3 Reasons Why Getting An Award is Great PR

At the heart of public relations is reaching out to the public to get the message out.

One way to do this is to apply for an award or recognition. I can rattle off three quick reasons why you or your company should constantly be on the lookout for award opportunities.

Related: 3 Reasons Why Publicity Should Be Part of Your Marketing

1. It's an awesome feeling. Who doesn't like getting an award? It definitely makes you feel good -- and look good -- when you're recognized for your work. Everyone wants to be a winner, after all.
2. It's another way to get the word out. Organizations that give awards, especially prestigious recognition, typically have some sort of announcement or ceremony. They may blast the winners' name to their list serve, feature you on their website or even pitch you as a story to their media contacts. It's another way to have a ready-made audience to receive your message.
3. It lends credibility. Winning an award from a panel of judges that evaluated your organization or project against others and deemed yours top quality is a great measure of the good work you're doing. This is an honor that is often used -- think of how many times you've seen "award-winning" this or that in marketing/PR material -- to an organization's advantage.

The moral of the story? Finding opportunities to apply for awards in your industry is another way to solidify your organization's reputation and expertise.

Read more: 3 Ways Publicity Can Make You Money
                     It Takes More Than An Idea

Bridgette Outten is a journalist and media relations consultant with The Write Vision Group, Inc. With a background in print media, she has written thousands of articles for newspapers and online publications. At The Write Vision Group, Bridgette consults with nonprofits and small businesses about how to get their programs and efforts in the news. Meanwhile, she blogs on all things journalism.

3 Reasons Why You Need to Rock the Media Interview

When you apply for a job, getting the interview is a great thing. However, you know you have to rock the interview to actually get the job.

It's the same thing with the media. Pitching to reporters is the first step. And when you get the interview, it's awesome.

But here are a few reasons why the message is just as important -- if not more so -- as getting the interview itself.

Related: 3 Tips for a Good Media Interview

• If you have a dynamic, engaging interview, reporters will use you again as a resource.
• If your message is awesome, the public will heed and respond to your call for more volunteers, more donations or to check out the book or website from the wonderful tips you have given.
• You can use the clips on your website as a testament to your great speaking skill for future media interviews or engagements.

The moral of the story? The work just begins when you get the interview. Crafting your message and sharing it in a compelling way is the most important step.

Read more: 3 Ways Publicity Can Make You Money

Bridgette Outten is a journalist and publicity strategist with The Write Vision Group, Inc. With a background in print media, she has written thousands of articles for newspapers and online publications. At The Write Vision Group, Bridgette consults with nonprofits and small businesses about how to get their programs and efforts in the news.

3 Reasons Why Publicity Should Be Part of Your Marketing

Everyone knows that marketing is essential to any business.

It's the reason why McDonald's with their millions of locations and billions of burgers sold continues to produce commercial and other initiatives -- because the executives know their products need to stay on people's minds.

So let's talk about about publicity's role in your marketing. By publicity, I mean using the media to air a message that is NOT an advertisement.

So you may be asking...why? I'm a plumber. Why should I try to get publicity?

Related: Three More Ways to Get in the News

Well, Mr. Plumber (and other business owners), you have to consider a few things:

1. Understand that media is more than just the news. There are blogs, magazines and websites about home improvement (or whatever industry you are in) where your expertise may fit. Do you have great information to contribute to create more of a following for your business?
2. You're not using publicity to directly sell. You're using it to create awareness about who you are, what you do and how you can assist potential clients. And it's cool to just help people when you can.
3. If you want to be considered an expert, publicity is a great way to establish credibility. It also gets your message out to a wide audience, which is why I like to say publicity is word-of-mouth on steroids.

The moral of the story? Publicity is a great tool for spreading your message, which will let people know more about you. If you have a marketing plan to grow, definitely consider how you can get the word out through the media.

Related:  The Winding Road to Publicity
               Before You Pitch: 5 Questions Reporters Will Definitely Ask
                   
Bridgette Outten is a journalist and publicity strategist with The Write Vision Group, Inc. With a background in print media, she has written thousands of articles for newspapers and online publications. At The Write Vision Group, Bridgette consults with nonprofits and small businesses about how to get their programs and efforts in the news. Meanwhile, she blogs on all things journalism.

3 Reasons Press Releases Aren't Dead

The mourning of the press release is a little premature, in my humble opinion.

