Create a google alert or Dig account (both free) to send you emails about potential competitors or about social media postings online. It will help save some time on the search.

All those numbers above represent tools that can help you succeed. They also represent online resources to help you learn HOW to use those tools to their full extent.

I'll be taking the rest of the week off, but when I get back in December, I'll have an entry that takes you into the minds of reporters, editors and producers and let you know how they think and how they make decisions on what kind of stories to cover and which ones get tossed. Even if you never plan on pursuing traditional media coverage, the thought process will help you when it comes to reaching your target audience. Plus, be on the lookout for some upcoming interviews with working journalists (both in newsrooms and online) to help give you some insight on how to pitch your business or organization.

In the meantime, enjoy the counter, and, jeez...just look at it go!

Telling Your Story

One of the biggest questions I hear from small business owners and non-profits is, "How can I get people to notice me without spending a lot of money?" In today's economy, everyone is looking for ways to grab million dollar headlines at bargain basement prices. It can be done, but it takes a little creativity, imagination and a some basic know-how.

PR and marketing firms all have their own unique way of getting positive attention for their clients, but the one thing that they all have in common is this; they start with the story and work out from there.

What is the story, you might ask? It’s YOUR story. It’s the tale you weave to tell others about who you are, what you do and, perhaps most importantly, why you do it. Newsrooms and all media outlets deal in stories. That’s their trade, their gold at the end of the rainbow, their reason for being. Journalists rarely say, “What I’m really looking for is an article with lots of facts and figures.” If that were the case, they’d all be writing textbooks.

No. What they say is, “I’m looking for a great story to tell.” Your job is to give them a great story and it begins with you.

What makes a good story? First, let’s take a look at some of your favorite books. Maybe it’s a scary Stephen King book, a thrilling John Grisham novel or a scintillating romance tome. Regardless, they all have some very similar structural bones in common. Ask yourself, what makes your favorite book such a good read? Really think about it. Now, let’s transfer some of those same attributes to your story.

Don’t be afraid. You don’t have to be a world famous writer, or an amazing public speaker to tell your story. You just need to know some of the basic elements of a good story and then start plugging in your bits. No, we’re not stealing the plot of the latest bestseller and bending it to fit your organization. That would be, well, ineffective, not to mention most likely illegal.

Let’s take a look at what makes a good story and how you can use these elements to help get attention for your organization.

Story Elements:

1. Character - No matter what story is being told, whether it’s horror, romance, action, even historical treatments, they all have one major thing in common; a strong character. There might even be more than one, but it’s essential to have a strong character or characters. Remember that the character of your story is probably going to become the face of your organization, for a little while at least. So it’s important to make this decision carefully.
Recently I did some work with a client that was looking to get a story done on the opening of a spay and neuter cat clinic. The opening of the clinic itself wasn’t much of a story, but as I talked with the client she mentioned an aspect of her organization that really got my story juices flowing. They have what they call “cat trappers.” Folks who go out at night and trap stray cats. They had several individuals who did this, but, as the client said, most of them aren’t ready for prime time. However there was one trapper who was attractive, well spoken and available. This was perfect. They had someone who could speak well and with authority, someone who would be available for interviews and someone who had a little eye appeal. This individual ended up being the focus of a four-page spread in a local magazine just a few weeks after the opening of the clinic.
When looking for a character for your story, keep in mind that you want interesting, not crazy. You don’t want to scare away potential customers, donors or volunteers. The media likes crazy, it’s fun, but an over the top character could turn off potential customers. Over the top might work for advertising, it’s not so great for PR and marketing.
You could be the main character of your story, or it could be a customer, or a client, anyone you think would be interesting. It’s always easier to tell a story through a single or a couple of viewpoints. One of the big reasons this matters is because of our next story element…

2. Relatability - Sometimes your message or story is just too big to boil down to a single talking point. You can simplify your message as much as you want, but unless you have someone delivering that message that the audience can relate to, your story could end up being ignored. Take a look at the most recent presidential election. It’s very, very difficult to make complex campaign issues relatable.
The Republicans were facing a strong opponent and were in danger of losing many swing voters. They needed someone who those swing voters could relate to. They needed a face, a voice that could speak directly to that voting base on behalf of the party. Cut to Joe the Plumber. A seemingly everyman who most Americans could relate to on some level.
You could do the same thing, only without all the controversy. If your organization specializes in helping the poor, find a family that can help your message resonate with those who might not able to otherwise relate. If you specialize in green industry or sustainable economy, find someone who will give your message impact to your audience. A spokesperson is a vital need your organization must have, but a spokesperson isn’t always the best character for your story. Tell the plight of the millions of homeless people through the story of one individual. Suddenly there’s a human interest angle and it becomes much more personal to the audience, making your own story and message that much more powerful.

