Public Relations Archives - Page 3 of 4

Not Content with Your Content? PR Can Help

(DGIwire) — These days, it’s easy for a company or brand with years of experience to get swept up in the veritable deluge of constant digital content. It’s not enough for a company to merely have a Facebook page or Twitter handle—these social media outlets need to be used constantly to be effective. But simply creating content for content’s sake isn’t effective either. Companies have to determine what kind of content is appropriate for their brand and how best to interact with their unique audiences.

Post-Advertising, a blog dedicated to writing about ways companies can optimize their brands, put together a list of types of content that audiences really want from your company’s online presence:

Behind-the-scenes content. Many of your consumers will be satisfied with simply purchasing and using or wearing your product. But true fans will want to interact with your brand on a deeper level. For example, if your company is in the midst of a redesign, you can share with them a sneak peek of your new logo. This makes your most loyal consumers feel a certain kinship with your brand.

Shareable content. People are always looking for information—whether it’s in the form of videos, images or text—to share on their own social media pages. Formatting your news releases in a relatable and newsworthy way—perhaps accompanied by a video or images—can increase the chances that your fans will share with their entire social media networks. Make sure your content is actually worth sharing, though.

Exclusive content. People will likely only subscribe to your social media feeds if they can get content that isn’t accessible anywhere else. Don’t just post your commercials on YouTube or put links to your products on Facebook and Twitter, since there’s no value in that. Consider releasing content only on a specific channel. This can be anything from video blogs to sneak previews to coupons to opportunities for presale.

Participatory content. Social media users are always up for a good game or contest. Take that well-known potato chip company, for example. The brand frequently runs contests where people can suggest new flavors and then vote on the flavors they like the most. And since they actually do choose an “average Joe” to win each time, it gives the rest of their fans hope that they can win the next round. Giving your fans a way to participate—especially if prizes and recognition are involved— ensures a more personal connection to your brand.

“Offering creative content is a great way to inspire your current consumers to stay loyal and also to attract new ones,” says public relations specialist Dian Griesel, Ph.D. “But creating the appropriate kind of content for your company can take time and effort that you simply may not have. You might want to consider taking advantage of the skills and resources of a professional public relations team to really punch up your company’s online presence.”

In addition to getting high-profile placements for each of their clients with top journalists in the media, Griesel and her experienced group of publicists and writers at DGI, a New York City-based media relations and news placement agency, help companies of all sizes—from large national organizations to entrepreneurial individuals—achieve their social media goals and create content that’s right for their products and services.

Griesel is also the author of ENGAGE: Smart Ideas to Get More Media Coverage, Build Your Influence & Grow Your Business. As she emphasizes, “Creating interactive, exclusive and shareable content can help dissolve some mystery and remind your consumers that living, breathing people are behind their favorite brands.”

What Sings Praises Best? Advertising versus Public Relations

(DGIwire) — “Don’t pay any attention to what they write about you. Just measure it in inches,” Andy Warhol once quipped about the media. While this strategy may have worked for Warhol whose edgy and unique persona triggered stacks of free media coverage, it is far more likely that Warhol actually did pay very close attention. Smart and successful marketers know: Paying attention is the best strategy for any person or company wishing to attract a wider client base for their products and services…or artwork.

The question then is how do you make sure the things written about you and your company are the “right” things that move all of your goals and objectives forward with clear messaging, and not merely shouts into the void? Advertising is certainly an option. It can be a surefire way to get your message out there, but it usually comes at a high cost. Add up the creative talents required to envision and design campaign messaging plus graphics–along with the possibility that the chosen outlets targeted and/or ultimate results/response may miss, the true cost for an advertising campaign can be exponentially higher than originally budgeted. Making advertising an even more expensive branding option is this: Advertising has a fixed cost, usually based on a combination of the audience that will be exposed to the advertisement or commercial, and the general demographics of that audience. For example, a company wishing to attract higher-paying clients or eager to sell high-end products will often have to spend more upfront on their advertising campaign.

Public relations, on the other hand, has the potential to yield more coverage for both companies and products than one might have originally imagined—using that same original investment…or maybe even significantly less. Although much maligned, misunderstood and a budget often first cut, unlike advertising, which is purchased coverage and guaranteed placement at a set time and place, real PR is earned. It comes in many forms including television segments; articles in newspapers and magazines; or the opportunity to contribute a column to an online outlet, for example. Today it may also be digital coverage of an article that goes viral on the internet or is highly shared on Facebook or some other social media network. The power behind earned media placements and that of their new sibling social media is the inherently positive effect on readers and viewers. Why? Because people are simply more likely to trust and engage with quality information and rely on it when making purchasing decisions that comes from a respected third party outlet or is shared by a friend or trusted source.