Want to know why? Because every news outlet I've pitched recently has asked me to follow up with...you guessed it, a press release. And these were major outlets.

To be clear, I will say the structure of the traditional press release is a bit outdated. Much to my regret, some of the formatting of press releases that used to be functional are now defunct -- (press releases looked so official with all that stuff!) And you don't fax a press release the way you used to for many outlets.

However, it's OK to update your press release format and still use them. Here are three reasons why press releases haven't received the death knell yet:

• Their purpose is still to capture the essence of the story. It's not the whole story. It's not three pages long. It's a summary of the most interesting and important elements of your story. It's supposed to simply whet the reporters' appetite for more information. This is needed during the busy day of a reporter/editor/producer/planner.
• It's a structured format everyone can understand. Sure, you can tell people to trash the presser and just send a bunch of bullet points and that may work. But I love press releases because they are full of structured information and -- if done correctly -- get straight to the point.
• Reporters are still asking for them. Regardless of what the industry buzz is, the folks at major media outlets still asked for this information. Again, the format has changed, but the role of the press release remains relevant.

The moral of the story? If you have a good story and send the information in a press release, no reporter is going to say, "Yikes, didn't you know press releases were dead?! I'm not covering this amazing story!" Don't use your press release to ramble on or send out a million weird press releases blindly to random outlets, but when done right, press releases still win.

Related Posts: Be Your Own News Station
                        How the News Works

3 Things You Should Look for in a Publicist/PR Person

So you think you're ready to hire a public relations professional.

Of course, you have already read our previous blog post on the difference between public relations, media relations and publicity so you know what you need. And you also need to know what your goals are...do you want to just get in the news? Why?

Let's assume that you want a publicist, that is, someone whose sole job is to generate news coverage and buzz for you in the form of pitching to reporters.

Here are a few things you should be considering:

1. Is the person a good writer? - Writing press releases and putting together press kits is still a huge part of a publicist's job, although some debate if press releases are still relevant. But even if they don't write a full press release -- for whatever reason -- they still need to be able to put together a decent pitch, therefore effective writing and communication is key.
2. Do they ask questions? - If they take your story at face value, never probing about other angles or about the background of your story, they could potentially miss valuable information -- that could enhance or damage your story.
3. Do they have media contacts  experience? Let me tell you why I eliminated the word "contacts." Yes, it is awesome to have the cell number of the hottest producer on the hottest news show. But this is what I tell people when they ask me about my contacts: Yes, I have some and can always get more. But I'm MOST concerned about whether your story has the meat to stand up on its own, meaning that I can pitch it to a stranger and get coverage not because someone owes me a favor, but because it's a good story. Don't get me wrong; Having contacts is awesome. But if that's all you rely on and that one contact leaves the outlet and your person doesn't have the experience or confidence to pitch your story because it's amazing, you're in trouble.

I love getting input from others on topics like this, so I suggest you also take a look at this list of 7 Tips: What to Look For in a Publicist, which gives some great information.

The moral of the story? Research always goes a long way.

Read more: Before You Pitch: 5 Questions Reporters Will Ask
                    After You Pitch: 3 Things You Should Do

4 Things to Do After Your Arrest Record is Online

The first question anyone asks when they see an account of their arrest online is: "Can do they do that?"

Yes. They can. And they did. Police reports are public record and therefore fair game for journalists. I've reported on my share of cops columns and criminal court cases and all I can say is that people are always interested in crime...so police reports will always be news.

But I get it. It's embarrassing. And it comes up in Google searches so you want to find a way to get rid of it.

I usually give tips on this blog about pitching your story to get in the news but I wanted to address this topic because as a writer and fill-in editor, I see the question "Can you take my arrest record down?" at least three times a week.

So here are a few things you can do about it:

• Contact the editor of the website with the outcome. Were the charges dismissed? Were no charges ever filed? Did you beat the case? Have the charges been expunged? Contact the editor and let them know about it. They can't rewrite history and delete the arrest, but they may add an editor's note about the outcome of the case.
• Comment on the story with the outcome. I would only use this tactic if you can't get in touch with the editor or sometone in charge. Typically, stories online have places where you can comment. I'm not saying write a narrative about the issue that may get you in more legal trouble but posting something like "My name is () and I just want to say these charges were dropped," etc. could help.
• Consider creating your own website or blog. We also know by now that search engines will pick up your name in an online arrest report BUT if you have your own site with its tags and labels that include your name, you can combat some of the negative information with positive info about your jobs, community service, etc. It doesn't have to be an elaborate website and you can host many sites and blogs for free.
• Be prepared to explain. If nothing else, be ready to explain what happened with the incident, that it was a long time ago or that you made a mistake or whatever to potential employers or whomever may come across the information -- especially if the charges were dismissed. 