3. Conflict – Generally conflict in a story means some kind of fight between your protagonist and the antagonist. The conflict in your story is a little different. You don’t have to go out and find a “bad guy” for your story necessarily. Bad guys don’t have to be individuals or corporations. The bad guy of your story could be the economy, it could be the lack of resources for a particular need. If your business is a deli, you might ask yourself, “where is my bad guy?” Your bad guy might be the lack of affordable, fast healthy lunches in your area. Maybe the bad guy is the lack of traditional Italian meatball subs in your city. The point is, your organization does something that few others do, or offers a service that helps people. When you started your business or non-profit, you identified a need in your area that you want to meet. This need is your conflict. By identifying what the need is, you will automatically tell your audience why your organization is important. Sometimes, hell, many times, you have to point out a need to your audience in order for them to notice it. You want your audience asking, “Why DON’T we have more traditional Italian meatball sandwiches available to me and my family?!” Identify what the most important need your organization fills and make that your bad guy, your conflict, your reason for being.

4. Resolution – Now that you’ve identified what the conflict is, you have to give the audience a resolution. The entire neighborhood is now up in arms because of a serious lack of traditional Italian meatball sandwiches. What will they do? Where will they go? Never fear, you are here. You have to let the audience know that you can fill their need, but most importantly you have to tell they HOW you will meet their needs. Your organization is the hero here. You come in, swooping to the rescue to put their minds at ease. You don’t just say, well, we sell traditional Italian meatball sandwiches. You tell them that your meats are from Italy, your chefs are trained in the traditional ways of preparing meatball sandwiches, you tell them that because of your attention to traditional detail, no one does it quite as good as you do.

You, as the deli owner can use a regular customer as your character. Or you as the owner can be your own character, as long as your relatable to your target audience. Your character can help your audience relate by noting how you fill the need not only for traditional Italian meatball sandwiches, but also for fast and affordable lunches. You will appeal to those looking for good food that is fast, not expensive and unique. You will note that families need good food on a budget and on a timeline; food that is handmade and much healthier than those national burger chains.

Don’t Give a History Lesson:

Just a couple of things to keep in mind as we wrap this up. You’re story isn’t necessarily a rehashing of your organizations’ history. While it’s certainly important and an added benefit to have a history of your business or non-profit on your website or in some of your collateral, the story you tell to get media attention or appeal to your audience isn’t about how you got to where you are, it’s more about where you’re going and what you’re doing. Every time you go to the media looking for coverage, you have to create a story that will appeal to them. This means the story you tell could change slightly every time you approach a reporter or media outlet. This doesn’t mean your message changes, just the way you express your message. Stories can always be tailored to fit a specific event.

You can tell your story in a press release, in a personal email, in a newsletter article, any vehicle you would normally use to reach out to your audience or to the media. The story shouldn’t be too long, something you can tell in a three to four paragraphs and, this is important, keep it simple.

One of the biggest mistakes small businesses and non-profits make is to try to cram too much stuff into their message or story. Don’t do this. It confuses people and dilutes the primary message. Focus on one story at a time, one primary message. Don’t worry, if you get media attention, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to get your sub messages across.

Creating your own story is a great start, but it’s only half the battle. The next step is to start thinking like a journalist, or at least have an understanding of what exactly they’re looking for. While journalists understand the elements of a good story, they have their own criteria when it comes to deciding what stories to tell. There are a million good stories out there, and yours is just one of them. Next, we’ll take a look at the criteria journalists use when deciding which stories to run with, and which ones end up in the “futures” file.

PR Arts & Crafts

When I was growing up, I wanted to be a scientist, or a doctor. In time, I added journalist to that list and it became a passion as I grew older. Aeronautics engineer and surgeon fell to the wayside as I realized that I needed to learn vast amounts of math in order to succeed in either of those professions.

So I moved on and became a journalist. A pretty good one, I think, and had a good career working in quality newsrooms, covering some our generations' biggest stories. Recently I had a (passionate) discussion about whether journalism was an art or a science (craft). For the longest time, I viewed it as an art with craft tendencies, but after the discussion, I realized I was being wimpy in my definition. I should have chosen one or the other, because, like a team with two quarterbacks (if you have two starters, you don't have a starting qb) I have come to realize that if you try to be two things at once, you fail at both.

