Top7PR

Behind The Scenes Of Adele’s Powerful ‘30’ Campaign

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 09:28:22 GMT

Adele’s fourth studio album 30 came out on November 19, 2021. And just like that it broke records in sales and streams, becoming a huge milestone for the British talent as well as anyone aspiring to reach her level of success. 30 was a long way coming, with several years in the works. It was inspired by the artist’s experiences as a star and icon, motherhood, divorce, and deeply profound emotions like heartache and self-acceptance.

According to MusicWeek, “The album was a sales phenomenon in Q4 of 2021 and came out on top at the end of the year after less than two months on sale. 30 now has sales to date of 715,958, according to the Official Charts Company. Lead single ‘Easy On Me’ broke records. “It was an incredible team effort, so many people were involved in making it happen. We were working with the global team in the US, and us all being aligned as a global team is what made this success.” Columbia Records went on to win in the Artist Marketing Campaign category at the Music Week Awards 2022. So who was behind the powerful campaign and what tools did they employ?

“People think it’s a given with someone like Adele, and obviously she is incredible and the music is so incredible – it speaks for itself,” said Hayley Marchant, senior marketing manager (MusicWeek). “There was a lot of pressure on us, but it was such an amazing campaign to work.” What really got the buzz going was a simple tactic of teaser projections all across the UK as well as the rest of the world, followed by stunning UK and US Vogue covers. Once the album dropped, it immediately became available on Spotify and streams began pouring in, breaking through millions in no time.

There were huge expectations set for Adele’s 30 album, and the team of marketers did their best to bring it all to life. Reacting to their win at the Music Awards, Luna Cohen-Solal, senior digital marketing manager said, “Adele delivers the best music and it makes us want to deliver the best marketing campaign. It was definitely a new set-up and it was very exciting.”

Top 3 Music PR Agencies Ranked

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 09:18:09 GMT

Music promotion is quite the buzzing market today. And with hundreds of indie artists joining the scene every week, the competition is becoming tougher. Music PR uses several most common tactics to deliver your music to the audience. Those include playlist promotion on platforms like Spotify, press promotion (getting story/coverage on your music in credible publications), digital advertising, and influencer marketing. In this article, read about the top three music PR agencies that offer the best service when it comes to Spotify playlisting.

#1 Playlist Push

Quite a cost-efficient music PR company to work with, Playlist Push is another top pick. Go through their website and you’ll easily find all the information you need to get you started. In comparison with Indie Music Academy, Playlist Push uses automation and algorithms to pitch music to playlists, which does make it a bit of a risk, however the company does not guarantee any results. On the other hand, numerous indie artists have reported beneficial results for the amount of money spent. Playlist Push also offers TikTok Influencer promotion, something that could easily be a go-to, seeing as how many artists emerged off of TikTok with a single clip going viral.

#2 Indie Music Academy

This music PR company is one of our top three picks because of its thorough approach to Spotify stream-promotion. Rather than relying on fake numbers, you can rest assured that Indie Music Academy brings about thousands of streams for independent artists in the most organic way possible. Spotify playlist promotion is a tricky business yet Indie The company is so transparent with everything they do, they even documented the process of playlist promotion and the exact steps they’re taking to insure legitimate streams on a separate document that can be found on their website!

#3 YouGrow

YouGrow is our number one favorite out of all playlist promotion agencies because it’s as legit as they come with real people and real streams, and an extremely professional and helpful team to communicate with. YouGrow does essentially Spotify playlisting and streams, pitching your music to different playlists and getting really impressive placements. However, if for any reason the artist does not wish to be on a certain playlist, YouGrow is there to help! In addition to Spotify playlisting, YouGrow also does TikTok influencer promotion as well las YouTube ads, and if you go for the full deal, some really awesome results are pretty much guaranteed.

DIY Marketing Vs Hiring A PR Firm

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 09:17:12 GMT

Music is one of the most competitive markets in the world.

You certainly know that on Spotify alone, more than 40,000 tracks are distributed each day!

Therefore, to stand out, you will have to market your music, build a solid audience, and give yourself visibility. This is called music marketing. And either you train yourself to have these skills (which is quite feasible), or you pay a coach to teach you the science and processes behind it.

The other solution is to pay a PR company to do the work for you. Be aware that if you are a beginner, it will not necessarily be of much use. You will have to go through the “audience target” phase! A press officer can only sell your music and vision as an artist. If you don’t have anything of quality to pitch, nor a small, highly engaged fanbase that follows you, you might end up scattering your money to the wind. To keep in mind, a good PR costs around $1500 per month.

Since we live in modern times, the use of social media makes it possible to spend money on promoting your music directly to a specifically targeted audience, through Facebook and Instagram advertising. And that you can do on your own. And it will cost you less than paying for the services of a PR. You can also do your own promotion on Youtube. And you can directly contact media, influencers, playlisters, journalists on platforms like Submithub.

Now, if you really don’t feel that you have the necessary expertise, or don’t have the time at all to devote to your own promotion, you will have to turn to a music PR agency that will do the work for you.

These companies offer their expertise to use the various social media platforms to promote your music to a wider audience. Generally, the budget you pay is spent on digital advertising, by targeting the right audience and the right areas of interest, so that your music is broadcast to as many possibly interested potential fans.

A good social media marketing company should ask you for a budget. It usually takes your budget and spends it on various platforms and influencers to get views on your video and engagement depending on the contract. Its fees are usually a percentage of your ad spend.