The moral of the story? It's not easy when your mistakes are visible for everyone to see because conflict can be a huge element of news, criminal proceedings will remain a hot topic. But whatever happened, own up to your mistakes and make sure you're never in the situation again.

Related blogs:
5 Things You Should Never Say to a Reporter
Beware of the Skeletons
5 Ways to Avoid Reporter Mistakes

Bridgette Outten is a journalist and publicity strategist with The Write Vision Group, Inc. With a background in print media, she has written thousands of articles for newspapers and online publications. At The Write Vision Group, Bridgette consults with nonprofits and small businesses about how to get their programs and efforts in the news. Meanwhile, she blogs on all things journalism.

After You Pitch: 3 Things You Should Do

So you have prepared for your big pitch to a reporter and actually contacted them.

Go you.

And now you wait -- and wait.

Let me say that every reporter isn't going to get back to you. I like to think that I responded to every query and pitch with a "no, thank you" if I didn't need it, but I can't be sure. With that said, sometimes reporters are interested in your story and no news is not good news.

But still, here are a few things you can do to follow up and none of them involve making a pest of yourself.

1. Call or email. If your sent your pitch via email and haven't heard anything back, call the reporter and leave a message as well. Vice versa if you called first; make sure that you email as a follow-up.
2. Peruse the news to see if anything related to your story was aired or published. What this means is that you follow news trends to see if something in your industry has been covered. That could be why reporters don't want to cover it again OR you can use it as as fresh leverage to show your pitch or topic is still relevant.
3. Take a look at your pitch again. See if there is anything you can do to improve for next time. Perhaps you can freshen up some statistics or throw in a new angle so that ultimately, you can pitch it again.

The moral of the story? Sometimes reporters don't respond. Every pitch doesn't necessarily get a "yes." But the great thing about that "yes" is that you only need one to get started. So don't give up.

Bridgette Outten is a journalist and publicity strategist with The Write Vision Group, Inc. With a background in print media, she has written thousands of articles for newspapers and online publications. At The Write Vision Group, Bridgette consults with nonprofits and small businesses about how to get their programs and efforts in the news. Meanwhile, she blogs on all things journalism.

Three More Ways to Get in the News

In my teleclasses, on the blog, on webinars and just about everywhere I am, period, I'm always discussing ways to get your stories in the news.

We talk a lot about events and even being your own news station but there are also a few ways you may want to share your story that may only be directly involved with your organization.

Here are a few areas that can net you news coverage, too, if you can offer your own experience or expertise and if you believe you have knowledge that can help people:

• Health and wellness. I'm plugged into several reporter query databases and it seems someone always wants to know about work and your health. Do you have a story about how you overcame work-related stress or an unwanted weight gain? Did you beat some disease against the odds and want to share how you did it? You may have some information to contribute for a story.
• Mommyhood and family dynamics. Flexible schedules, momtrepreneurs and even stay-at-home dads are trends that can easily be plugged into for a media outlet. Do you have some unique family arrangement that supports your career? Recover from a nasty divorce and want to warn others about do's and don'ts? You may have a story.
• Gadgets, technology and helpful doodads. Everyone wants to know what the next big thing is in apps, social media and the like. Have you found something that you just can't live or work without and want to help spread the word? Caution, though...don't promote a product that you are just trying to sell...such human interest stories are usually completely organic.

The moral of the story? If you have something to say, there's usually an outlet for it. Media is more than just the mainstream newspaper or broadcast show, and there are magazines, TV shows, books and radio shows that could feature your great story or advice.

Bridgette Outten is a journalist and publicity strategist with The Write Vision Group, Inc. With a background in print media, she has written thousands of articles for newspapers and online publications. At The Write Vision Group, Bridgette consults with nonprofits and small businesses about how to get their programs and efforts in the news. Meanwhile, she blogs on all things journalism.