This isn't to say that arts professions don't have craft qualities. There are certainly skills that can be taught and learned by anyone. But, just as I used to tell my students at CU, while anyone can be a newsanchor, not everyone can be a GOOD newsanchor. The same goes with photojournalists and reporters, editors and, yes, even producers. The best ones have an innate ability to "feel" what is right and what isn't. They just "know" what a good story is, they cut through the clutter and can "see" or "understand" that something will be appealing to their audience, even if it falls short in the "good story" requirements". (had enough of the quotation marks yet? Yeah, me too.)

I could teach my students that good stories meet certain requirements involving timeliness, locality, impact and wow factor. But often, a story picks up traction that falls short in many of those categories and that's when confusion sets in. There is an art to good journalism, even though there is a great deal of skill involved, the best ones are artists. They make it look easy. I had to admit that journalism can be a craft, a science, with formulas and mad skills involved every step of the way. But the best journalism, the cream of the crop, is more art than anything. This is particularly true as video invades every medium. The best journalists have a vision and transferring that vision into reality in a way that truly reaches the masses, well, that's an art. Period.

I hear you asking, "but Chris, what does this have to do with public relations?" I hear you, and I'm going to tell you.

I had a similar opinion of public relations when I first moved from the newsroom to the PR cubicle. I tried to learn as much as I could about the craft of pitching, and client relations and shareholder graphs and blah blah blah. I just KNEW that there was some kind of formula that would allow a person to be successful in PR. I instituted what I learned in a short period of time and...I failed. Miserably.

I forgot about many of the valuable lessons I learned while working under tight deadlines in stressed-out newsrooms; that sometimes intuition and gut feel, combined with knowledge and experience is a much better guide than simply following the book by the numbers.

So I'm here to say that, like excellent journalism, the best public relations efforts are an art form. What does this mean for you and your small business or non profit organization? Well, first let me clarify that you don't have to be an artist to be effective in your PR and marketing efforts.

What it means is that sometimes you have to trust yourself to create magic. That's such a vague term, but really, no one knows your business or your audience better than you do. This means you know best what they'll respond to and what will catch their attention. Armed with this knowledge, you will better be able to reach out to reporters and the media and use social networking effectively.

Too many times we all fall into the trap of just sending out press releases and announcements, mass emailing newsletters and signing up for Facebook and Twitter accounts because that's what we're supposed to do. It's easy, it's what everyone else does, so it must be the correct thing to do.

But press releases just aren't very effective anymore. Social networking accounts are great, but you have to know how to use them. They're tools, like an instrument or a paintbrush. You know how to speak to your constituents and customers. Paint outside the lines and use your Twitter to set up a contest or use your Facebook to tell a story. Create events unique to your organization. Do something fun and different with your newsletter, something to grab attention.

In other words, be an artist. I've told you previously that, in essence, you are like journalists for your organization. Now be an artist to paint the picture of your organization that you want others to see. Whether the receivers are customers, volunteers, donors, or reporters, listen to yourself and find creative ways to get your message out.

You'll find that your audience is generally more receptive when you do things your way. People like me, we're here to give you hints, tips, advice, thoughts about what has worked for us in the past. But in the end, take what the "experts" say and try to incorporate it into your own personal style as best as you can. Only then will you truly be able to honestly, sincerely and creatively get your message about your organization to the masses.

Twitter, not just for athletes anymore!

Here's a link to an article from the Strategic Public Relations blog about the impact of twitter in our everyday lives. While the subject is tragic, it's just more proof that social networking tools like Twitter have more value than simply telling the world you're watching reruns of "Saved by the Bell," or how you feel about the weather.

Fort Hood, Twitter and Real-Time News

Social media detailed a tragedy today.

While I learned of the Fort Hood shootings earlier this afternoon, it was a late afternoon scan of Twitter that connected me to the real-time news source set up by The Austin American-Statesman.

@fthoodshootings is an account quickly set up by the paper to create a dedicated line of real-time news around this sad and tragic story. In just a few hours the account already has more than 3,200 followers and is on more than 85 different lists as of publishing this post and climbing.

Unfortunately it’s not the first bittersweet example of how helpful Twitter can be in a crisis. Twitter became a lifeline of news and information coming from Iran during their election protests. During tragedy and crisis, a steady flow of information is more critical -- and sometimes even more elusive. The Sago Mine tragedy comes to mind as a time when Twitter might have been equally useful.

Statesmen’s Use of Twitter is Second-Nature

It’s no surprise that the Austin American-Statesman decided to report in this fashion. A Twitter power-user, their town is also home to social media festival SXSW and clearly Austin American-Statesman has made Twitter a seamless part of its news coverage.

