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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.

2021 Year-End Results: HeadLight

Throughout the year, the infrastructure construction industry took center stage. Attention on the sector was primarily due to the negotiations for a bill that would dedicate trillions in funding to improve our nation’s infrastructure. So, when we kicked off our partnership with HeadLight, a visual-based inspection technology, at the beginning of 2021, we knew there would be exciting opportunities to raise awareness about the company and the value of its solution as well as position its executives as thought leaders.

HeadLight had a momentous year with many significant milestones, including new customer wins, impressive growth figures, an expanding leadership team, award recognitions and original data that demonstrated the effectiveness of its product. Each of these achievements presented an opportunity to raise awareness about the company, its technology and its impact on modernizing infrastructure.   

In addition to announcing company milestones, we proactively pitched reporters to highlight how HeadLight, and innovation at large, could help the industry address labor shortages, improve productivity and resiliency, and support the execution of the infrastructure bill’s ambitious agenda. Through this media outreach, we established relationships with reporters on behalf of the company and demonstrated how HeadLight’s executive team could support their reporting.  

It was a noteworthy year for HeadLight and the industry. Below is a snapshot of some of the results we secured during the year.

We look forward to another exciting year ahead!

2021 HeadLight Coverage

HeadLight Thought Leadership

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Behind the Times: Journalism Grapples with Who Works in Newsrooms, and Who Doesn’t

As much as any fixture of modern life, newsrooms have been canaries in the coal mine on matters of social change. The presence of women and minorities in the newsroom has been regarded as a bellwether of a better modern society, an indicator of its transformative possibilities, and a righteous assault on one of the last redoubts of white male hegemony.

That’s changed in recent years, and certainly in recent months. As technology has evolved, people moved away from the generational habit of reading newspapers; for many, social media fully replaced the newspaper. Hiring practices that started to level the playing field began to retrench, and institutional inertia led to a lack of sustained effort in making changes.

Now journalism, like every other industry, copes with life amid the COVID-19 pandemic. While in recent decades women and people of color assumed positions of leverage and influence in U.S. newsrooms, the diversity numbers have pulled back more. News organizations were already tasked with reducing hiring and headcount across the board because of widespread economic pressures. The global coronavirus rampage has made POC newsroom hiring, already a relative rarity, almost nonexistent.

 

Transparency issues

As a result, some news organizations have given up even  trying to keep track of minorities in their newsrooms. It’s been too much for Meredith Clark of Northwestern University, who told The Associated Press in October that she was, “deeply discouraged that the journalism industry isn’t as transparent about its workforce in the way that it expects other industries to be transparent about theirs.”

It’s all a long way from the lofty promise of 1978, when the American Society of Newspaper Editors announced its oft-cited pledge to match the number of people of color in American newsrooms with their percentage in the population by the year 2000.

People of color in TV newsrooms increased to more than 26 percent between 2000 and 2020, approaching  the 39.3% of their percentage in the overall population, according to the Radio Television Digital News Association. But even that increase was countered with news that, in the same period, people of color in TV news leadership positions declined among black and Latino journalists.

 

Survey: Newsroom diversity matters

A 2021 Reuters Institute survey found that, generations after the importance of and need for diverse newsrooms was first widely acknowledged, the journalism industry still doesn’t get it. “In the light of the Black Lives Matter movement and greater awareness of historic injustices, ethnic diversity remains the biggest priority for media companies – identified by 35% as the single most important priority in terms of improving newsroom diversity, followed by gender diversity (26%) and greater diversity from less advantaged groups (17%),” the Reuters survey reported.

Newsrooms being a step or more behind the times, in itself, is not a new issue. But the industry’s hidebound tendencies aren’t isolated to matters of gender, race and ethnicity, either. Almost two years after the advent of the pandemic, newsrooms have been slow to make hard, pivotal choices on the value of remote or hybrid work locations for their employees.

However reluctantly, the journalism industry will have to address hybrid work or WFH as the next attack on its historical comfort zone. The Reuters Institute survey found that hybrid work will likely be an everyday thing for many journalists, eventually, since only 9% of news companies plan to bring back a pre-COVID workplace strategy – and 89 percent of newsroom leaders support that.

 

Bias: Same arena, new metric

Even this far into the most devastating public-health crisis in 100 years, the journalism industry struggles to respond with anything close to a united front on working remotely. Only one-third (34%) of news organizations have a remote or hybrid working model in place, according to the Reuters report. Some 57% of news orgs said they were still deciding the best way to make hybrid work, work.

According to the report, newsroom managers are increasingly concerned about another kind of bias than the one they’re historically used to dealing with. The issue of bias in journalism has, ironically, evolved. Historically and today, the focus has been on who works in the newsroom; as WFH grows in stature, the issue’s also becoming who doesn’t work in the newsroom.