Sometimes, It's Best NOT to Respond

I often get asked PR-related questions during casual conversations and though I don't specialize in crisis management PR, I think some concepts are fairly easy to understand.

One of those concepts is: you don't have to respond to everything bad "they" say about you.

"They" could be critics or the competition or just John and Joan Q. Public. We've talked about how to avoid no comment if a reporter asks you, but if nobody comes a'calling to get your take on a negative situation, sometimes it's best to just be silent -- especially if the situation is just gossip.

You have decide when a response is worth the trouble. Here are three things to keep in mind:

• Responding to a controversy extends the life of the controversy. If you come out with a statement to an issue that nobody has asked you about, you've just given a fresh perspective to that controversy. Now the story is that you responded to something that may not have grabbed many people's attention the first go-round, but they're paying attention to it now. If you don't address it, it may fade away on its own.
• If it's not libel or slander, consider letting it go. If it's not serious enough to take the issue to a court of law, ignore your first instinct to post on your blog or Tweet or write a Facebook post to give 'em the whatfor. A lot of times, that's they what "they" want anyway -- to get a rise out of you.
• Keep your poker face on. Don't let them know that you have been affected by whatever they have to say, again, if it's not libelous, slanderous or will somehow affect the life of your business or organization.

The moral of the story? In this digital age, everyone has a platform to state their opinion. Decide whether a response to a negative opinion is worth the effort of your attention.

Bridgette Outten is a journalist and publicity strategist with The Write Vision Group, Inc. With a background in print media, she has written thousands of articles for newspapers and online publications. At The Write Vision Group, Bridgette consults with nonprofits and small businesses about how to get their programs and efforts in the news. Meanwhile, she blogs on all things journalism.

3 Things that Make Your Event More Newsworthy

In the grand scheme of things, simply having an event is not news.

That is why pitching merely a fundraiser or conference without any detail probably will not net you much reponse from reporters.

So here are three things you should consider adding to your pitch about your next event that will bost your newsworthiness:

• What's happening? If it's simply people drinking and dancing, you don't have much a uniqueness factor. But if you have a big presentation, like a unique dance troupe performance or some sort of interactive demonstrative, you should definitely mention it.
• Say who will be there. Expecting the mayor or other well-known figures or celebrities? Definitely mention that.
• Are there any photo opps? If there is anything visual for them to take photos or video of (beyond people posing and smiling) let the reporters know.

The moral of the story? The more that you can consider what the reporter needs and/or wants from the story, the more you can offer them in your pitch or press release.




Bridgette Outten is a journalist and media relations consultant with The Write Vision Group, Inc. With a background in print media, she has written thousands of articles for newspapers and online publications. At The Write Vision Group, Bridgette consults with nonprofits and small businesses about how to get their programs and efforts in the news. Meanwhile, she blogs on all things journalism.

You Shouldn't Try to Get Your Story in the News If...

Sometimes, it just has to be said: everybody doesn't have a newsworthy story.

What's good news for you doesn't meant that it will draw the attention of the masses that reporters are tasked with educating, informing or entertaining every day.

Here are three simple reasons why you should NOT be pitching your story because chances are, you don't have a story that's ready for media attention.

• You just want to sell something. If the only thing you can come up with about your organization or company is what's on sale, you are not ready to start pitching. If you can only offer a reporter coupons for background information, don't bother pitching, just buy an ad.
• You can't explain exactly what you do. If you aren't able to give a clear, concise sentence about why the masses would care about your story, you need to head back to the drawing board until you can figure that out. If you can't explain it to a reporter, a reporter can't explain it to their audience...and nobody gets it.
• Your story has nothing unique about it. I run into organizations all the time that want coverage for a fundraiser. Well, thousands of organizations have fundraisers. What makes yours different and what do you have to offer people if they donate or attend?

The moral of the story? To appeal to a reporter, your story has to have elements that appeals to a mass audience.

Bridgette Outten is a journalist and publicity strategist with The Write Vision Group, Inc. With a background in print media, she has written thousands of articles for newspapers and online publications. At The Write Vision Group, Bridgette consults with nonprofits and small businesses about how to get their programs and efforts in the news. Meanwhile, she blogs on all things journalism.

3 Tips to Get the Right Beat

Just so you know, this post is not about music.

I've already talked about how reporters typically have beats, meaning they all have different topics of interest that they regularly report on.

