As a public relations professional, it’s my job to call reporters and share my client’s story with the media. But for a moment, imagine the other end of the phone line … the reporter. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people just like me are calling, emailing and faxing; all of us working to get the reporter’s attention so they’ll write a story. How do you set yourself apart from the pack? Keep reading …

PR isn’t just about picking up the phone and calling a reporter. There is a ton of strategy involved in what we do. So before you pick up the phone or send out a “PR release,” listen to what I have to say

But STOP! Before we go any further, IT IS NOT CALLED A PR RELEASE. I repeat. It is not called a “PR Release.”  We send out news releases

Now, on to the good stuff

DO NOT MASS DISTRIBUTE. Don’t blast emails or faxes. Don’t do a generic pitch that blankets a ton of reporters.  It’s important that you do your homework and get to know each reporter you’re planning to pitch. There is nothing more embarrassing than sending a pitch to a reporter that doesn’t cover your topic. Example: my client is launching an exercise video. Over my dead body will I pitch the financial editor on this topic. UNLESS there is a financial angle

Further, mass distributing your news releases is just like spam. You know how annoyed you get when you receive those Australian lottery winner emails or the African prince that is looking for his soul mate. DON’T SPAM

Customize your outreach. Refer to previous coverage by that particular reporter. Open up with a brief remark that gets the conversation going … and personalize it.

It’s fine to follow up with a reporter, but please don’t call and ask if they’ve received your news release. Chances are their desk is just as cluttered as yours.  Instead, lead with “Am I calling at a good time” and give them a couple of juicy facts to gauge their interest. They may ask you to send them a release; don’t be offended. Just keep your mouth shut and send it again. Be respectful of their time and courteous with your follow up.

Most importantly, develop relationships with reporters so that you become a resource for them.  A few reporters I work with contact me needing sources for stories that don’t apply to any of my clients. I don’t mind helping them because I know that when I really need them, they’ll be there.

It’s no secret that today’s society has concern for the environment. Recycling, hybrid vehicles, buying locally grown produce. As citizens we’re all working to do our part. But what about corporate America? What about the companies that have maintained a focus on the environment for decades? How do we ALL work together to protect our planet?

I came across a great article last week in Ad Age, How Agencies Are Helping Their Clients Help The Environment. It really puts things in perspective … as individuals, it’s important to make wise decisions concerning the environment (recycling, buying locally-grown produce, etc.). As a corporation, it’s important to take a look at how we can eliminate waste during the manufacturing process, etc. But as a marketer what can we do? We can encourage our clients to create earth-friendly campaigns.

Example: Snackbox is working with a major consumer packaged good brand that has practiced earth-friendly production since the early 1900s. Before it was “cool” to be “green.”  We’re working with said company to create a public relations campaign that educates consumers about their practices in producing disposable tableware.  Most don’t automatically think paper plates = good for the environment. I’m sure demand for their product will increase once our campaign is complete, but more importantly, as consumers, we will know that we have choices. Choices that are actually good for the environment.

We’re also taking the environment into account in other practices: Doing away with paper press kits, emailing our invoices and presenting brand identity systems electronically rather than pasting to presentation boards.

Protecting the environment isn’t another fad. Let’s all do our part to protect and preserve.

Quite often, we’re handed a project, ask the necessary questions, produce great work and move on to the next prospect. It’s a model that has made a lot of freelancers great income throughout the ages.

But why stop with one project?

One of the more difficult things we encounter as business owners is the art of cold calling to expand our business. But why go through all of the effort when you have clients from your past who are perfectly capable of being your clients of the future?

I encourage you to dive deep into your Rolodex and remain in contact with ALL of your clients. Build conversation with them, create a database you can reference for years to come.

For example, I make note in my address book regarding important answers to my questions: does my client contact have kids, what is their favorite food, do they have pets, etc.  Those notes allow me to pick up dialog right away without missing a beat.  It doesn’t mean that I don’t value each of the people in my Rolodex … it just means that my Rolodex is too large to remember all of the details. My database allows me to keep up.

As you build your Rolodex, you can watch for patterns and have the opportunity to connect those in your network. Build Karma points by connecting a favorite package designer with an inventor looking to gain shelf space in local grocery stores. More than likely, those who have been helped by you are happy to return the favor down the road.

It’s all about who you know, but also what you know about them.

Yes that’s right, I called it Gotcha. So why Gotcha? Simple really, it’s not as involved as a Captcha (also not as secure but will fend off most spambots). Below I have written a very simple Contact form in PHP, I will explain the goods right after the form. Read the rest of this entry »

This is about what some clients want you to do in order to accomplish their overall goal, which usually ends up coming back to you the designer as a negative project both you and the customer. Maybe we could get a good rapport on how to effectively guide a client out of the mindset that having a project done faster doesn’t always equate to having it done better.

One type of client may want to have their website up by the end of the week so that they can be ready to “make money” over the weekend. But I have found that if you sacrifice your time in testing and ensuring proper usability the website will initially flop. It is best to have a good plan of action and stick to it. The client like this I have found will normally want a large project done and wait until two days before their desired deadline to get you essential project information.

Say your job is print related, staring at the MAR+APR 2008 Create magazine sitting beside me I can see a ton of work going into some of the ads placed in here. So if I was designing for something like this; where obviously deadline is an issue. I may have to steer the client out of the target issue if their overall brand or idea wasn’t properly portrayed, suggesting the following issues print deadline for a more successful campaign.

How do others handle clients like these?