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As a PR professional, you’re well-versed in writing guest posts/contributed content (same thing) on behalf of your executives, spokespeople, or even yourself. You’ve determined the outlets your audience is reading or watching, you’ve created a refined media target list, and you have a great topic in mind for your client or subject matter expert (SME).

More often than not however, the first step to getting your content published is pitching the reporter an abstract of what it is about. An abstract is an effective description of what you are proposing to write and a lot of reporters will ask for this FIRST to be sure the final content you deliver is aligned with their media outlet’s own objectives. There are some exceptions where an editor won’t want or need an abstract, but it’s always important to ask and tailor your process to what best fits theirs. 

You May Also Like: Pro Tips to Creating a Media List

What is an abstract?

Think of your...

When trying to secure media coverage and craft pitches that make reporters jump at the opportunity to talk to your team or publish your news, there are several factors that come into play. Relevancy, timeliness, and usually an interesting hook are all givens when it comes to landing coverage. But, there are other helpful ways to help determine when your news might make the most impact—and most likely to be published. 

However, determining the best angle to pitch and when to pitch it may feel impossible. How could anyone possibly know what a reporter is tasked with covering? 

The perception that securing editorial coverage is elusive is often actually an illusion. In fact, here are helpful tips to understanding better, faster, and easier ways to help get your news published.

Find the Right Beat

Pitching your news or story to reporters or writers that create content for the audience you sell to is not only critical to landing media coverage, but also to reaching your...

A contributed article is a great way to gain exposure for your brand and ensure your client’s name or company is considered a trusted authority. They are meant to serve as a vendor-neutral perspective by someone with concrete knowledge about a particular topic. Contributed articles (also called bylines) are one of the most used tools in a PR professionals toolbelt when it comes to serving their clients. 

However, before securing media coverage, there is a lot of groundwork that needs to be done before seeing your (or your client’s) name published. Placing a contributed article starts long before the content is written and even before the pitch is crafted. In fact, there is a bit of reverse engineering that must take place. Here are some of the most critical steps PR professionals should take when trying to place their content. 

Begin with the End in Mind When it Comes to Targeting Media

Creating a target media list for your PR goals isn’t necessarily...

A lot of people think that the only time you need a PR team is when things go awry. 

FALSE.

A crisis can happen at any moment and hopefully you have a PR team already in place that knows your business and its stories well enough to recover swiftly and effectively. 

If you don’t have one in place, or if you’re curious on what sticky situations may arise, here are easy ways to help prevent a disaster from happening in the first place. 

Preventable Things You Can Do To Avoid Getting Into a Crisis

Understand Your Competitive Landscape

You are always better prepared if you know what's going on around you. By being in-tune with your competition and what’s happening in the newscycle and world, you have the opportunity to create messaging and a narrative that best serves you in a positive light. Your messaging and narrative is the backbone of every piece of communication for your company, internally and externally. 

For example, years ago I worked with...

When you start to seek press coverage for your business, your media list—the repository that contains your research about outlets that your target audience reads—is your lifeline.

But getting to the point of being able to turn to your media list and pitch with confidence, there are several steps you’ll want to take to be sure that you’re targeting the right contacts. After all, a media list with the wrong contacts is just as bad as no media list at all (not to mention frustrating for those reporters on the receiving end of your pitch).

Getting Started with Creating a Media List

Know Your Audience

To start honing your media list, you’ll want to make sure that you’re targeting appropriate outlets for the articles you want to get published. For example, you probably wouldn’t want to pitch a story about off-roading vehicles to an online parenting magazine. If you’ve created a customer persona or multiple personas, then you not only have a...

When it comes to the art of public relations, there are several tried and true tactics that work, like getting to know your key media, being organized and respectful of a reporter’s time, and providing juicy nuggets of information as an exclusive to a single reporter. But, there are so many potential cringe worthy mistakes that are actually pretty easy to make.

Life in the PR lane is FAST and the following mistakes are simple missteps that even the most seasoned professional can sometimes make. As someone with nearly two decades of PR experience, I’ve witnessed firsthand the horror that some of these mistakes can create. Here are three of the most common PR mistakes I’ve seen and why you should avoid making them.

The 3 PR Mistakes To Avoid

1. Sending Mass Email Pitch Blasts 

How would you feel if you got a text message from somebody asking you to dinner, but they got your name wrong? Or, asked you to dine at a steakhouse when you’re vegetarian. Would you...

You may be up for a promotion, a merit increase, or perhaps you interviewed (and landed) a new gig and it’s come time to talk numbers. Discussing and negotiating a PR salary can be an exhausting, daunting, and intimidating process for some PR professionals, but it's important to not let the fear of the process overshadow the salary you (and your role) deserves. 

According to a PR Week survey, nearly 40% of PR professionals do not feel “well compensated” in their roles. Based on those numbers, it’s time to flip the script.  There are natural inflection points that should be considered as opportune times to ask for that raise you desire, like:

• Taking on a new job
• Receiving a new title or promotion
• Accepting new job responsibilities outside of your current scope

Nervous, anxious, or downright terrified of how to go about asking for your desired PR salary? Here are tips to get you prepared and properly compensated. 

Do your research

It seems...

Picture this common scenario for a PR pro: you work hard to create, pitch, and then secure media coverage. That may look like a feature piece in a premier business media outlet, a contributed article in a prominent trade magazine, or some sort of interview with a spokesperson. GREAT. It’s published, everyone oohs and aahs internally. And then what? 

Maximizing your great media coverage is critical to squeezing all the juice from your hard work. There are several other really easy ways to gain additional exposure and maximize your gain from your media coverage.

1. Post coverage on your website under "News" 

Republishing coverage on your site is a great way for visitors to see the latest and greatest from your company. Third-party validation via media coverage is a simple, yet highly effective marketing strategy—people buy from companies they trust and that are credible. When reposting on your site, be sure to summarize and then redirect readers to the article...

At some point in your career, whether you’re just starting to climb the ranks of agency life or you’re a seasoned pro with an executive title, you may find yourself grappling with the idea of pursuing a Master’s degree in PR. There are many benefits to getting an advanced degree in general: opportunity for higher earning potential, more specialized skills, and potential career advancement. But in public relations, is it really necessary to have a master’s degree to succeed? 

Pursuing a Master’s Degree typically takes a considerable amount of investment, both in time and money, so you’ll want to be sure it’s really worth it. But is it? I say no. Here’s why.

A solid network is more advantageous than added credentials

As a veteran of the PR industry, I’ve had my share of exposure to various successful individuals in PR and they all had one thing in common (and it wasn’t an advanced degree): networking. The ability to...

According to Monster.com, one of the fastest growing and most competitive fields is Public Relations (PR). That, coupled with significant projected growth in the next 3-5 years*, means many more PR professionals will be in demand and at the ready to jump into new positions. 

If you’re reading this, you may be looking for a refresher in all things PR or perhaps you’re starting a new career track in PR. PR has evolved so much in the past decade thanks to technology and with the pandemic, that many strategies have changed—so there is a lot to catch up on.

Let’s start with the basics, shall we?

What is Public Relations?

When it comes to PR, its definition has evolved significantly over the years, especially as its role with the public and technology has changed (more on that later). According to PRSA, “public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.” This...