Cision’s Five Truths of Modern Media Targeting
If you subscribe to HARO (Help a Reporter Out) queries, you’re likely familiar with the format of these email alerts. If you are not, welcome to the world of HARO – a great database for journalists and PR professionals with a number of sources for upcoming stories and opportunities to secure media coverage for clients. HARO […]
A Place for Mom’s Walkability Findings
On July 26, 2017, A Place for Mom, the nation’s largest senior living referral service, released detailed findings from its Senior Living Preferences Survey. The findings, which are relevant to seniors, their families and friends, developers and urban planners, revealed some surprising trends in senior housing and care. A Place for Mom found one preference […]
Can You Hear Me Now? 7 Best Practices for Phone Interviews
From interns to account managers alike, scheduling and facilitating an interview can be a daunting (and butterfly-worthy) process. Recently, I had the opportunity to conduct my first interview with a business professional to gain supplemental information for an article I am writing. After a couple of minor miscommunications with my interviewee, I quickly learned that […]
Figuring Out AP Style
If you work in PR, there is a 99-percent chance you have written in AP Style, considering it is the leading writing and usage style guide for both reporters and public-facing corporate communication. When I first started interning at Communique, I had never even heard about AP Style and I certainly didn’t know any of […]
Learnings From Hosting a Behind-the-Scenes Tour of Rickreall Dairy
A couple of weeks ago, I headed south to Salem, Ore., to assist in hosting a farm tour at Rickreall Dairy, a farmer-owner of our client, dairy co-op Darigold. While the time away from the office, interacting with the cows and enjoying the fresh air, feels like an adult field trip, there is a lot […]
Win Forever: The Pete Carroll Method on How to Live, Work and Play Like a Champion
My goal for this summer was much different than previous summers. Growing up, summers were for being a kid, hanging out with friends, and working summer jobs for some extra cash. However, the older I am getting the more I am trying to prepare myself for the dreaded real world that we hear so much […]
Academia v. The Real World: What I Learned About Working in PR
As a student studying public relations, one of the first things taught is the importance of interning. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for public relations specialists are growing at 7 percent annually. With a large number of students receiving degrees in communication, it’s now more paramount than ever to “get your foot […]
Story Angles, Leads & Headlines: What Every PR Pro Should Know
As PR professionals, we want to spark the interest of busy journalists to motivate them to consider our story idea. These journalists receive hundreds of pitches per day. So, how do we pique their interest? Success often starts with presenting compelling information to journalists at the right time. It sounds pretty simple, but it can […]
The Tylenol Murders: A Case Study
Prior to 1982, Tylenol was just the little bottle you grabbed out of your medicine cabinet when a headache hit. Seven deaths, millions of dollars and 35 years later, that little bottle is now the poster-child for crisis management. What Happened? In the years leading up to 1982, Tylenol dominated the over-the-counter painkiller industry with […]
7 Components of a Successful Pitch
There is no master playbook or a one-size-fits all approach to a successful PR pitch, but there are several components that can help you adapt your outreach to meet your goals and objectives. No matter what you are promoting or who you’re trying to reach, there are certain elements all public relations professionals should consider […]