Insights for Leaders Navigating
Visibility, Credibility, and Growth.
From media strategy to reputation management, we explore the trends shaping public perception and share the approaches that drive measurable results for growing brands.
When a company has news, the most common request we hear from clients is to distribute a press release announcing the newest product, customer or award win. But prepare yourself for a radical idea: A press release isn’t always the best way to communicate your company’s news.
My colleague, Holly, recently wrote about using targeted pitches to share news beyond using a press release. But there are other options as well, including using a news blog. A blog can save your company money when compared to costs distributing a news release over a wire service. Additionally, getting reporters to pay attention to your press release is challenging – most aren’t newsworthy, the market is inundated with them, and some can be overly technical and uninteresting. If you develop a blog, consistently write compelling content and amplify its existence, you’ll eventually build a solid audience of customers, influencers and employees.
In his post, “Are Blog Posts Better Than Press Releases?” Jeremy Porter provides guidance for companies exploring the option.
Below are some of the tips:
- Make It Official: Whether your company already sends press releases or is a startup and hasn’t established that method yet, it’s important to inform your contacts about the plan to communicate news via the blog and recommending they subscribe to the RSS feed. Jeremy also suggests offering different types of RSS subscriptions if the blog’s content will be varied.
- Plan Your News Calendar: A press release may be distributed for your company only a handful of times a year, but that’s not an effective cadence for a blog. It’s necessary to publish blogs more often and an editorial calendar is the best way to plan the posts. Your posts can cover many topics and formats including employee profiles, Q&A, trends and major industry news. A blog also offers more options for dynamic content like graphics, video and other multimedia.
- Build An Archive: Jeremy recommends publishing all of your company’s press releases from the past year on the blog, post-dated to coincide with the press releases’ distribution dates. This will function as the news archive and provide search engine optimization for post rankings.
- Solicit Reader Feedback: Blog posts offer engagement opportunities that press releases can’t match. Readers can leave comments to spark a discussion, provide feedback on your news and add perspective. Invite their commentary with your posts and eventually you’ll garner input.
- Track the Results: Once the blog is underway, you can begin gaining analytics about the reach, audience and interest in your posts. You can also see which organizations covered the post and linked back to it. This information allows you to share insights with your organization’s leaders and can help your PR team in prioritizing which outlets to follow up with on your company’s news.
Many organizations are pursuing this communications avenue, including the FBI, Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood and Google. Is this an idea your company explored in the past? Why kinds of success are you seeing or what might be holding you back?
At Communiqué PR we are always trying to stay current on the latest social media and PR trends, and how they can benefit our clients.
I recently came across an article on Ragan.com titled, “How Pinterest can boost your press release results” (by Carrie Morgan, September 21, 2012.) The article presented interesting ways that Pinterest can be used to increase the reach of your press release. I found the tips intriguing and thought it would be worth sharing.
Consider the following:
1. Add an infographic to your release and pin it. Images are a great way to boost a media pitch or blog post. The same is true for a press release. By adding a relevant infographic to your press release, you help news outlets by providing a visual element. The next step is to upload the infographic to Pinterest and hyperlink to the full press release with a short summary and hashtags.
For example, if you are distributing a press release about a new shoe store, you could include an infographic that illustrates shoe trends.
Morgan suggests searching “infographic” on newswire services like Marketwire, BusinessWire or PRNewswire for inspiration.
2. Create a Pinterest newsroom. Many corporate websites have newsrooms or pressrooms that highlight media coverage and press releases. Now companies can replicate this on Pinterest.
Your newsroom can include infographics, news clips, blog posts, videos and team leadership photos. You can link headshots of the CEO to a biography, bylined article or other relevant content. Once you do this, Morgan suggests linking their name directly to their pinboard, if they have one, when you quote them in a press release.
3. Create a pinboard that fits your infographic or news topic. By creating a pinboard that relates to your press release, you are likely to increase search traffic. For example, if your press release is about a new shoe store opening, you could create a pinboard that would be relevant to fashionistas. Many shoe connoisseurs might search for inspiration with keywords like “boots for winter,” making this a perfect title for a pinboard. This type of a pinboard could target your audience and complement the infographic you select for a press release. You can also link back to your press release.