How To Know If A PR Firm Is Legit Or A Fraud?

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 09:16:10 GMT

Music promotion agencies, or Music PR Firms create, manage and implement advertising and promotion campaigns for artists’ new music or events. They take care of public relations to maximize the exposure of an artist’s releases or tours. Many independent artists, finding these tasks time-consuming or not knowing exactly how to do it, choose to appeal to such firms. And often-times, they can experience being scammed by agencies, selling miraculous followers and streams and formulas to their clients.

How to avoid being fooled? How to filter through the thousands of PR agencies?

From key questions to ask, tips for identifying scammers, and tips for dealing with them, this article will give you the necessary knowledge for artists to wisely choose a publicist or a music marketing agency.

Before talking about music pr and its various players, we want to draw your attention to the first thing to check (regardless of the type of service you are seeking as an artist):

MANDATORY LEGAL NOTICES

Does their website have any legal notices, general conditions and privacy policy? If not, you better escape while you can!

If a company that offers you services or sells products is not able to display this information MANDATORY by law … it does not look legit. And that goes for any business even outside the music industry. Having a business means being responsible and knowing the duties that come with it, and finding out about legal obligations. Not respecting these obligations says a lot about the management of the company and the lack of transparency displayed to its customers. Without the existence of a proper terms & conditions display, artists will have no guarantee on the service, the reimbursement if necessary, or even the working method, and to ensure that the company is even registered in the first place.

Another point on which artists must pay attention to is press references.

Does the agency or freelancer tell you that it has an article or an interview in Forbes, or a TV appearance on NBC? For you, is this a sign of credibility or success?

Often, these passages are paid for by the agency or the freelancer himself. And yes, articles in major magazines are often paid for, published as sponsored content.

Conclusion:

A good PR firm should be able to tell you about their current clients and clearly explain their strategy. They must be able to name each person contacted at each place where they have contacts. They must be passionate about your project and have listened to your music before your first call, with a clear idea of the target media required for your campaign. They should know your music genre and be able to identify other artists similar to your music.

To avoid

Any company that won’t give you a price for their services. Avoid companies or publicists who ask for your budget first, then write you a proposal to match that budget. A PR company needs to know who your music can reach, how long it will take, and the budget needed to achieve those goals. They should budget to match your goals, not the other way around.

How Does Music Marketing Work?

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 09:14:23 GMT

The events sector has suffered from the pandemic. As a result, many concerts have been canceled or even postponed. Until today, the promotion of an artist is more and more challenging as the public is in a perpetual quest for novelty. It is therefore essential for musicians to develop a marketing strategy adapted to their audience. Why not take advantage of the craze for streaming platforms? Spotify and Apple Music are the most popular in the market. They make it possible to reveal many talents and to listen to our favorite artists. In this changing and competitive environment, how does music marketing adapt?

The music industry has undergone many changes, in particular following the covid-19 crisis. Physical sales: of records and CDs fell considerably in favor of digital with the rise of streaming platforms. Streaming revenue is growing very rapidly, and for the first time in 2018, digital overtook physical. And for the first time as well, streaming accounted for more than half of the industry’s revenue.

Despite everything, music remains a lucrative market, with a turnover of billions of dollars.

But music is above all an ultra-competitive market where artists and producers must use their creativity and originality to stand out. Ideally, each artist should bring their musical project to life as a “startup” would, or as an independent entrepreneur. The artistic aspect goes hand in hand with the commercial aspect, so it is only natural that the marketing strategy around the artist must be optimized and carefully studied before being implemented.

GOALS

Music marketing has several scopes. First of all, it is a career accelerator. It can both shed light onto the project of talents lurking in the shadows, or give a boost to certain artists whose careers are surfing on a momentum.

Music marketing also makes it possible to create a link between the artist and his community. The fans are asking for this proximity with their favorite singers, DJs or artists. In this sense, social networks can be extremely faithful allies, thanks to their potential to make a track viral. Instagram is clearly one of the most popular ones, with an interaction rate 3 times higher than Facebook.

Finally, music marketing is also an “audience creator”. Music promotion agencies can establish solid loyalty and acquisition strategies, which allow, for example, to boost the number of views on videos. A solid presence on social networks is essential to build a network, participate in events, concerts, or even be recommended at festivals worldwide.

If artists want to adopt a good strategy in order to retain their fanbase, they have every interest in betting on their visual identity. An artist who is just beginning his journey, who has no professional support and who does not represent a brand will above all want results that flatter his or her ego.

It is therefore essential to develop a strong brand identity and thus think outside the box.

Among the tasks of a music promotion agency, one of its main services is just that; building a well-reflecting visual identity for the artist they are working with. From an artist’s stage name, to visuals like album or single covers/artworks, each piece of the puzzle plays a role in the long run.

Of course, a complete marketing strategy will also involve having an up-to-date website and a strong presence on social networks. It is important to establish a strategy for retaining fans once they find and follow you. From offering exclusive content to fans, organizing contests, lives on Instagram or YouTube, or even artists-fans meet-ups, every idea is beneficial.

Music promotion agencies are therefore there to best deploy artists’ marketing strategy into every channel available in the music industry.

Would Public Relations Survive Without Twitter?

Fri, 03 Mar 2017 20:20:46 GMT

It’s no secret Twitter is a great tool for publicity.

