Define Success before a PR Engagement Begins
A question that I like to ask CEOs or sponsors at the beginning of any new project is: “How will you define success at the end of this project? If your definition was a news headline, what would it say?” A former Baxter executive founded a medical education start-up company that taught physicians how to practice a simulated procedure instead of practicing on a real patient. He answered my question with a commanding: “I want to be on the cover of Fortune magazine as the most feared man in medicine.” Alrighty I thought — a very articulate...
read moreAmplyifying earned media: why the story is only the start
Earned media results always starts by asking “why.” Why is this story relevant? Why does your audience care? Once this is clear the chance of your story getting published greatly increases. The story is only the start. Earned media is the most credible of the four types of media – paid, earned, shared or owned- also known as P.E.S.O. Earned media begins by convincing editors, writers, producers and bloggers that your story has merit. You can’t buy earned media. According to Amplify, LinkedIn’s Marketing Solutions Report, “Earned...
read moreHow PR has grown up: the evolution to a blended branding approach
The purpose of public relations has not changed in decades — build interesting and accurate narratives and tell great stories that include stakeholder perceptions. What has changed quite significantly in the last two decades is the way stories are told. The number of available channels has increased to make parts of our jobs 24/7 – online news, blogs, and social media. Despite the number of increasing channels, knowing your audiences and where they are online is the first step...
read moreHow Cloud-Based (aka ‘virtual’) Companies Could be a Model of the Future Workforce
The office culture is shifting, driven by a large wave of millennials craving flexibility and, most importantly, purposeful workplaces. The benefits of a cloud-based company go beyond the organization and into a movement toward a model for a future workforce. Gini Dietrich, author of SpinSucks, took her Chicago-based PR company virtual in 2013. “From a business perspective, my team is completely focused on results, not activity or staying at their desk during lunch or after hours just to prove they work more hours than anyone else....
read moreHow to Build Your Reputation Plan to Prepare for the Worst
How do smart businesses define and manage issues that arise whether internal or external? Concerns about an organization’s decisions could affect its mission, reputation and economic performance. Issues have an impact on all stakeholders: employees, recruits, customers, partners, investors, politicians, activists and the general public. How does an organization build and maintain a great track record in the public’s mind? We believe this responsibility is based on three foundations for reputation management that include economic performance,...
read moreHow to Optimize Results for Your Digital Press Release
The most widely used document by PR practitioners to engage the media is a press release. It has not died; it’s simply used in different ways today and helps frame your ‘pitch’ to reporters. The web-centric world makes it easier for both small and large companies to create and publish news through owned and paid channels such as your website and social networks, as well as wire services. Then let your influencers share it. A multimedia news release (MMNR) is one way to convey your message. These ‘smart’ releases embed high-resolution photos...
read moreIntegrating Traditional and New Media PR Campaigns
Where do you get breaking news – when reading a paper (what?!), talking to a friend, or scrolling through your social media feed? Today, we receive news all day long in messages through multiple channels on various devices. In the past, PR professionals have relied on traditional media outlets to share their client’s brand stories, however, with the emergence of new technology PR professionals have had to modify their strategies to the growing digital space. Organizations have adapted to this environment by integrating traditional and...
read moreThe Words from Steve Jobs that Drive Kellee Johnson as an Entrepreneur
I got the idea to start an integrated communications firm in 2005, the same year the late Steve Jobs gave a commencement speech at Stanford. It was called: “Stay hungry, stay foolish.” I still follow these words today. ‘Hunger’ to me is staying curious enough every day to define the WHY. ‘Staying foolish’ to me is not being afraid to take risks that may result in mistakes. I had to work hard once I decided to go out on my own and build a team of experts. These words were my daily inspiration. Hear more on Entrepreneur.com about how the...
read moreStrategies vs. Tactics: Why and How to Run a Successful PR Campaign
A successful PR campaign goes beyond pitching your story and getting media coverage. There are various elements that take place before and after your campaign. All of these separate components help maximize the chance for success and the amplification process once a story is published. Mastercard’s CMO, Raja Rajamannar, claims that the success to keeping a campaign fresh is through storytelling. He explains, “Gone are the days where you talk to consumers. We have to be effective storytellers. But today, storytelling is not adequate. You...
read moreThe Inverted Pyramid Methodology: Storytelling, Thought Leadership & Getting Noticed
Today, organizations want to stand out in the marketplace and drive people toward their businesses. Understanding the “why” is the first step in storytelling that differentiates an organization from others. The Ballast Group’s storytelling methodology first answers the “why” your stakeholders care. This approach challenges you and other thought leaders to delve into the fundamentals of how your organization relates to others and the marketplace in which it operates. At the top of most pyramids is where many leaders and companies like to...
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