Now let's figure out how we can determine who is who to ensure you are pitching to the right person.

• Categorize your story. Health? Sports? Business? You need to figure out where your story falls.
• Do the research. Is there a specific reporter that covers that category? Contact them.
• Take a look at the trends. How does the outlet you're contacting normally handle this particular category? Does it air once a week on Saturdays? Does it appear in the B section of the paper? This will help you decide when to pitch.

The moral of the story? It's better to have one or two targeted pitches than sending out 10 pitches randomly and hoping one will stick.

Bridgette Outten is a journalist and media relations consultant with The Write Vision Group, Inc. With a background in print media, she has written thousands of articles for newspapers and online publications. At The Write Vision Group, Bridgette consults with nonprofits and small businesses about how to get their programs and efforts in the news. Meanwhile, she blogs on all things journalism.

Where You Are Determines Where You Pitch

It's a simple enough concept: where your story is taking place determines where you should be pitching that story.

Yet, again and again, I hear reporters say they get press releases from someone in Houston -- when they're in New York. And I can't figure out why because doing so only shows that you didn't research anything before you started to pitch and that can get annoying very quickly to a reporter.

Here are three easy ways to determine where -- demographically -- you should be pitching your story.

1. Determine where the story is taking place. If it is an event, protest, demonstration, campaign...anything that is happening...what is the address? Wherever the event is happening is a pretty good indication that you should be pitching to reporters in that vicinity.
2. Determine who will be affected. The event can technically be happening in another area if it will somehow have an affect on people near where you are pitching.
3. Determine where the people are who will care. You job is to a convince a reporter that their audience will care about the story you have...part of that process is picking the correct location.

The moral of the story? Your credibility takes a hit when you don't do the simple research of scouting of where the people are who would be most interested in your story.

Bridgette Outten is a journalist and publicity strategist with The Write Vision Group, Inc. With a background in print media, she has written thousands of articles for newspapers and online publications. At The Write Vision Group, Bridgette consults with nonprofits and small businesses about how to get their programs and efforts in the news. Meanwhile, she blogs on all things journalism.

'No Comment' At Your Own Risk

When journalists ask you a question, it's typically because they need a comment.

It's not necessarily that they just want to take to you or think you're so awesome. They need information from you for their story. Depending on the degree of seriousness, sometimes a "no comment" is necessarily BUT you don't have to be rude.

I can admit that they way reporters ask for that comment can sometimes be a bit obnoxious -- and the more reporters there are, the worse it can get.

However, their motivation and even the way they ask you the question should not be your immediate concern. Your concern is: how can I make a comment that is safe and doesn't reveal too much without looking as if I've done something wrong?

If a story that you're involved in heats up, some comment is better than no comment. When you don't say anything, reporters can fill those holes with all types of other information. Here are some tips to keep in mind when you're forming a comment when you really just want to say "no comment."

• Have a "safe" statement. This statement isn't defensive and you don't necessarily directly combat what is being said about you. This is where you say something like, "We are using all of our resources to make sure this issue is resolved quickly and fairly. But Organization XYZ will remain dedicated to saving the lives of starving children..." or whatever it is that you do.
• Don't get backed into a legal corner. If you know you can't comment on an issue because of the legality of it or because your attorney told you not to, say that. "Unfortunately, our legal counsel has advised us against giving certain information to the press at this time. We'll let you know when we can release that information.
• Don't let reporters get you angry. They are going to shout questions at you. They may ask you some very personal things. If you need to, get yourself together before you answer and stay calm. 

Five Ways to Handle A Mistake in Your Story

Your story is finally published or has made it on the air.

This is your moment of shining glory. Except.

The reporter made a mistake. So...now what? Do nothing and hope no one heard? Call the reporter and give them a piece of your mind?

The answer, quite simply, is neither option.

We've talked about how you can help reporters avoid mistakes before but let's talk damage control after it actually happens. Proceed with caution, though, because you should use these tips if there is an actual error or facts are misconstrued; NOT just because you didn't like how your quotes sounded.