7 Best Music PR Firms

More than 500 million Tweets are sent each day according to this very cool counter on Internet Live Stats. Most, if not all, tweets are sent by publicists trying to promote their products or embedding links to press releases. (Just kidding, it’s probably only 400 million.)
Journalists love Twitter and use it to break news, promote their articles, blogs, opinions, upcoming and already aired TV appearances, and more. Since PR professionals need to follow the media, it’s obvious they must master this tool as well. We covered how PR professionals use the social media platform in a previous column, and these tips include:

You want to tell the public something about you, your business or your client such as a new product, an award, an upcoming event, or introduction into a new market; or to keep your audience updated during a crisis or emergency.
Find out what your competitors, clients, friends, media or influencers are tweeting about.
To meet new influencers, clients, friends, competitors or reporters and follow them and get them to follow you.

But Twitter may not last forever, at least in its current form. In October, Twitter (TWTR) announced they were looking for a buyer. As of today, it hasn’t been purchased, and the stock continues to bounce around from $15 to $18 a share.

Since Twitter is so important for the practice of PR, and because it is used so widely, that begs the question: if it does get sold, or decides to fold, or it mutates into something else, how will that change how publicity professionals do their jobs? I asked four professionals in public relations and the media industry for their thoughts on the subject.

People are seen as silhouettes as they check mobile devices whilst standing against an illuminated wall bearing Twitter Inc.’s logo in this arranged photograph in London, U.K., on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016. Twitter Inc. may be preparing to raise its character limit for tweets to the thousands from the current 140, a person with knowledge of the matter said. Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg

“I’m a big fan of Twitter, but much of that is because it brings me so much enjoyment personally. I use my Twitter feed as a news feed, as a public square to learn what people are saying, and to connect socially with friends and acquaintances.
A Twitter blackout would do some damage to the way I do PR. I have a dedicated professional account, @sciencewriter, and I use that to deliver research news to the public, to interact with journalists, and to find journalist whom I haven’t met who appear to be interested in the topics I’m involved with. Because Twitter is a social medium, it has a casualness and—with the great majority of people who aren’t part of the angry troll mob—a friendliness that you wouldn’t always get in an email exchange.
More on Forbes – written by Robert Wynne

The Power of Press Releases for Small Business

Fri, 03 Mar 2017 20:16:04 GMT

You may be operating a one-person-business, but there are many resources and tools out there that aren’t just for the big guys anymore. Today we’re going to focus on the power behind press releases. Yes, that’s right; even small business’s can achieve phenomenal growth with the proper use of press releases.
Online marketing and PR expert, Barbara Rozgonyi, founder of CoryWestMedia.com and publisher of WiredPRworks.com is a wealth of information, brilliant ideas, and resources for small and large companies alike. I’ve asked Barbara a few questions about how a one-person-business can benefit from press releases. I’ve learned a lot and I hope you will too!
Barbara, the most popular responses I get from clients when I suggest writing press releases are: “What would the press possibly want to know about me or my company?” and “I can’t write!” How would you address those concerns for a one-person-business owner?
Size doesn’t matter. Story does.
Any business is capable of being newsworthy, but reporters have to know about your news to cover your story. That’s why it’s so important to send out press releases. Reporters search for fresh stories every day.