“More practically,” the report continues, “managers worry about issues like ‘proximity bias,’ where the voices of those working remotely get ignored whilst those physically in the office and so close to decision makers benefit by being there in person, as well as how to get people physically together and foster team spirit. Managers feel they are bearing the brunt of major changes to operational working with the extra burden of communicating with and motivating staff they rarely see face to face.”

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Don’t Print That!

Reputable journalists do their best to attribute the information they publish to a relevant, named source. Offering transparency about a source’s identity, connection to the story and direct quote benefits a journalist’s audience because it builds credibility and allows readers to trust the information.

However, there are certain situations where explicit identification or direct quotes may put a source at risk. In addition, forming an agreement with a journalist not to publish certain information may allow for more freedom of communication while still influencing subsequent reporting. Sharing confidential information can also build rapport by demonstrating trust and helping journalists prepare for coverage of future news. PR professionals act as information brokers and knowing how, when and if to share information must be a skill in our toolbox.

 

Agreeing to the Terms

AP’s guidelines allow journalists to “shield [sources] with anonymity only when they insist upon it for a valid reason and when they provide vital information – not opinion or speculation; when there is no other way to obtain that information; and when [journalists] are confident the source is reliable and in a position to know.” Most journalists will not be interested in reporting information from anonymous sources without a good reason.

One of the key mistakes that sources can make when sharing confidential information is not understanding that terms like “on background” or “off the record” aren’t magical words that you can say after you overshare to protect yourself.

Anonymity and confidentiality in all its forms is an agreement that journalists make with their sources; if a journalist didn’t agree to the terms before a source shared information, they’re not breaking any laws or being unethical if they publish it. It’s also not rude for journalists to refuse to take a lead “on background” as they may not want to accept confidential information or navigate the intricacies of non-attribution with a source.

On the other hand, journalists may offer to pull attribution or information to maintain their relationship with a valuable source. They may also use non-attribution or an “on background” discussion to learn more about a story than they may have otherwise.

 

Information-Sharing Agreements

Terms like “on background” and “off the record” suggest different levels of confidentiality or anonymity, but discrepancies about their definitions can set sources and journalists up for disagreements. Here are some of the generally accepted definitions for different information-sharing agreements that sources can make with journalists:

  • “On the record” – When someone agrees to share information “on the record,” the journalist understands that they can directly quote the source with clear attribution (e.g., name, title, relevance to the story). Unless specified in advance, everything you say to a journalist is on the record.
  • “Under embargo” – This term indicates you’re sharing “on the record” information with a journalist with a caveat; when the journalist agrees to receiving information under embargo, they’re agreeing not to publish it until a specified time or until certain conditions are met.
  • “On background”/ “not for attribution” – If information is shared “on background” or “not for attribution,” journalists may not share the source’s name, exact job title or other uniquely identifying details. All involved parties must explicitly agree in advance on whether the journalist can directly quote sources and the level of detail they can use when describing the source’s relevance.
  • “Deep background” – This level of confidentiality requires journalists to paraphrase the information they’ve learned and to not include any description of the source. The journalist must share the information on their own authority, phrased similarly to “It has been learned that… .” This requires a high degree of trust between source and journalist. Deep background is also known as the Lindley Rule, named after Ernest K. Lindley, a Newsweek columnist who used it during the Truman administration to persuade U.S. leaders to discuss military and diplomatic affairs.
  • “Off the record” – Typically, information shared “off the record” is solely for the journalist’s knowledge and cannot be referenced at all. Sharing information off the record can allow journalists to find and possibly quote similar information from another source; this can allow people to steer a journalist to a story without connecting the information to themselves. However, in the case of the U.S. Government, its “off the record” policy requires that “Nothing of what the journalist is told may be used in the story. The information is meant only for the education of the reporter.” The term “off the record” was first used by President F. D. Roosevelt in the 1930s.

 

Tips for PR Pros

When working with a client, there are a handful of things you should make sure you’re doing to protect your client and any organizations they represent.

  • Evaluate the reasons for sharing confidential information. It may be beneficial to avoid sharing information that would be harmful if published in full.
  • Discuss the terms and their definitions with spokespeople. Clarify that these agreements should be reached ahead of time and that they aren’t legally binding. Make sure everyone is on the same page before your client shares something they can’t take back.
  • Suggest and confirm attribution descriptions with spokespeople. Discuss the terminology and phrasing a journalist should use to reference your client in the instance that information is shared “on background.”
  • Don’t change topics. Encourage spokespeople to stick to one topic when on background or off the record to avoid bringing up confidential information that wasn’t meant to be shared.
  • For high-stakes confidentiality situations, set up an NDA. Putting an agreement in writing can establish clear ground rules and offer some assurance to your client.
  • If you don’t want something in print, don’t share it with a journalist. Even if you and your client do everything right, there’s still a chance that a journalist may leak or publish information.