4. Optimize the pin using the same keywords optimized in your press release. Pinterest holds a lot of power for SEO, according to Morgan. You can do this by using the keywords from your press release in the title and summary of the pin.
Additionally, include the keywords as hashtags. Morgan writes, “I’ve had boards rank highly in Google within 48 hours, even for keywords that have been difficult to rank using traditional methods.”
Using the shoe store example, you could use keywords like “#boots”, “#heels”, “#footwear,” etc.
5. Use Pinterest for free market research. Pinterest can be a great tool to identify different trends based on pinning. We wrote previously about how Nordstrom used Pinterest to identify which fashion trends resonated with consumers based on items being repinned.
You can leverage Pinterest to spark ideas for bylined article topics or other trend pieces by paying attention to what is being repinned and liked.
Using the shoe store example, if consumers are repinning a particular knee-high boot, you could develop a blog post about how knee-high boots are hot this fall and provide ideas for creating an entire look.
We love learning about how organizations are leveraging social media platforms in new and creative ways. The most effective social media strategy will be different for each company; we work with our clients individually to identify what makes the most sense to help them accomplish their business and communications objectives. While this Pinterest approach might not be right for every organization, it is definitely worth exploring!
How is your brand leveraging Pinterest?
Here at Communique, we love working with start-ups and small businesses. We are familiar with the creative and collaborative mindsets of both work environments, which make phenomenal settings for innovation and professional development. However, it can be daunting for both start-ups and small businesses to expand, especially into foreign markets—even if there is an ideal market abroad. Being a small business ourselves, we understand the need to constantly search for ways to improve and streamline our business and costs. This includes a careful approach to expansion, something of which any small business should be mindful.
This past summer, I was lucky to have the opportunity to intern with the U.S. State Department at the U.S. Embassy, Port Louis, Mauritius. Along with meeting some of the impressive, inspiring, and hardworking staff of the U.S. State Department, I was also able to gain some insight into the various resources the U.S. government provides for businesses.
During my time with the State Department, I was pleased to learn how many government programs exist to help American small businesses in particular. Although a potentially intimidating task for any business, the U.S. government offers a collection of services to assist small businesses in expanding into foreign markets.
- SBA.gov.The U.S. Small Business Administration has a wide selection of guides on starting and managing a business, a variety of loans and grants, information on government contracting, and counseling and training resources. See one extremely helpful guide: Financing Your Small Business Exports, Foreign Investments, or Projects.
- Export-Import Bank of the United States. “Ex-Im” is the official export credit agency of the United States. They provide loan programs to facilitate export opportunities for both large and small businesses. Ex-Im Bank’s services include working capital guarantees, export credit insurance, and loan guarantees. Roughly 85% of their transactions are associated with U.S. small businesses.
- OPIC.OPIC is the federal government’s development finance institution. OPIC provides financial products (loans and guarantees), political risk insurance, and support for investment funds to help American businesses expand into emerging markets. OPIC’s overarching goal is to mobilize private capital to solve critical development challenges, advancing U.S. foreign policy, and generating revenue, jobs, and growth both domestically and abroad.
- Office of Investment Affairs. This office’s primary goal is to advance international investment interests of the United States domestically and abroad. Online, the OIA offers information on trade agreements and treaties. Additionally, OIA generates “Investment Climate Statements,” a guide of other nations’ economies that utilizes layman’s terms to describe different areas of foreign economies essential to investment.
If you’re considering expanding your small business into a foreign market, make sure to look at the resources the U.S. Government can offer you. After all, you’re already paying for them.
For more from CPR on small businesses, check out:
- Building (and Maintaining) a Sense of Passion in Small Business Settings, 7/5/2012
- Four Ways Instagram Can Lead a Small Business to Success, 6/15/2012
- Our Favorite Business Blogs, 6/30/2010
Are you considering expanding your small business into a foreign market? What resources have you found helpful?
As PR professionals, we are tasked with selling our client’s story to target media and influentials. We must convince them our client has something interesting to say that their readers would be interested in knowing. As such, one of the most critical skills in PR is the ability to write well. Not just the mechanics of writing, but the creative art of storytelling.