So, start by thinking like a reporter and then about the people who read, listen to or watch their stories. What kind of topics do they cover? How does your story relate to their audience? What stories would they tell about you? How do you contribute to your community? Why do people come to you? How do you help people solve problems? Do you see a trend people need to know more about?
Begin to think about how to position you and your business as a reliable and valuable news source.
Your next assignment is to write attention-getting press releases. But, what if you can’t write? You can hire someone else to write your releases for you. Professional writers craft elegantly polished releases that make your company sound appealing and highly newsworthy.
Writing your own press releases is simple, though. Outline your story into a who, what, where, when and why format. Reporters appreciate brief press releases that introduce an idea and leave room for them to retell the story in their own way. A well-written press release is only about 400 words – and that includes a few standard sentences about your business at the end.
What is the purpose of sending out press releases? How much could it really do for my business?
The purpose of a press release is to make news, get attention, create community and attract more business. Here’s an overview.
Realistically, each individual release has its own intended purpose and targeted audience. One story might appeal to several groups; it’s okay to write a press release for each one.
Some companies write press releases before they invent a product or produce a project. They want to set up a mindset to guide the process towards how they want to be seen in the news.
Publicity benefits businesses in many ways including better visibility, increased traffic, and more branding awareness. But, maybe the biggest benefit to a one person business is this: ongoing publicity positions you as a well-regarded thought leader.
Being quoted in the press gives you credibility that you can’t get from any other marketing strategy. When prospects compare your company to the competition what do they see? Who has the best press? Having media coverage gives you an advantage.
The press must get thousands of press releases. How can I make mine stand out – especially since my company is so small?
You’re so right about reporters being inundated with press releases, Marla. And, their audience is as overwhelmed as they are. That’s why a blend of offline and online press release distribution works so well. You wind up where people can find you in the search engines – whether or not you get covered by the media. Getting placement in a traditional media outlet is at the discretion of the editor. That’s why you want to develop relationships with journalists.
To make your story stand out, you need a headline to hook attention, an angle to grab interest and a call to action to motivate response.
A catchy headline can pop an average release to the top of page one. Boring headlines go nowhere. Professional writers often write up to 50 or even 100 headlines before they write the story.
Type your headlines in to see how they look on the screen. Going for online distribution? Keep the character count under 60 so that the entire headline shows up in search engines. Include at least one keyword in the headline, as close the beginning as possible. Search for your industry in the online news search engines and see which headlines jump out at you. Why?
Angle your story so that it’s easy to get and grab onto. You can connect with something bigger, an anniversary, special event or partner with another business or non-profit. Only one angle per story, though.
Include a call to action at the end of your first paragraph. Direct people to a place for more information, to register, to buy, to vote – you get the idea. Make sure you include your company’s contact information, including your email address, phone number and URL.
I don’t know anyone in the press. Who do I send these to? How many, and how often should I do it to have the greatest impact?
Once you have your press release ready to go, you need to send it out. To do that, you need a layered list of media contacts that includes local, industry or trade and online connections like bloggers.
For each contact, call and let them know you’re updating your media list and that you’re available as news source. Get the name, phone number and email address of the reporter that covers your beat. When your release is ready to go, send a personalized email with the release in the message to every outlet on your list.
Have a blogger in mind? Read their blog, leave comments and ask questions. Develop a relationship before you propose a story idea.
When you distribute your press releases with an online service – like the ones listed below – you don’t have to know any reporters – at all. Releases stay indexed in the search engines for 28 days; you may want to plan on sending out one release every month.
Subscribe to email updates from www.helpareporterout.com to respond to media inquiries directly and you may wind up in the Wall Street Journal or on the evening news.
I don’t know if I have the talent to write something catchy, brief, and informative. But how can I hire someone to do it when they don’t know me or my company?
Often your best bet is to hire someone else to write your stories for you. For three reasons: you get an outside perspective, professional PR expertise and existing media connections. Writers come in all experience levels. Look for someone who is familiar with your type of business, preferably from a marketing and public relations perspective. Ask about results and their system for writing and distribution and the media contact list. One way to appear bigger and grow visibility faster is to have a publicist present your story and mange your media relations.
How long will it take for this process to make a difference in my company?
The key word here is “difference.” That’s why setting goals is so important. What do you want to accomplish? Where do you want your story to be told? Decide on your publicity goals and then develop an action plan that helps you meet them. One of the biggest mistakes companies make is to only send out one or two press releases a year.
Test out a few online press release distribution services before you select the one you want to use the most. Low or no-cost options include www.pitchengine.com and www.webwire.com. You may decide it’s worth a few hundred dollars to go with a service like www.prweb.com, www.prnewswire.com or www.marketwire.com for detailed results. Set up a monitoring and measurement system to see how your press release performs. You may want to measure: where your release ranks for your key search terms, spikes in site traffic, distribution of readers, new incoming links and pick up from other publications, including blogs and special interest sites.
When you get some great press, send out a new press release announcing the coverage and let your customers know, too. For a small investment of time (and maybe creative services), you’ll make a huge impact on not only your business, but the world at large.

5 Tips for Getting and Handling Press

Fri, 03 Mar 2017 18:00:26 GMT

My first introduction to dealing with the media came while playing college athletics. Once a year the director of the sports information office would come to our team meeting with tips for dealing with the media. The No. 1 rule she told us: Nothing is ever off the record.
Well, years have now passed since those initial lessons and I have learned a little more about handling interviews, press requests, and the value of free press. So here are some tips to help you better use and build your brand through traditional media interviews.

1. Recognize the Value of Free Press

One of the most polarizing figures in the U.S. today is Donald Trump. Love him or not almost everyone in the U.S. knows of him. Stephen Colbert mocked Trump by depicting him as an orange wearing a toupee. John Stewart lampoons him every time Trump appears on Fox news challenging the President’s birth certificate.
So, do you think Trump cares? Absolutely. He loves it! As the old adage goes, there’s no such thing as bad press. Sure he may have mastered The Art Of the Deal, but what he is truly spectacular at is garnering free press.
Herein lies lesson one: Seek and learn to receive free press. It’s better than paying for advertising.

2. Have Something to Say

But Trump only gets the free press because he has something to say. Lately it’s been about aborted Presidential runs and moot issues concerning the President’s birth certificate. (What do you want? To vacate his presidency and retroactively declare McCain the President for the past four years?) The issues may seem trivial but one thing remains constant: He has something to say and when he says it the media reports on it.
Herein lies lesson two: Free press is available if you have something interesting to say.

3. Step Up to the Mic

You have something interesting to say. So what? Why would the press want to report on you. Because they need content. They are in the business of reporting on things they think their viewers will find interesting.
It doesn’t matter what you do there is probably a magazine or newspaper that is interested in what you have to say. Find them. Say something interesting. Get free press.
Herein lies lesson three: When you have something to say step up to the mic and say it.

4. Speak in Sound Bites

But when you step up to the mic remember to keep it crisp. No one likes a rambler.
What do I mean? Have you ever watch Letterman? Stewart? Leno? For the most part their guests are pros and work with the host in a nice cadence that produces a wonderful back and forth interview. But have you ever watched one that just seemed strange? Often that is because the guest does not allow himself or herself to be led by the host and simply blurts out prepared babble promoting whatever they are there to pitch. The irony is that when they ramble and do not interact with the host it’s simply not a good interview.
Herein lies lesson four: Speak in relatively short and concise sound bites allowing your interviewer to interact with you during the process. In the end it makes for a much better product for the viewer or reader of the story.