 

Establishing clear guidelines around sourcing and sharing privileged information is a key step that allows both journalists and PR professionals to navigate confidential conversations confidently and respectfully.

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2021 PR Results | BitTitan Reaches New Heights with International Bylines and Coverage

As 2021 winds to a close, it is fitting to look back on the previous year and take stock of the work we were able to accomplish. While the circumstances of the past two years have been difficult, there still has been much to celebrate in the last year in terms of results successfully secured for our clients.

BitTitan, the Bellevue, Washington-based cloud enablement company and a global leader in migrations and managed services automation, had an incredibly active year. The company released eight announcements in 2021, including the news of its first acquisition in April, when BitTitan acquired Perspectium, a data synchronization company that specializes in ServiceNow integrations. In October, BitTitan itself was acquired by Idera, an Austin-based B2B software company.

BitTitan has worked with Communiqué PR since October 2018. In its third full year working with our firm, BitTitan saw its highest numbers of PR coverage results to date. As of Dec. 14, BitTitan secured:

  • 97 article placements in North America
  • 251 articles worldwide, which is double last year’s total
  • 141,596,636 unique monthly visitors from our targeted outlets

In addition, with the help of our PRN partners, BitTitan secured the following coverage in the below international markets:

  • 60 articles in France
  • 35 articles in Australia
  • 30 articles in Japan
  • 12 articles in Germany
  • 9 articles in India

The year is not over yet, and we continue to monitor for additional BitTitan articles to publish. But as we look toward the new year, we are thrilled to acknowledge the work we’ve been able to accomplish with BitTitan. We are privileged to work with dynamic companies such as BitTitan that continue to push the boundaries of cloud enablement and IT innovation. We look forward to continuing our work with them in 2022 and driving more PR results across the globe to promote their amazing work.

Below are links to some of BitTitan’s thought leadership articles, news and international coverage.

 

Microsoft Teams Sprawl

 

Data Sovereignty

 

Government Migrations

 

The Role of IT in M&As

 

Company News & Announcements

 

Award Wins

 

Australia

 

France

 

Germany

 

India
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Best Practices for a Successful Panel

I am currently a public relations intern at Communiqué PR, working toward a BA in marketing and management at Seattle University (SU). In addition to school and work, I am nurturing leadership opportunities by running for executive positions, making connections with professors and community leaders, and taking full advantage of public speaking and panel opportunities. Various conferences and retreats have provided me firsthand panel experience, so I can learn from other experts and share my insights on professional opportunities, Filipinx empowerment, and workplace diversity and inclusion practices from a POC perspective.

Participating in a panel is a positive opportunity for people who have not had the chance to speak in front of large groups. While I am still early in my career, I have spoken at several events and panels. Below are some tips and best practices for you to consider for your next panel opportunity.

  • Prepare your speaking points as if you are creating a TEDx talk. Although panelists aren’t responsible for the entire presentation, the audience will benefit the most from their engaging content, including thoughtful anecdotes or stories to which audiences can relate, positive tone toward the subject, interacting with other panelists’ or audience’s input, and more.
    Another best practice is to avoid winging your speech or messaging points at the risk of sounding unprepared and letting down fellow panelists. Audiences can often tell a panelist is unprepared if they hear filler words such as “oh” or “um,” long pauses, or incomplete thoughts. When preparing for a panel, it’s better to prepare by rehearsing your points a few times in front of a mirror or with peers or family members. Rehearsal is essential for preparedness, so it’s helpful to think through a compelling opening and closing statement, bring personal anecdotes to spark discussion, and write down the main points you want the audience to take away from your speech.
  • Connect with your co-panelists and panel moderator before the event. Often, if schedules allow, moderators will convene the co-panelists before a presentation to connect and prepare to help ensure that the group’s points don’t repeat, overlap, or slow down the proceedings. These meetings also allow panelists to learn from one another, sharpen each other’s speaking points, and hopefully help foster long-lasting professional relationships. 
    Panel moderators play a valuable role because they bridge the panelists to the audience. Therefore, building a connection between the panelists and the moderator is vital because it fosters a productive and familiar space where individuals feel comfortable sharing ideas.
  • Keep the energy high throughout the panel. The success of a forum stems from the compelling energy moderators and panelists generate. An energetic and engaging speaker actively supports and listens to their co-panelists, is conscious of posture, projects when speaking, reacts, and builds onto the panelists’ and moderator’s points.
    If you serve as a panel moderator, you help set the tone and energy level for the discussion. Best practices for the moderator include creating questions specific to your seminar and making the dialogue unique, lively, and helpful for your audience. An effective moderator can carry positive energy for the whole event, facilitating exciting back-and-forth, supporting healthy and respectful debate, and checking back with the audience to maintain crowd engagement.