While many companies might feel more in control by paying for advertising, having a smart public relations plan in place that delivers carefully crafted messages and value will build undeniable credibility. Content that educates, informs, amuses and captivates will go a long way towards connecting you to your desired customers and partners in a wholly unique way. More so, it can deliver multi-fold returns when your readers feel compelled to share your articles with their friends and followers. This paradigm holds true whether good times or bad, booming markets or busts.

Targeting the correct journalists and bloggers, and customizing your pitch to each respective media outlet is essential if coverage is expected. It takes time, planning and creativity to earn “free” media coverage and build brand advocates. If the internal resources lack time or skillsets, an outside agency becomes an essential line item in the overall budget.

Ignoring public relations and leaving it entirely out of your marketing plans will ultimately create a significant hole in your branding and sales success. This fact holds true regardless of the industry you’re competing in and it applies to every product or service.

While the cost for a good public relations program may initially appear on the expense side of the balance sheet, with a strong partner and a strategic multi-faceted plan, the results from greater brand recognition and heightened thought-leadership positioning are priceless additions that contribute to the plus side of sales for those companies that do it right.

In doubt? Do a little research. Call the advertising departments of some of your favorite publications. Ask them if their covers are available for purchase. I think you know the answer. And it is in this answer that the value of public relations becomes comprehensible and priceless. A cover story can be obtained only one way.

Dian Griesel is an award-winning author and president of Dian Griesel International a public relations agency specializing in traditional media and controlled digital content. For more information go to: DGIcomm.com or call: 212.825.3210

Four Tips for Successfully ‘Engaging’ with the Media

(DGIwire) — In The Devil Wears Prada, Miranda Priestly, editor-in-chief of Runway magazine, is known for instilling fear in her editorial staff. When one of her editors modestly suggests running a floral spread for their upcoming spring issue, Priestly rolls her eyes and cuttingly replies: “Floral? For spring? How groundbreaking.”

Although the movie portrays fictional characters, it accurately demonstrates the cutthroat publishing world. Increased costs for newspapers and magazines have driven many publications to beef up their online content, making their websites as reputable as their print editions. Even The New York Times’ website only allows users to read a certain number of articles per week unless they pay for a subscription.

This presents an even bigger challenge for new companies hoping to get a feature article in a well-known publication. Reporters are under stress from their editors, who are in turn under stress from their editors-in-chief. If the majority of top editors are anything similar to Miranda Priestly, a company attempting to get its name out to the public stands little chance.

Fortunately for up-and-coming companies, and even established ones that want to increase their visibility, public relations professionals have the know-how to attract the media attention their clients deserve. Dian Griesel, Ph.D., the author of ENGAGE: Smart Ideas to Get More Media Coverage, Build Your Influence, & Grow Your Business, and President of DGI Comm, an award-winning media relations and news placement agency based in New York City, offers these necessary steps for locating and successfully landing the right media contacts:

Do the research. Read all the appropriate trade and consumer magazines. Identifying publications that are in tune with a company’s product, service or message will lead to the reporters, editors and producers who will want to cover the company.

Get to know the reporters. Learn what type of articles specific reporters write. Each one has a different beat, so if a business is retail-based, a reporter who primarily writes about restaurants and nightlife should not be contacted. Pay attention to where competitors advertise, because then it will be clear which reporters and publications might be interested in a company.

Show an interest. Demonstrating familiarity with a reporter’s work will increase the chance of eliciting a response. When a reporter is contacted, say, “Considering your interest in this topic, I thought you might like to know about (insert your company).” Think of it as a courtship—mutual interest and respect must be present for it to work.

Don’t get discouraged. Getting a story in print or on a prominent website might require contacting four, five or even more editors and publications before finding one who will listen to a pitch. Send out a new round of pitches each month—eventually one journalist (for newspapers and magazines) or producer (for TV and radio) will bite.

“Take it from me, persistence pays,” says Dian. “If someone believes their story is worthy of publication, they must keep calling and emailing until they find the right reporter or editor. Rejection doesn’t mean that the publication is not appropriate for the story—it might just mean that the right reporter has yet to be found.”

Five Tips for Making a Better Corporate Video

video (DGIwire) — Creating corporate videos can be intimidating because of how important they can be for improving an organization’s image—or not. The good part is, whatever it is that makes them unique and great, an engaging corporate video has the power to truly distinguish a company or organization. The bad part? Many struggle to grasp the audience they desire to reach—whether customer, trainee, prospective partner or investor—and further struggle to capture the culture and essence of their business.

Done right, a corporate video can surprise, intrigue and even captivate viewers. Here are five tips for better corporate videos provided by Dian Griesel, Ph.D., President of DGI Comm, a corporate communications firm.

1. Pretend It’s the First- To be truly imaginative, every notion of what a corporate video looks and sounds like needs to be forgotten. “Outside the box” concepts are not thought up while watching other corporate videos. Instead, they stray as far as possible from the boundaries of what’s been done before. If nothing else, breaking away from the conventional format will catch the viewer by surprise and have a better chance of keeping their attention.