5. The Mic is Always On

With social media a bad sound bite can go viral in minutes. From Mitt strapping his pooch to the roof of the car to the President’s gaff about the economy being alright, if you say it someone is always listening, always recording. The mic is always on.
Who can forget Rev. Jackson’s infamous comments about then Senator Obama during the 2008 campaign trail? If only he would have remembered this simple rule: the mic is always on.
This is especially true if you are ever wired up with a mic for a TV interview. They may tell you it is off but that only means the feed is not live to the audience right now. It’s still on. And if you say something you should not someone is always listening. Just ask Jesse.
And herein lies lesson five: The mic is always on. Respect it and don’t get caught saying something you will regret.
Written by Michael Harowld

10 Things You Need to Know Before Pitching Your Company to the Media

Fri, 03 Mar 2017 17:58:55 GMT

Writers at top-tier publications get slammed with an average of 500 pitches per day. Are you one of the brands vying for press? If so, there’s a lot you can learn from these writers’ top pet peeves when it comes to pitching influencers.
I. Make sure you read the author’s archives and pitch content that is relevant to that writer’s beat.

“Being spammed with everything when nothing is relevant to me.”–CNN

“JUST LOOK AT WHAT I COVER! Don’t pitch what I don’t cover and we’ll be good. If you spend 10 minutes looking at my history you’ll know whether to pitch me or not. Spamming me doesn’t help our relationship.”–Popular Mechanics

“The single most annoying thing I see in first-time pitches is a lack of awareness of context. Why is this story suitable for the Times? What, if anything, have e said about it before? What makes it new? Why should a reader care about it now? This is basic homework every writer should do; if I don’t se it, I’m most unlikely to read it.”–The New York Times

“Bothering writers with irrelevancies is annoying and amateurish, not to mention a poor way to leverage a relationship. And the online information economy is fueled by relationships. Therefore, alienating large numbers of people you depend on, or someday will depend on, is an unsustainable business model. Aimless pitches from haphazard young Courtneys have always been a PR Worst Practice, but in the Brave New World they are deal-killers. Me, I have a one-strike-you’re-out policy.”–AdAge

II. Craft a succinct, descriptive, and personalized pitch to get the best response.

“It’s weird how off-putting I have come to find the experience of clicking open an email only to have to wade through a two-paragraph anecdotal lead I’m not sure I’m going to care about. The best sales pitches, I think, start with a personal connection -and an opportunity for me to tell a writer, ‘Nope, I’m the wrong editor for this, you should email [a different contact]‘.”–Wired

III. Don’t use the phone to pitch. Ever.

In our original publisher survey, we found only 5% of bloggers requested phone calls and that these respondents were mostly small blog owners, whereas most top-tier editors were vehemently against this method of outreach.

“Calling is a definite no-no in my book. I find it very unprofessional, and I especially hate when press officers do it.”–ScienceNOW

“The phone is intrusive. Email lets me see how you write, lets me forward your pitch to colleagues for consideration, and lets me ask follow=-up questions or send a quick ‘no thanks’ without getting dragged into a 20-minute conversation.”–AARP

IV. Always check your spelling and grammar before hitting send.
Eighty-five percent (85%) of writers said there was some likelihood that they would delete a pitch based on a spelling/grammar errors, regardless of the content’s quality.

“For me it’s not pitches that induce aversion to a writer; it’s the quality of their writing.”–Scientific American
“Repeated mistakes are a good way onto my blacklist.”–Wired

V. Craft an informative subject line, not clickbait.
More than 60% of publishers told us that the best subject lines should be tailored to their beat, while 50% agreed that you should do this by being both specific and descriptive.

“Don’t clear your throat in the subject line–get straight to the point–and don’t shout at me with all-caps.”–Popular Science
“Subjects can be complicated to begin with, especially when it comes to science and technology, so language that really cuts to the chase and explains the news is most hopeful. I always like to say, explain it to me in a sentence or two as if you were telling your Grandmother, before getting into the specifics.”– Mashable

VI. Produce content that’s newsworthy and generally more interesting than a press release.
When asked, “What characteristics does the perfect piece of content posses?” writers responded: Exclusive research (39%), Breaking news (27%), Emotional stories (15%), Relevant Content (19%).

“Press releases offer no context, no understanding of the receiver, and no story. They are literally the laziest thing a company can do.”–TechCrunch
“Before you even attempt to create a pitch, make sure your story is newsworthy. Journalists are generally interested in things that are new, unexpected or will resonate with their readers in some way. Above all, don’t navel gaze. You may be excited about your new product, but will anyone else be? If in doubt, wait until you’ve got a better story.”–The Guardian
“If [your pitch] is a bald appeal for publicity without much substance, don’t bother because you could do more harm to your reputation than it’s probably worth (unless of course the client is paying enough to justify trashing your reputation).”–Yahoo! Finance
“Bloggers and reporters are some of the busiest people you could possibly hope to meet. They’re actively looking for the most interesting, relevant, and linkable stories out there, preferably before anyone else can run with it. But truthfully, they spend the most of their time hacking through the weeds of generic or over the-the-top inbound emails, press releases, Facebook messages, Skypes, SMSes, Tweets, and IMs. It’s almost a small miracle that anyone can ever get their story told.”–TechCrunch