Anyone who has spent time writing for a living knows that sometimes the ideas seem to fall from the sky and the words flow freely from pen to page. Creative flow just happens. But there are days when the flow freezes over. No ideas come to mind and writing becomes an arduous task – classic writer’s block.
After experiencing a recent bout with writer’s block, I thought it would be helpful to share some of my own tips and strategies, as well as what I’ve learned from others, for melting the ice and returning the flow.
- Start writing. Something. Anything! Sometimes the best way to get started is simply to get started, even if you don’t have any idea what you are going to say or in which direction your writing is headed. The act of putting something down on paper or tapping away at the keyboard (even on an unrelated topic), often triggers the formulation of new ideas and loosens up the creative flow.
- Write first, research later. Once you’ve settled on a topic, flesh out early ideas with some non-stop-writing. Professional writing instructor and founder of the National Writers Workshop, Roy Peter Clark, suggests writing for 10 minutes without stopping even before you’ve completed your research. Clark says, “Your early writing – call it a ‘zero draft’ – will teach you what you know and what you still need to learn.” He also suggests you lower your standards at the beginning of the process and raise them later, so your desire for perfection doesn’t inhibit you from getting started. Clark’s tips were published on the popular online writing resource Grammar Girl.
- Do your homework. Information junkies may do better with the opposite approach – research first. In his article on overcoming writer’s block, published on the Psychology Today blog, author and journalist Steven Kotler says, “If I have nothing to say, then maybe it’s because I literally have nothing to say. I haven’t done my homework. So the first thing I do when stuck is more research. I read everything. I dream up questions and then I call people a lot smarter than myself and ask.”
- Make it personal. If you have any leeway with the direction of a topic, try to align it with what you already know or what interests you. Having some familiarity with or interest in a topic makes idea generation much more natural. And chances are if it interests you, it will interest someone else.
- Tune out. Often the best ideas come while taking a shower or weeding the garden. Creativity often takes place in the spaces between forced thought. That’s when our brains are free to process information and make connections from all the input rattling around upstairs.
- Get moving. We’ve all heard it many times, but it’s worth repeating. Exercise, and the subsequent release of endorphins, can clear your mind, rev up your mood and restore brainpower. But be sure to skip the headphones. Exercising without music allows your mind to wander and your thoughts to become clearer (see “Tune out” above.)
At Communiqué PR, we have the opportunity to work with companies at all stages of growth. From Facebook to Opscode to Attachmate to The Bravern, our client list has presented us with many opportunities to watch a company evolve and grow. With start-ups, we are often brought in at a time when messaging is constantly shifting, but from our experience, consistency is key with media and customers.
I came across an interesting article in Ragan’s that highlighted “12 moves that will destroy or deteriorate your brand.” The article provides great tips on things to avoid in any stage of a company’s branding. I’ve included a few tips gleaned from the article, as well as examples we’ve seen.
- Have a logo. A big part of a company’s brand recognition is tied to its logo. What comes to mind when you see the golden arches? Obviously, McDonalds. What about the Swoosh? Nike has that locked down. You want your logo to stick in people’s minds, so keep it simple. Think about the simple logos that you remember like Apple and Google. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on the logo, but it should represent your brand and be memorable.
Additionally, it is important to keep the logo consistent. Author Amy McCloskey Tobin points out that it is OK to “refresh” the look of a logo, but don’t change it every year. You miss out on the most important function of a logo — brand recognition.
- Have a clear corporate voice. It is important that an organization has a corporate voice. Determine what type of personality your company wants and make sure to interact with customers in that fashion. For example, Nordstrom is very customer-service oriented. The customer is always right. The employees at Nordstrom are always happy to resolve customer dissatisfaction and that message is carried throughout the company’s story. Once your voice is determined, ensure that all employees are trained accordingly.
- Develop a PR crisis plan. No matter what industry you are in, a PR crisis can occur and it is important to have a plan in place. From employee indiscretion to product malfunction to social media flubs, we’ve seen a vast array of crises. It is important to have the processes in place to protect your brand. Who will respond to the PR disaster? What will the approach be? As an agency, we typically work with organizations to develop a PR plan to prepare for a crisis. For more information on “Key Elements of a Crisis Communication Plan,” check out our previous blog post.