1. Don't panic. It's not the end of the world. Assess the severity of the error and how it may impact your business or organization going forward. Make sure you calm done before you proceed to the next step, which is...
2. Contact the reporter. Be civil. Make sure you are able to articulate exactly what the error was and the subsequent correction or distinction you believe should be made.
3. Ask what your options are. Some publications or outlets will publish/air a retraction or correction, depending on the error. If you believe the reporter simply misunderstood or took a quote out of context, ask if you can write a letter to the editor explaining the issue. If it's broadcast, ask if they will consider a brief phone call to let you clear things up. 
4. Clarify on your website or social media. Worst case scenario, the outlets don't see an issue. You still have your own ways to publicize your stance. You may still share the link to the story, but with an addendum that says you want to clarify, correct or add to a certain point. Also, if it's a common misconception, you may want to take the opportunity to rephrase a certain point for your organization or business and invite feedback and discussion via Facebook or Twitter. Perhaps this is an image issue that you didn't even realize you had.
5. Don't bash the reporter. Try to remember that it isn't personal and everyone has a job to do. Even if you and the media outlet don't see eye to eye on the higher, take the higher road and don't burn bridges.

The moral of the story? Mistakes and misunderstandings happen. Respond to them and use them to make your next interview even better.

Bridgette Outten is a journalist and media consultant with The Write Vision Group, Inc. With a background in print media, she has written thousands of articles for newspapers and online publications. At The Write Vision Group, Bridgette consults with nonprofits and small businesses about how to get their programs and efforts in the news. Meanwhile, she blogs on all things journalism.

Music to a Reporter's Ears

Reporters are often -- OK, let's just say always -- on some sort of deadline.

While most of us are fully aware that our sources are not always sitting by the phone or staring at the computer waiting on a message for a quote we need, it is still not a good feeling when we can't get in touch with the person we need.

Here are a couple of things you can do to assauge the reporter's anxiety...and it helps to establish yourself as a contact the reporter may want to try again:

• Have a "If you're a reporter on deadline..." alternative on your voicemail - This is music to a reporter's ears. It means there's another way to get in touch with you and it's usually a cell phone number.
• Provide another contact - Make sure the reporter knows who your second-in-command is...and who else is authorized to speak on your organization's behalf. It's OK to be unavailable or go on vacation, but be sure you don't miss a media mention because of it.
• Say which messages you check most often - Not a phone person? Are you the type who lets the voicemail inbox fill up? Say that: "Hey, you know what? I'm better with email so if you really want to get a hold of me faster, send it to this email address."

The moral of the story? It's OK, and mostly expected, that you won't be available all of the time. But providing these alternatives is a great way to help the reporter out.

Bridgette Outten is a journalist and media relations consultant with The Write Vision Group, Inc. With a background in print media, she has written thousands of articles for newspapers and online publications. At The Write Vision Group, Bridgette consults with nonprofits and small businesses about how to get their programs and efforts in the news. Meanwhile, she blogs on all things journalism.

Does Your Name Reflect What You Do?

You have an idea for a nonprofit or a business. It's inspired, it's divine.

So you name your organization, Sunshine for Life Corp.

That's beautiful. But what does it mean? And what does it say about what you do?

The reason why we're focusing on names today is because the name of your organization is the first thing a reporter -- or potential customer -- will see about you. Your name should either tell what you do or inspire some sort of curiosity where people will ask about what you do. It shouldn't flat out leave people confused.

If you do name your organization Sunshine for Life Corp., make sure you include a little tagline that says, "Health and Wellness Consulting/Personal Training." You need to include these details for a few reasons:

• It helps your search optimization. If a reporter is looking for someone to comment on health and training in your city, that's what they may Google to find contacts. If all you have on your site is "Sunshine for Life," who will find you without the specific name of your business?
• It helps people understand right off the bat what you do. With a name like Sunshine for Life Corp., you may get calls about generating solar energy. Make it clear what services you offer.
• It gives you a professional and expert touch.  If a reporter is looking for expert information, they are more likely to go with the organization that gives off an expert vibe, if you will. If they are looking for statistics on health and wellness in their area, Sunshine for Life Corp. may not necessarily convey that the organization has that information available. However, Sunshine for Life Health and Wellness is good. And Sunshine for Life Center for Health and Wellness is even better.

The moral of the story? Consider not just how the name you choose makes you feel and the meaning it has for you, but also how it presents your expertise to reporters -- and potential clients and customers -- looking for you.

Bridgette Outten is a journalist and media relations consultant with The Write Vision Group, Inc. With a background in print media, she has written thousands of articles for newspapers and online publications. At The Write Vision Group, Bridgette consults with nonprofits and small businesses about how to get their programs and efforts in the news. Meanwhile, she blogs on all things journalism.