Twitter Lists to Bring More News in Real-Time

For stories that aren’t breaking as quickly, allowing newspapers to devote more resources, you’ll surely see lists created to track story coverage. The Cincinnati Enquirer has already done so to cover its city’s recent elections. And Mashable points to other media outlets using lists to cover Fort Hood from afar. Real-time news is clearly in demand and Twitter lists ability to curate multiple sources in an easily-shared stream brings to mind multiple applications beyond just news coverage.

The stories are horrible. And let me note that my thoughts are with the families of the Fort Hood victims. But hopefully, by getting real-time news in this fashion, the Austin American-Statesman is ensuring the right story is told quickly.

originally posted at Social Study

Newsrooms are using tools like Twitter more and more as they have less and less to work with. This is important to remember when you're trying to figure out how to best leverage your Twitter account into PR for your organization. Just like every other social network, they work best when you're actually giving out information that people really want or need. An insight into the inner workings of your mind is fine, but mostly, folks want information they can use.

In this respect, each and every one of you is like an independent journalist, only your primary focus is getting out information about your business or non-profit. Like newsrooms everywhere, the ones that see what their audience is interested in, and then tailors their content to appeal to that audience are the most successful.

Tools like Twitter can be powerful, but only when you use them effectively. Coming up in about a week, I'll have a series of entries that focus primarily on the use of social media to successfully promote your organization. In the meantime, enjoy the article.

Those Pesky Relationship...

Not long ago I read an interesting article about how to score free drinks at a bar. It talked about the usual methods, mostly involving short skirts flirty smiles. Of course, depending on who you are, that doesn’t always work. Fortunately, the most effective method mentioned in the article is also one of the most powerful tools in your public relations arsenal and it’s called, “The Relationship.”

The most successful public relations professionals always had inside access to the newsrooms they dealt with most, and with reporters, producers and editors they pitched to most often. In the past decade, though, the media has changed drastically with newsrooms trying to do more with less. This means fewer reporters and photographers, and overworked and stressed-out editors and producers. The change has also meant a fragmentation of the potential media coverage available to small businesses and non-profits. On a positive note, this has meant more niche media allowing for more precise targeting and pitching of stories. But it has also made it somewhat harder to try and develop the relationships that have proven to be so effective over the years. When once there was a one-stop-shopping feel, where you knew your best relationships could be developed in just a handful of newsrooms, now you have to work harder to find the right outlets and journalists to begin your dialogue with.

For those of you already under tremendous time constraints, this takes time that is normally devoted to focusing on your business or non-profit. However, there are ways to make the best use of your time while still developing the right relationship that could result in valuable media coverage for your organization. And make no mistake about it, while there are no guarantees that these relationships will result in immediate and extensive media coverage, the relationships you build with media outlets and journalists will help you immensely in the long run.

Though the media has changed, there are still two basic ways to approach the task of developing your media relationships.

1. Go to them.
2. Make them come to you.

It’s pretty simple in theory. The hard part is taking the time to do your research, decide on a plan of action and then move forward with that plan.

Do Your Research

Before you can even begin a relationship with the media, you first have to know who exactly you want to get to know. If you own a dress shop, it probably won’t do you much good to spend your time getting to know the afternoon sports anchor. On the other hand, if your local weatherperson is constantly doing charity work involving fashion shows or is well known for her love of dresses and style, that person would be worth your time to get to know.

Here are a few tips you can use when doing your research to help you make the best use of your time.

1. Find the right outlet. While the major local news outlets are certainly a great place to start, spend some time and find out if there are specific blogs, local or national magazines that specialize in what you do, internet radio shows, e-zines, locally produced television programs, anything that would seem to be a good fit for your organization.
2. Once you have targeted the specific outlets, do your research on the staff. Don’t just focus on the writers, or reporters, but find out what you can about the editors and producers. They are the everyday decision makers in most newsrooms, and the more you know about them, the more effective you will be when contacting them.
3. Whittle your list down to a manageable size of individuals to focus on. Make it a mix of behind the scenes personnel and more high profile individuals.

Devise a Plan

A – Go to them…
Here’s where we get back to the two basic methods of getting to know the media. First, you can go to them directly. Search them out (but don’t stalk them, please) and strike up a conversation with them. This sounds more difficult than it really is.

There is an old saying in newsrooms that nothing improves a pitch better than free food. Trust me, it’s true. Your press release may only get, on average, about three to five seconds of perusal before it’s likely discarded or shoved into a file, but pair it with food, and suddenly your release becomes much more interesting.