2. Share the Reins- Gathering as many opinions as possible is crucial. Learning to accept constructive criticism is just as important a skill in video production as it is in the corporate setting. One hurdle that plenty of corporate leaders—especially those adamant about their company’s vision—face, is understanding that what’s most interesting to them might not be to everyone else.

3. Swap Shoes- When deciding what works and what doesn’t, just as in relationships, taking a look from the other person’s shoes is always the best solution. In making a corporate video, understanding the audience and the “types of shoes” they wear is even more important. Think about the people who will be watching the video and try and imagine what it should make them feel. Then come up with the most effective ways to create that feeling.

4. Please, Cut Out the Fat! Boredom is likened to torture in this “digital age.” A corporate video should not be an autobiography; accept that not everything can be said. Prioritize the messaging, cut, cut and cut, and then repeat. A shorter video can be just as memorable, if not more memorable, than a long one.

5. Formulate a Narrative: Telling a story is the perfect way to keep the attention of an audience and tie the organization to a greater purpose. There’s no need to overplay one’s staff or company—or say one is saving the world when it’s not the case—but share how even the most ordinary work affects the everyday lives of whoever will be watching the video.

Decisive Decision-Making and the Role of Visionary Leaders

leader (DGIwire) — People sometimes confuse “management” with “leadership.” A good manager should have some strong leadership qualities, but ultimately their job lies in maintenance. A manager has to make sure their team stays on the right path, whereas a leader is the one who creates that path in the first place—in his/her more visionary role. This said, a good leader would be nowhere without a good manager, and vice versa. Collaboration is critical for getting things done. A leader has to be able to delegate tasks and trust that their team will get them done.

But what exactly does a leader do? Assuming a leadership role, whether as owner or executive, you have implicitly agreed to become responsible for the direction of your company—and specifically the paths your team or organization take to achieve their goals. People will continuously rely on your vision as well as your decisive decision-making skills to do what is in the best interests of your company’s health and the bottom line.

Although decision-making as a leader might entail a wide array of components that can hardly be summarized in a few paragraphs, there are some basic attributes that can be observed across the board. Dian Griesel, President of DGI, based in New York City as well as the author of several books, knows from hands-on experience what it takes to be an effective leader today and what leaders need to look for in management.

“Each leader will lead in his or her own way,” says Griesel. “However, when you’re at the front of the room, and people are looking to you for the answers, there are a few basic skills that you should have in your tool kit. These include honesty and transparency, confidence and collaboration. These might seem like broad terms, but they are important enough to create a solid framework for everyone, and specific enough so that each person can put his or her own spin on them.”

It’s not enough to seem honest, Griesel elaborates, because most people will be able to see right through you. “If you find yourself approaching a task with ulterior motives, it might be time to step back and re-examine. Chances are, your team will sense you’re hiding something from them, and if they find out you’re not telling them the truth, your credibility will likely be shot for any future projects. Approaching your team with openness and honesty will prompt them to trust you more, and make them more likely to trust you in the future.”

Although it’s nearly impossible to please everyone on your team all the time, seriously considering their strengths and weaknesses—without sacrificing your own choices and opinions—will likely yield positive results and contribute to a good team dynamic. It will make the team more likely to trust you, and expedite future tasks.

Speaking of the future, it’s always a good idea to over prepare. This is more than having a “Plan B” scenario in mind, Griesel explains. She believes you should also have a good exit strategy just in case your decision doesn’t go as planned. “Flexibility will go a long way here. As hard as it might be, you need to leave your stubbornness at the door to become a good leader. Leaders tend to be strong-willed, which sometimes breeds obstinacy. A good way to do this is to view your decisions from an outsider’s vantage point. What do your team’s operations look like from above? Learning to step outside of yourself can be a very useful skill to view how others see you and remove some of your personal biases that could be keeping your team from achieving its goals.”

Many other business and thought leaders likewise believe there’s a big difference between confidence and arrogance, and that many leaders walk a thin line between the two. They warn that the moment your team senses arrogance, they will likely feel you don’t respect their opinions, which will make them lose respect for your authority. Confidence, on the other hand, is contagious. If your team senses that you are confident in your position and in your ability to make decisions, it might empower them to take on more tasks.

Even if a leader does have to backtrack on their decision, or implement a “Plan B” scenario, this shouldn’t negatively impact the leader’s confidence. Confidence transcends simply saying “yes” or “no”—it’s about having the self-assurance to admit faults or mistakes and not fall apart under the pressure.

“What it comes down to is that good leaders move the organization as a whole to achieve their tasks. This includes motivation, confidence and transparency,” says Griesel.

Although it seems like this skill is best-suited for the workplace, “leadership skills often come in handy during decision-making in every aspect of life,” she adds.