VII. Make fact checking easy on writers by providing all of your sources upfront.

“Rudeness or lack of cooperation with fact checkers gets a yellow card and then a red card if repeated.”–Wired

VIII. Don’t use hyperbolic language to sell your content.

“Hyperbole, buzz words, etc are a quick way to make it to my blacklist.”–Examiner
“It’s always good to know why the news is important – if it’s not my main area of coverage, I could overlook groundbreaking news and just not know it. At the same time, it’s good not to overall it with words like ‘groundbreaking’ when it’s really not.”–Mashable

IX. If you promise an embargo or an exclusive, don’t publish your story before that date.

“One annoying thing for us is when an embargo is broken. That means that a news site goes early with the news despite the fact they’ve promised not to. The benefits are clear – sites like Google News and TechMeme prioritize them first as having broken the story. Traffic and links flow in to whoever breaks an embargo first.”–TechCrunch

X. Build a relationship with the people you pitch.
64% of writers think it is of some importance that you establish a personal connection before pitching.

“It doesn’t hurt to introduce yourself to bloggers or reporters offline and online to start building relationships with influencers who will help craft and guide your company across the marker adoption bell curve. Read and comment on their work. Send a brief intro email before you need anything. Attend one of the many networking events in your area to meet those who can help you, and those who you, in turn, can help as well.”–TechCrunch

In closing, don’t be clueless when it comes to pitching publishers or your brand will suffer.

“Clueless people drive me crazy!”–Examiner

How to Get Press Coverage For Your Product or Service Without a PR Firm

Tue, 21 Feb 2017 08:28:59 GMT

If you take your time and do your homework, you can absolutely get media coverage for your product or service without having to hire outside help. In fact you’ll probably end up doing a better job, if you dedicate yourself to it. As an entrepreneur, I firmly believe in the power of building relationships yourself — in tearing down walls so you can control your own destiny.
When I founded a guitar pick company back in the early 2000s, I read everything I could on the Internet about how to get press. I didn’t have the resources to hire a firm, but like I said, I’m also a do-it-yourself kind of guy. What I learned worked! At least it did some of the time. I will never forget being picked up in a limo in New York City to appear on “The Big Idea” with Donny Deutsch. There I was, sitting in the green room, nervous as hell for my first national TV spot.
It felt like a huge victory. Because I desperately wanted to be on the show, I had watched every segment and read everything I could about it. When I felt like I knew who Donny’s audience was, I sent a pitch to the show’s executive producers, whose names I had written down by pausing the screen when the credits rolled. I wanted them to know how my company Hot Picks had turned a simple piece of plastic into something special. To that end, I included a bunch of guitar picks in the letter itself, which I hoped would spill out when it was opened. (I needed to do something to stand out, I’d been told.)
Sure enough, it worked. The producer called me wanting to know if I was available right away because they needed a story next week, but they were looking for a different angle. Did I have a ‘down-and-out’ story? Yes of course! I pitched them right then and there over the phone about the time one of my products stopped earning royalties and I was forced to pivot. They loved it.
Remember: It’s never about your story. It’s about their audience and what they need.
These days, the shoe is on the foot. Meaning now that I attend trade shows to report on the state of open innovation for online publications including this one, companies and entrepreneurs who are selling their products or services reach out to me. They flood my inbox, actually. Some companies I respond to. Others I ignore.
What gives?
This is what I’ve learned over the past 16 years. Please, if you do one thing in your search for media coverage, it’s this.
Make it personal.
If I receive a request for an interview that looks like it was sent out to a huge mailing list, I avoid it like the plague. In advance of CES, I was cc’d on an email that included at least 400 others. For some reason, it didn’t make me feel special. So many of the requests that came in weren’t persuasive, actually. Most were far too long. It wasn’t clear how their product or service benefited consumers and I wasn’t motivated to do my own research because I don’t have that kind of time. Requests that didn’t look like a good fit for my audience I moved on from quickly.
I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it when someone has done a little homework on me before reaching out. If you know my audience, if you understand what kinds of angles I am looking for… your pitch is so much more likely to be successful. Doing this kind of research doesn’t take that much time.
If you want to get coverage, personalize your pitch. When I receive an inquiry from a company that reflects a familiarity with my work, I’m quick to reply. Done right — meaning short, to the point, very personable, and relevant to my target audience — why wouldn’t I? It’s a no-brainer. Flattery works. It always does. It breeds familiarity. You already know me, and I like that!
The truth is I’m always looking for stories my readers will love — stories that have a unique angle. I’m looking for a gold nugget I can bring them, because my readers are my number-one priority.
My advice? Do your homework. Before you reach out to a journalist, take the time to think about their audience.
The second most important thing you can do to get press? Make your entreaty extremely easy to digest.
What that means in practice:
1. Keep it short. Pitches that are too long do not get read. Like I said, I’m pressed for time. Everyone else is too! I read pitches that are easy on my eyes. Design your pitch, including spacing, accordingly.