- Keep your website fresh. Just having a website is not enough. A company website needs to be a clean representation of your brand. Chances are most people will use the web to find you. A company should update its website with the most accurate and relevant information. I typically visit a restaurant’s web page before I dine to check out the menu, atmosphere and specials. If the website is outdated or hard to navigate, I usually chose another place.
- Develop a social media voice. Having a social media presence is important and so is having a plan of attack. If you do not represent your company on social media, it is likely that someone else will. Conversations could be happening on Twitter about your brand and you will have no insight or voice in the discussion unless you have an active presence. For more information on “Creating an Authentic Presence on Social Media,” please read our previous blog post.
- Create consistent messaging. It is important for a brand to have consistent messaging surrounding what the company does and any supporting statistics. This will help ensure that everyone is on the same page when speaking about the company and will ensure a clear picture is illustrated in the media and to customers. For tips on messaging, read “Five Best Practices Surrounding Messaging Workshops.”
What has helped your organization boost its brand?
Ragan’s PR Daily recently published an article by Daphne Gray-Grant who is a writing and editing coach and author of 8½ Steps to Writing Faster, Better. I thought the article titled, “Seven Habits of Highly Effective Writers” was a gem, and completely spot on.
It’s no secret that as a PR professional, exceptional writing skills are a must-have. And by exceptional, I don’t mean that you simply must ensure your writing is clear and clean of grammatical errors and typos. You also have to be creative, efficient and adept at tailoring your message to the appropriate audience.
In Gray-Grant’s 30 years of experience in coaching others to become highly effective writers, she’s found seven traits most commonly found in effective writers. I’ve sprinkled her traits with my own tips that I’ve found incredibly helpful in strengthening my writing.
1. Separate the writing and the editing processes. When you’re writing, just write. As your thoughts and ideas come, jot them down. Don’t worry too much about clarity of thought, the initial quality, flow, etc. Gray-Grant cites writer Cecil Castellucci, who says, “The best flowers are fertilized by crap,” so give yourself permission to write a crummy first draft.
The editing process is your opportunity to reorganize, obsess over word choice and ensure you’re clearly communicating. So, write first, edit later.
2. Focus on the interesting. Effective writers tell a compelling story. Whether you’re an effective writer or an effective speaker, you know it’s important to capture your audience. One of the best ways to do this is by using real-life examples or anecdotes to communicate a theoretical or extremely technical topic. Who doesn’t love a good story?
3. Tap into the power of metaphor. Gray-Grant cites metaphor expert Anne Miller who says, “Metaphors lead to instant understanding.” Enough said.
4. Do adequate research. Research is the foundation of a lot of things, especially writing. How will you know what to say if you’re not sure what you’re talking about? Gray-Grant notes that effective writers understand that good research is all about asking interesting questions—of themselves, of the books, websites and reports they read as well as anyone they interview. The answers to your questions will provide the fodder needed for writing.
5. Learn from the writing of others. As an effective writer, you understand that you’re also a life-long learner. It’s important to continue refining and fine tuning your craft. There’s always more to learn when it comes to writing. One of the most powerful ways to do this is to actively read, read more and read again. The key word here is actively read. Analyze writing techniques, dissect sentence structures, continue to learn all you can about the art and craft of writing.
6. Write in small bursts. This is a valuable tip for me. In my day-to-day, it’s often difficult to find time to sit and focus on writing for more than an hour at a time without being interrupted by immediate client needs, meetings, or the need to check incoming emails and voicemail. I’ve learned that I’m most effective when I have bursts of inspiration that I quickly put on paper and then come back to at a later time. Before I know it, I have the most critical content needed to build my story and merely need to connect my thoughts and edit my work. Although it may seem a bit piecemealed and frazzled at first, exceptional writing is often done a little at a time.
7. Read your work out loud. I know this trait sounds like it’s taking you back to elementary school when your teacher called on you to read aloud. However, as Gray-Grant says, language isn’t just meaning—it’s also music. Whenever I read my work out loud, I almost always come up with a different approach to communicating my point in a way that flows better. Sure, some of my coworkers may think I’m nuts for whispering to myself, but in the end, it leads me to my best work.
Are you an effective writer? What tips and tricks do you have?