Recently I took a client around to all of the local newsrooms in Denver. Before each visit, a call was made and we requested a visit with executive producers, news directors and editors in an effort to gain entry into each newsroom. It wasn’t successful in every case, in a couple of instances, we met with the news director or editor in the lobby of the building. However in every other instance, we were able to walk into the newsroom, sit down with decision-making individuals and start a dialogue. I had told my client to buy donuts, enough to leave at least two dozen in seven different newsrooms. That’s a lot of donuts. My client decided to give it a personal touch and bake several dozen cookies, in the shape of cats (the release was announcing the opening of a community spay and neuter cat clinic downtown). The cookies were nicely packaged in a clinic bag, along with the release and some other cat novelty items. The presentation was nice, the novelty items were fun, but the cookies were the biggest hit.

My client had an opportunity to meet with journalists who she will be pitching stories to over the next several months and years. She was even able to schedule an interview with one television station before the day was through. I’m not saying the cookies tipped the scales, but they certainly didn’t hurt.

It may sound silly, taking food into a newsroom just to say hello to journalists you want to get to know, but it works. For a morning crew, bring donuts, for an afternoon or weekend crew, deliver lunch. For an evening crew, nice snacks or even dinner if your budget can afford it. Believe me, pizza goes a long way.

If you’re going to take this approach it’s very important to time your appearance at the right time. There are always certain times of the day in every newsroom that are busier than others. You want to be there when reporters, producers and editors actually have time to spend a few minutes with you. You will likely only have ten minutes, tops, but that is more than enough to accomplish your goal, which is just to let them know who you are, put a face with your name and drop off your food.

A simple phone call to the front desk will usually tell you everything you need to know about the best time to drop in to deliver your food.

B. Bring them to you…

Once you have determined who you want to begin a relationship with, throw a party. Journalists, in case you didn’t know, love free stuff. Free food and free drinks in particular. Plan a party and invite local journalists to attend. A few things to remember when going this route.

First, don’t hold the party at your location. Plan the party someplace centrally located. Hold it in a well known bar, restaurant or hotel that is easy to find and near the majority of your local news outlets. Most cities have a Press Club. If you can afford to rent a room at the club, do it. You’ll get many more journalists to show up there then you would just about anywhere else.

Second, don’t worry so much about the why. In other words, call it an anniversary, plan to announce something on behalf of your organization, anything, but make sure that the invite clearly states open bar and free food. This alone will draw a crowd of eager journalists to your gathering.

Third, plan it during a time you can get the most bodies to attend. Fridays and Saturdays are rarely effective. Wednesday or Thursday evenings are good days. You’ll also find that between 6pm and 8pm are the best times to host your event.

Don’t Pitch!

The most important thing to remember as you begin your media relationship quest is that these first excursions into newsrooms are not necessarily meant to pitch a story. It’s certainly acceptable to talk about your business or non-profit, but don’t be disappointed if you don’t leave with a scheduled interview. This is really your first opportunity to get to know your journalists, and to let them know you.

This isn’t a hard sell. Ask questions about what kind of stories they want to cover, when the best time to contact them and what kind of time and staffing constraints they are under. This is a conversation and a great opportunity to learn more about the media outlets you will be working with most.

Follow Up!

After your first meetings, follow up with an email, phone call or card to thank them for their time and to remind them again who you are and that you look forward to meeting them again in the near future. It’s a little thing, but remember, journalists are people too. They enjoy working with people they know and people they like. There are many opportunities to meet journalists outside of newsrooms as well. Charity events, awards banquets and many other social outings. If and when you run into journalists you have met at these outings, feel free to offer to buy them a drink, and strike up a conversation. Don’t talk about business or work. Keep it casual and conversational. Get to know them personally if you can. Journalists are always on the clock, so remember that nothing is ever really “off the record.” At the same time, when journalists DO get a chance to kick back and relax, they don’t want to be pestered with a pitch or shop talk.

These are just some ways to begin a relationship with the media. Approach it as if you would nearly every other business relationship. You have a product to sell, and journalists are always looking for good stories. Once they get to know you, and more importantly, trust you, the job of pitching yourself will become much, much easier.

And if all else fails, there’s always the short skirts and flirty smiles.

Any thoughts, questions, ideas or feedback? Please feel free to leave me a note and start a conversation. As always, this blog is always an open dialogue, so feel free to jump in.

Welcome to the Real Public Relations blog! If you're already a public relations professional, this is a place to see what others in the industry are up to, and maybe learn a few things along the way. This is a place for PR folks, working journalists, small business owners, non-profit managers, experts and non-experts alike to gather, talk, exchange ideas and, hopefully to teach and learn about the many aspects of this la vida loca we call PR.

Please feel free to leave messages, ideas, thoughts and links that you think are interesting, educational or just fun. Let's make this a public relations resource unlike any other online.

Thank you and I look forward to your readership for a long time to come.

Chris Gallegos
Owner,
CG Communications