2. Choose your subject line and headlines carefully. If you don’t grab me quickly, you’ve lost me. We all know this, but it seriously bears repeating: Brevity is powerful. You must condense the benefit of what it is you’re offering in to one powerful concept, be it a headline or subject line. This is not easy to do. I struggle with it all the time.
Please remember: There are so many ways to tell the same story. Tailor the attention-grabbing benefit statement you come up to the individual you contact for press. This is crucial.
3. Consider including photographs. From a design standpoint, they may help you convey more information quickly. They’re also pleasing to look at, which is a bonus.
4. Approach a specific person in the news by name. The scattershot approach doesn’t work. Neither do press releases. Please, make your pitches personal. That means contacting a specific individual. Use their name and be sure to spell it correctly. Compliment some of their latest work.
5. Don’t bother including the other news coverage you’ve already received. Immediately I wonder whether there is anything new that I can offer my audience. I feel like I’m last to the party. If that is the case, at least give me something a little different. A new take, if you will.
I don’t think people realize how much the experts who cover their industry want to hear from them. I certainly do. I’m always looking for some fresh insight. This is a two-way street. If you pursue getting press coverage like you’re kicking off a two-way relationship, you’re far more likely to actually get it.
Written by Stephen Key

How to Get the Press Coverage You Deserve, Even if Your Industry Isn't Sexy

Tue, 21 Feb 2017 08:28:34 GMT

It can be frustrating to read about other companies getting coverage for their me-too dating apps when you developed a cutting edge method for synthesizing DNA or effectively blocking cyber threats for corporations, and can’t get anyone to take notice.
When I started Tactile Finance, a company that made software for banks to be able to explain tricky loans to their clients, like adjustable rates and fee structures, we followed the standard advice – compiling lists of reporters, writing snappy emails with clear messaging… and came up virtually empty.
Sure, you can get your niche industry press to take notice that your customers may be reading, like CIO Magazine or CEP Magazine, with just standard email outreach.
But what if you want to get published in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, or any number of publications that have press in the millions instead of thousands, and immediately boost your credibility?
I want to share with you what worked for us in a tragically unsexy field – mortgage origination – and what can work for you, too, whether you sell legal technology, biometric software, or what have you. Here it is, step by step.
1. Find the Few Specialized Reporters Who Speak Your Language
There are probably fewer than 10 reporters who understand your subject matter and write about it for mainstream press. You need to find them.
Go to every mainstream press site, search for keywords related to the product you make and problem you solve, and sort from most recent.
Take the most relevant articles and, on a spreadsheet, enter reporters name, date, title, link to article, and email address. You’ll want to keep this well organized as this is gold for you.

Method for finding emails:
Google “@[publication url].[suffix]” [Firstname] [Lastname]. If the reporters email doesn’t come up, you’ll likely find some that hint at the email format for names.

2. Automate Alerts for Relevant News Coverage
Set up Google Alerts for keywords related to both what your product does and also the problem you are solving.

(Caution: Google Alerts will send you many low quality publications so it’s important to first search major publications as mentioned above or else it will take too long to build a list.)

When Google alerts pulls up something relevant, add it to the list you created in #1 in the same format.
3. Engage These Reporters with Your Unique Expertise
Read your Google Alerts every day. If you see an article that is highly relevant to your business from a top publication, send the reporter a personal email saying what you liked about their article and offer a piece of helpful industry knowledge that you have.
Remember, you are the expert! If you have built innovative technology in your industry, you have a lot to offer a reporter writing about your industry. Good things to send are industry data, trends, ideas for articles, and your own company data on the subject.
Then, say “If you ever need expertise on this subject, I am particularly knowledgeable about x, y, z and would be happy to share what I know, either credited or uncredited.” Offer your help.
A genuinely helpful email in this format will return a response almost 100% of the time.
The next time you are at a conference, or talking with competitors, or customers, or partners, think about the unique insights that you can send to these top reporters. Make an effort to reach out and share.
Next time you have a major announcement, you’ll likely have their ear, instead of tuning it out as just one of the hundreds of emails they get every week.
The best part of this strategy? You are developing deep, real, and reciprocal relationships. And, you are finding the best reporters who understand your industry and conversing with them is incredibly gratifying on its own. Getting press from knowledgeable reporters who really know your industry is the absolute best kind of press.
Try it! Let me know how it works for you.
Written by Nicole Hamilton

Want the Press to Cover Your Company? Avoid These 2 Mistakes at All Costs

Tue, 21 Feb 2017 08:25:20 GMT

Mistake No. 1: “The company I work for, [redacted], is hoping to get nationally featured in an article on a prestigious and high-domain authority site such as Inc., Entrepreneur, Forbes, or Fortune.”
Um… no. Reporters are storytellers. The most insulting thing you can do to any writer, at any level, is to send a pitch that reduces them to nothing more than free SEO. Furthermore, “I’m looking to be featured in a high-ranking publication,” is blatantly about only you and what you want to get for your promotional purposes. It makes no pretense of providing a story of interest or value to others.
Mistake No. 2: “We are a very successful, unique brand. We accomplished [insert feats 1, 2 and 3]. So can I set up an appointment for you to interview our CEO?”

Mistake No. 3: “And we’re fine with paying for this.” Conversation over. This petition is less frequent, thankfully, but it insults (or should insult) any writer by anticipating they’d be willing to bend or break editorial rules to publish the SEO and promotional thing for a fee.

So here’s the irony. The company behind this pitch, as I looked into it, is, in actuality, a pretty interesting team. I can see elements of what they’ve done that would be legitimately useful to others. Then I looked at the example article and writer of the piece they showed me about another company to illustrate the kind of thing they want to achieve.

