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Mental Health is one of the most important topics of discussion in recent times and rightfully so. As anyone working at home over the past 18 months can tell you, staring at the same four walls every day is not always good for the soul—or the mind. Those that were already working from home, such as remote PR professionals, were especially hard hit when the quarantine locked everything down; not only were they staying at home for work, but now they also couldn’t leave it for pleasure. That negatively impacted mental health for many.

Although restrictions are lifting, mental health should still be top of mind for remote PR professionals. Yes, that means taking better care of YOU and understanding how your actions can encourage others to protect your mental health as well. 

Bring on the Fuzzy Slippers

Let’s face it, working remotely has some definite perks. For example, no one takes the last cup of coffee and leaves the pot on the burner, and no one’s...

It’s something every PR professional faces at one time or another -- gaps in the marketing cycle where it seems that absolutely nothing is going on. There are no new product releases, no customer announcements or events, no trade shows. There is seemingly nothing to reach out to the media with. It’s almost as if you have to create your own news to get coverage. And, actually, that is a pretty good idea.

When your company is in a slow news cycle, or you are just looking for new reasons to stay in touch and relevant with your colleagues in the media, data storytelling can help get you over the hump -- and potentially create an ongoing channel of news for your company. 

Why is Getting Media Coverage So Difficult?

It can be hard to catch the attention of reporters even when you DO have news. In fact, 47% of reporters and editors say they receive more than 10 pitches a day, and nearly 10% receive more than 50! How do we know that? Because a company did a survey of...

As sometimes solo practitioners, it’s not always easy for remote PR and Communications professionals to stay on top of the latest public relations tools, tips and tricks. If you’re lucky, you’re keeping your clients busy with new product launches, executive thought leadership blogs and articles, industry events, and interviews with media and analysts. 

But it’s important to keep up to date with what’s going on in the industry, and that means frequently brushing up on PR fundamentals. Something you read will inevitably spark some ideas about how you could be serving your client even better than you are today. Staying fresh ensures you and your clients are always putting your best foot forward when it comes to media exposure.

The 3 Key Ways to Drive PR Success

As shown in some of our more popular blog posts over the past several months, great public relations can be boiled down to three key themes:

1. Great Positioning and Messaging
2. Great Pitching...

Earlier this year, we published a piece about how to be a successful remote worker, when nearly everyone was working from home. Now, as you, your colleagues, and clients head back to the office, either in a full-time or hybrid environment, what will work look like for you as a permanent remote worker?

One word: different. According to a USA Today article, nearly 40% of employees would prefer to stay working from home. So it goes without saying that an adjustment back to the office will have a very different look and feel—for everyone. As a remote worker, one can expect some hiccups interacting with clients that would rather be working elsewhere. And, you may even feel envious at the thought of a separate workspace, a commute to decompress, and office banter. 

There are certainly pros and cons to each situation and there will need to be flexibility and grace as the world readjusts. Here are some things to keep in mind as everyone shifts to a new work environment and...

Despite investing significant time and energy to prepare for a smooth media interview, many subject matter experts (SME) have stammered and stumbled through a reporter’s questions. Even the most seasoned spokesperson can get tripped up when put on the spot. When preparing for an interview with a reporter, it’s impossible to predict every question you may be asked. But, knowing that there are always key “go-to” questions a reporter will likely ask is a great place to start.

The Types of Media Interviews

There are a few different types of interviews reporters conduct and knowing what they are most interested in is critical to understanding the types of questions that could be asked. Interviews typically fall under the categories: 

• General briefing/background interview
• Major company news or announcement
• Product or service launch 

When it comes to preparing a client and spokesperson for a media interview, it’s important to consider the type...

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 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...

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...

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...