The Winding Road to Publicity

When I entered the world of consulting, I had to learn differences in terms that people would use interchangeably.

However, I should let you know that public relations, publicity and media relations have differences (because I had to learn this, too)...some subtle, but differences nonetheless. But knowing the differences will also help you learn what you want -- and what you're asking for -- when it's time to consider hiring help.

So, here we go with some basic definitions.

• According to Publicity Insider, publicity is: "is the simple act of making a suggestion to a journalist that leads to the inclusion of a company or product in a story." Note here that we call that suggestion "a pitch."
  
Publicity Insider goes on to say that public relations is "a broader field that encompasses publicity, but also includes such things as investor relations, crisis communications, special events and sponsorships, and other activities designed to mold opinion." Pause. So here we see that PR doesn't just include news; it includes outreach to potential customers and partners.


• Just for kicks, let's talk about media relations, too. BusinessDictionary.comsays media relations includes "linkages with the media personalities and resources that facilitate an organization in getting a favorable, timely, and widespread editorial coverage."
  
  The moral of the story? All of these industries are intertwined but know whether you need a publicist, strictly for news, or a PR pro or help with forming relationships with journalists. To go anywhere with your media coverage, you first have to set the destination -- and enlist the help of the right tour guides.

Bridgette Outten is a journalist and media relations consultant with The Write Vision Group, Inc. With a background in print media, she has written thousands of articles for newspapers and online publications. At The Write Vision Group, Bridgette consults with nonprofits and small businesses about how to get their programs and efforts in the news. Meanwhile, she blogs on all things journalism.

Are You Made for TV?

A few years ago, I was part of an investigative team looking into inconsistencies in property values in Clark County, Ohio.

What that means in English is that some homes in the area were way overvalued -- leading to huge increases in property taxes -- and some homes were not valued as high as they should have been.

The culprit, according to one whistleblower, was shoddy reappraisal work done by a company hired by a shoddy county auditor. For this reporter, it was investigative heaven. And it was work that yours truly and a colleague of mine won an award for Community Reporting from the Ohio Associated Press.

But, oddly enough, this huge story that was in our newspaper constantly over more than six months made barely a blip in broadcast news.

Was it it because it wasn't important? Not at all. It was because, as broadcast is largely driven by audio and visual, this story was hard to show and explain.

Each time I wrote a follow-up to that story, I had to carefully craft it so that people could follow along and not get blogged down by numbers, factors and something one source called " economic obsolescence."

It was tough to do -- and would have been even tougher if I only had 1 minute and 15 seconds of broadcast time -- at the most -- to explain, including any interviews.

You need to ask yourself: is your story made for TV? Can you:

• Readily explain it in two or three sentences?
• Provide several interesting visuals to explain it?
• Offer simple statistics to prove your point?

The moral of the story? These are key points you need to address with any story, but especially with broadcast media. They rely on sight and sound to get your story told, so if your story consists of mostly paper, perhaps a newspaper would be a better fit.

Bridgette Outten is a journalist and media relations consultant with The Write Vision Group, Inc. With a background in print media, she has written thousands of articles for newspapers and online publications. At The Write Vision Group, Bridgette consults with nonprofits and small businesses about how to get their programs and efforts in the news. Meanwhile, she blogs on all things journalism.

No Publicity Stunts Required

I like to browse online to check out what kinds of publicity strategies people are using.

I approach pitching and PR from a journalist's point of view and I certainly don't claim to know it all, but one suggestion did surprise me.

An article said you don't need a public relations person to get in the news and proceeded to give a few pieces of sound advice. It went on to suggest that you jump off a roof -- with a parachute, of course -- to get a reporter's attention.

Well.

That would certainly do it. But as I have mentioned before publicity stunts take work -- and while they may certainly get you the attention you're seeking, can completely backfire or cause the media to treat you as a joke.

The moral of the story? Be wary of publicity stunts. Instead, seek out what authentically makes your story unique or different enough to grab a reporter's interest.

Bridgette Outten is a journalist and media relations consultant with The Write Vision Group, Inc. With a background in print media, she has written thousands of articles for newspapers and online publications. At The Write Vision Group, Bridgette consults with nonprofits and small businesses about how to get their programs and efforts in the news. Meanwhile, she blogs on all things journalism.