Calvin Coolidge once said,  “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence.” 

While he’s right about the value of determination, he also said that at a time when there was no internet and it was virtually impossible to fire off instant messages. And ohhh, how we’ve become so good at doing those via text, email, WhatsApp, etc.! 

It’s imperative to balance persistence with patience when you are pitching a content idea to a reporter.  

Keep in mind that reporters often receive as many as 500-1,000 emails daily. Not weekly… DAILY! 

Unless timed to an event in the news cycle, guest posts (just like yours), usually don’t hold the level of urgency as a product or company announcement with a set launch date. 

With that in mind, here is what NOT to do when following up with busy reporters: 

1. Don’t follow up the day after you’ve emailed your content pitch.

Give the reporter time to...

You’ve worked hard to get your contributed content a shot at publication: you’ve researched your ideal outlet, identified the right reporter or editor, written a successful abstract and pitch, and now you’re ready to craft your content.

Tips for submitting contributed articles 

You’re so close. Don’t blow this opportunity by making simple, rookie mistakes. Heed the following six steps to ensure your content has the best possible chance for publication.

1) Remain vendor neutral in your writing.

Unlike your personal blog or your LinkedIn page, this isn't all about you. In fact, it should have literally nothing to do about you or your company—it's about something you have expertise about. It's important to provide all angles and arguments. Keep in mind that people don't want to hear an advertisement for your business; they want to learn something.

2) Avoid overusing industry jargon.

Not only are words like “leverage,”...

Remote work is here to stay

When I started remote working nearly a decade ago, a routine and structure for my day was non-existent for me. I would literally roll out of bed, make a cup of coffee, open up my laptop and all of a sudden it was 4:30 p.m. I barely moved, I ate whatever was readily available (and it wasn’t usually nutritious), and my eyes, shoulders, and head hurt from staring at the screen at my uncomfortable dining room table. 

While working remotely, I also found that I was putting in crazy long hours, but didn’t seem to be as productive as I could have been. I was low energy, and I was beginning to feel depressed because I wasn’t seeing anyone (and I was so used to being part of a larger team).  This remote schedule was a far cry from my days spent going into an office where I was bound to a pretty strict schedule. I needed to change my ways.

Tips for working remotely

As we approach the one-year mark since the global shutdown from COVID-19...

A recent article on PR Daily outlined some of the top ways PR can take advantage of Clubhouse—the new social app that's taken the world by storm. Part podcast, part TedTalk, the high-profile app can be a great resource for PR Professionals. Veteran PR Professional and RemotePRJobs.com Founder Andrea Holland gives her own take on the popular—but obscure—app:

"Clubhouse is early, but in my experience thus far, it’s proving to be an interesting and fruitful tool for PR professionals. Whether you are choosing to moderate a discussion or simply listen in (you’re not obligated to talk), it can be pretty valuable. It’s also super addicting and many evenings, I’ve found myself listening to conversations for hours on end, when I should be asleep (oops!).

That said, I think it’s valuable for PR professionals for three reasons:

1. Content: I’ve been in a few rooms where I’ve been able to workshop a pitch with other PR...

Generate more PR for your startup

As a startup, you may have given a lot of thought toward a marketing plan. As you dig deeper into marketing and communications, you hopefully have discovered one function that stands out when it comes to helping build the bottom line, spread awareness of a product or service, and reach a targeted group of customers. 

Oh, and did we mention building brand credibility and authority? If it sounds too good to be true, it’s probably public relations (and it’s completely true!).

Why your startup needs PR

Public relations (PR) is a marketing all-star and can be a slam dunk for startups looking to maximize time and money to help achieve both its sales and marketing goals. Here, we break down some of the top ways PR can help startups:

1. Generate business leads

PR can help generate new business leads due to its increased eyeballs on your business. When your company is published (e.g., quoted or a fully written article) in targeted media...

How to work with reporters

I remember sitting in my office several years ago, when I received a call from the Wall Street Journal. My team was there, and half of them (all relatively recent college grads) sat in utter shock looking at the caller ID.

"Is the Wall Street Journal proactively calling you?!" one of my junior publicists asked.

It was unfathomable to her that a reporter actually wanted to talk to a PR person, unsolicited and of his own volition.

The truth was the person calling wasn’t just a random reporter I had no connection to. It was a long-time colleague, associate, and genuine friend…who also happens to write for the Wall Street Journal.

One of the keys to professional success, particularly in a “people” job like PR, is being able to make honest, authentic connections. Whether it is a family member, friend, or a reporter, a relationship is a relationship.

How to build a working relationship with a reporter

To build a relationship, it starts...

In our digital world of divided attention, you have to make your case in the blink of an eye, or risk being ignored. 

Research says that your first impression of somebody is made within the first seven seconds. The same thing goes for when you are pitching content to a journalist. And let’s not forget that you’re also competing with the other messages screaming in their inbox. 

So how do you make your pitch standout to a reporter, but also provide them with the necessary content they need? Oh, and it also has to be succinct? That can be tricky.

Taking it back to Public Relations (PR) 101, a reminder that your email pitch is what you write in the body of your email when you’re sending an abstract of an article you’d like published. Keep in mind that your abstract is a first glimpse of the topic you’re proposing and is at the heart of your pitch. Make sure it’s clear, concise and compelling. You’ll paste your abstract into the body...

How negative press affects your brand

In today’s social media-heavy world, brand reputation is one the most valuable assets a business owns. One negative article about your brand from a major media publication or a negative interaction on social platforms can trigger a public relations crisis. This ruins your credibility and leaves your business in shambles. Even if it isn’t your fault, negative publicity leaves a lasting impact. 

No company enjoys dealing with a PR crisis, but the good news is that negative news can be overcome. There are countless examples of brands and individuals that have recovered from a scandal and are now viewed in a positive light. PR disasters are one of the worst things to happen to brands, but they can be overcome.

So how do you deal with negative PR? In this post, we’ll go into the details of how to manage bad coverage and how to turn it into an opportunity to control the narrative.

You May Also Like: The Best PR Pitching...

How many times have you sat at your desk ready to write about something you know a TON about, but still don't know where to begin or what to write?

As a subject matter expert writing contributed content, it’s not always easy to come up with a fresh spin on what you are close to and know so well. And who wants to waste their time typing, retyping, and backspacing, over and over? 

Remember, the whole point of writing contributed content is to share valuable information that establishes your authority and credibility, offers solutions to people’s problems and pain points, and supports an overall positive association with whatever you’re promoting. Easier said than done, right?

As you aim to meet these objectives, you may need some prompts to get the juices flowing. As you consider the questions and ideas below to help get things moving, be sure to keep your computer, a favorite note-taking app like Evernote, or even a pen and paper handy to jot down your ideas...

When I was starting out in PR more than a decade ago, I shared a pitch email that I drafted for a reporter with my boss for her feedback. She took one glance, looked at me, and gave me the simplest, yet best advice of my career: “You need to go on a DIET! A word diet! Cut it down. Cut it short. Get to the point. Reporters will not read long pitches.”

As a newbie in PR, I was slightly taken aback and thought “but wouldn’t ALL of the information upfront be appreciated by reporters?” As I put this in practice during the years, I realized I could succinctly pitch reporters AND also provide them exactly what they needed.

While it’s not an exact science and to each pitch its own, there are several factors to consider when pitching reporters. Here, I share some of my top tips that can increase the likelihood of your pitch being read.

1. Edit and re-edit your pitch emails before you send them. Make sure you catch all grammatical errors and have the...