I looked at the contributor’s masthead. “I cover start-ups, travel, real estate and the occasional celebrity.” Well, this is a clue. If the company has an angle that fits one of these criteria, they should make the pitch. If they don’t, they should go another way.
Then I looked at the writer’s bio. Pay dirt.
“I’ve always been addicted to people who live their lives to the fullest, playing all out…The most adventurous and successful lives are lived without guilt, regret, or fear. I’m always looking for passionate stories, places, and people to write about.”
And then he closes with his email address.

Could this be any easier? The way to this writer’s heart and his keyboard has been entirely mapped out. All you need to do is position your story within the framework the reporter has requested. Look at his prior stories. Which ones flew high, and why? Let the writer know which stories you enjoyed and that you work for a company that plays “all out,” and in doing so, has achieved the kind of impossible outcomes you believe could teach and inspire others as well.
Then close your message with gratitude and an offer of help.
“If you were able to include us in one of your upcoming articles, we’d be grateful beyond words. And if that is a possibility, how can I help?”
I find it hard to imagine a writer who wouldn’t respond to this message with interest, if not tears of gratitude, or with at least a desire to consider the aspects of your story that could potentially work. By making the effort to find out what the writer is looking for and answering that need, you are setting yourself apart from the majority of others. But sadly, the majority of people (and sometimes especially from within the agencies) are blindly pitching anyone and everyone in the hopes of finally wearing the writer down or breaking through with brute force.
So my response to the pitcher was this: “I need to ask you the obvious. Did you read this writer’s masthead or take a look at his bio? Everything you need to successfully pitch this story is here.”
They (and you) don’t need a PR team to achieve this outcome. All it takes is a little observation and a little thought about “what’s in it for them.”
And I invited him to let me know how it goes.

Why Your Killer Press Release Isn't Enough – 7 Things You Must Do to Stand Out From the Crowd

Mon, 20 Feb 2017 18:59:24 GMT

If your current efforts are failing to get your story told to a bigger audience, try these additional tips to stand out from the crowd.

You likely already know that it is important to tell your company’s story and may even know how to tell your story effectively.
But beyond blogging and writing press releases, how do you get someone else to be interested enough to tell your story?
Before I launched a tech startup, I spent several years as a freelance writer and learned a thing or two about effectively pitching an idea to a publication. Here are a seven things you can do to increase your chances of getting your story told to a bigger audience.
1. Do Your Research
If you want your story told to a bigger audience, you need to take it seriously and do the research to understand which publications, writers and readers will be the best fit.

Find out who is writing about topics similar to what you want covered. Engage with those writers on social media to learn what they like to write about and what isn’t of interest.

It is not enough to post your press release to some free hosting site or send it out in a group email. While most companies embrace research as a vital process for most decisions, this step is often a missed opportunity in reaching a bigger audience.
2. Personalize Your Request
Once you are ready to propose a specific story and you have identified your top choices for publications, editors and writers, take the time to personalize the messages you send. Mention a previous article or tell the recipient why you believe they might be interested. And be considerate of their time – make your message short and to the point. The more words you make them read to get to the meat of your message, the bigger chance that your request will be ignored or deleted.
3. Be Transparent
Make sure you identify yourself, your role, and why you believe getting your story told matters – why the news is relevant to a larger audience, why your story is unique and interesting, or why it is timely based on current events.
Also understand that what you are asking for is news, not public relations. You will not be able to control what is written, and you will not get an advance copy of the content.
While getting your story told may be a huge win for your company, it is not a valid reason for coverage to the person you are pitching. They are solely interested in why this story will be of interest to their audience.
4. Do Not Offer Compensation to Journalists
While offering financial payment or incentives might seem like a good idea, it is not. Most respected publications have policies in place that prohibit the exchange of money or acceptance of other forms of compensation. Ethical journalists will put you on their own banned list, as participating in these kinds of arrangements can get them fired or dropped. Additionally, most writers will forward your offer to their editors so that the publication is also aware of the offer.
5. Send an Invitation to Cover a Local Event
If you are hosting or participating in an event that you believe would be a good fit for a specific publication or writer, send them an invitation to attend. Make sure your invitation includes all of the relevant information as well as a few angles for stories, yours included, that might pique their interest in attending. If you have access to a budget for travel accommodations, be sure to ask whether they are allowed to accept tickets and lodging. Some are, some are not.
6. Be Prepared and Responsive
Once a writer decides to cover your story, understand their timelines can be tight. Until they are ready to work on your story, you may not hear from them. But once a writer starts, most work on tight deadlines. When you receive a request for clarification, for additional information or confirmation on the accuracy of a quote, your timely responsive will ensure the writer makes their deadline. If you get a reputation for slow or no responses, writers will avoid writing about topics you suggest – even if they might be interested.
7. Be Careful How Often You Pitch
Be judicious with what you pitch and how often you pitch. If their inbox is filled with your constant press release cycle, your email will end up in the spam folder. Reach out to other writers at other publications, make it personal and individualized, and make sure the request is because it is a good fit for their interests/topics.
One last note of caution: if you don’t have anyone on your team that can effectively promote your company for you, consider engaging the services of a social media manager or public relations firm – but do your research. Check references, talk to other clients. Look at the social media and press coverage of the clients they serve.
And if your agreement with an agency or representative guarantees coverage within specific national publications, make sure you clearly understand how they plan to deliver on that promise. If the person or agency representing your company offers payment or perks in exchange for news coverage, their actions could end up hurting your company.