These seemingly small details can make the difference between an average panelist and a transformational speaker; one who inspires humble leadership, is conscious of their co-speakers, doesn’t dominate the conversation and strives to connect their experiences to the audience and facilitate panelists empathy.

Pursuing and taking advantage of speaking opportunities can dramatically improve your public speaking skills, help make new connections, and aid in learning how to foster an engaging environment. My panel sessions have provided me with confidence, insight, and growth that I will take into my post-grad and future endeavors.  

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How Proposal Management Software Supports Future Remote Work Models

Due to COVID-19, many workforces worldwide shifted into remote work weeks. Although much of daily life has returned to “normal” this year, remote work isn’t going anywhere for some businesses. In fact, nearly three-quarters (74%) of U.S. companies plan to permanently shift employees to remote work after the COVID-19 pandemic ends.

Due to this, tools that enable collaboration and communication across locations are becoming necessary. Last month, our client QorusDocs debuted their new Not Your Average Benchmark study, an in-depth report highlighting how proposal management software supported companies as they handled an influx in business requests and RFPs this year.

In particular, the QorusDocs study highlights how proposal management software supported employees as they continued working remotely and completed business proposals in 2021.

On average, 28 professionals within an enterprise respond to RFx requests. However, the work-from-home transition in 2020 made it difficult for many teams to collaborate seamlessly on responses, causing the whole process to become a slow and complicated effort filled with miscommunication and fulfillment bottlenecks.

With proposal management software, however, teams were able to see several benefits that aided their ability to efficiently respond to RFPs and other business proposals no matter from where in the world they worked.

 

Improved collaboration and internal communication

Collaboration is key to any business’s success. However, COVID-19 left a lasting impact on how employees collaborate. Before the pandemic, U.S. workers spent an average of 43% of their workweek collaborating either in person or virtually. That number fell to 27% for professionals who worked from home in 2020.

In 2021, however, many remote teams saw collaboration on business proposals and RFPs improve using proposal management software. According to the QorusDocs study, companies reported that collaborations on RFPs improved by a staggering 56%.

Additionally, 85% of survey respondents using proposal management software agree that it’s easy to collaborate when working on a request. 83% of enterprises also reported that the internal RFP completion process became more apparent and straightforward since implementing proposal management software.

Proposal management software enables teams to keep response templates and approved content in a single location, helping them get a head start on every project. Additionally, having materials grouped in a centralized location enables team members to quickly find answers for their questions, locate content relevant to prospective clients, and collaborate effectively with co-workers to produce high-level responses. 

 

Automated processes

Proposal management software equips teams with automated tools designed to enable the efficiency and quality of their proposal responses, ultimately leading to increased wins and more revenue-generation opportunities.

This past year, proposal management software greatly supported enterprises’ capacity to complete an increased volume of quality, personalized RFPs, and secure new business opportunities. Seventy-four percent of companies utilizing automated proposal tools saw a positive increase in deal velocity, and 54% could process a greater volume of RFP responses overall.

Additionally, the efficiency and automated process proposal management software brings to RFP development helped decrease the time spent responding to proposals by 53%. Along with this, 85% of companies using automated proposal software reported having the tools needed to effectively respond to proposals and cater to each specific request with greater detail and information.

 

The future of proposal management software and remote work

The U.S. job market is currently seeing a massive shift in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As industry experts predict the “Great Resignation” will continue in 2022, employers and companies are adding new incentives to keep current employees and attract new ones.

With many professionals not wanting to return to in-person workdays, remote and hybrid work weeks are common perks offered to the workforce. In fact, recent research has found that 74% of workers say that working remotely would make them less likely to leave a company.

Along with this, the global market for proposal management software is projected to grow from $1.5 billion in 2019 to $3.1 billion by 2024. The growing shift to cloud-based technologies, the integration of artificial intelligence-enabled tools, and the adaptability for remote work are just a few factors driving automated proposal software adoption.

As shown in 2021, many companies have benefited from the numerous tools automated technology offers, including the ability to build personalized RFx responses more efficiently, leading to a greater volume of completed requests, an increase in deal velocity and revenue, and growth in business win rates. Due to this, proposal management software will continue to be an integral tool for many workforces in 2022, especially as remote and hybrid work models become the “new normal.”

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