The Media Interview 102!

A while back I talked about the traps of media interviews. Even with the best vetted credential, it is possible that your clients will be ambushed by a reporter during a live or taped interview. So, how do you help your clients regain control of an interview when this happens?

Start by having a strong message to restate-especially if the client is in trouble. If Charlie Sheen was your client, don't have him defend his drug use- this would come off wrong during teasers. Instead, have him strongly discuss how getting help has been a lifelong battle because he has a lifelong disease. It is OK to turn the tables on a journalist who has already flipped a table.

You also want to make sure your client doesn't seem too rehearsed with his or her answers. This doesn't sit well on television and makes for great late night television video clips. Work with your client on improving conversation skills and make sure you call all interviews "media conversations" to reinforce this training.

You can regain control when an interview goes bad, but just make sure your client knows how to do also do this!

This said, I will not be posting on this blog until January 5th of 2015. Make sure to follow me on Instagram, where I will be posting updates, until this date.

Velma Trayham of ThinkZILLA

Media Gifts 2014

Yesterday I wrote a blog about sending personalized holiday cards to your peers and clients. Today, however, I want to cover sending gifts to the media. While this is thoughtful, it can be considered unethical and even a conflict of interest for you, your client, and your PR firm.

There is nothing wrong with sending a little something to a media rep. as long as you address it to the company  in general and you keep the cost of the item below $25. This is a safe amount when it comes to a Thank You gift or a holiday present. Anything over the price tag of $25 can be considered a pay-off and you don't need that drama rearing its ugly head!

I like to send gift baskets and cookie trays for the entire media team to share. It isn't a personal gift directed at one specific person and it still allows my brand's visibility to enter the media firm's office.

Until next time,

Velma Trayham of ThinkZILLA

Holiday Cards... Are They Worth It?

There is a lost art within our business. Believe it or not, that art is writing! In the last few years I have noticed that people just don't send handwritten holiday cards to their peers or their clients anymore. Why? I think it is sad. A publicist has to rely on relationships to make their clients successful, yet we are too tired or too cheap to buy holiday cards and write a short, personal note.

I can't say how many times within the last two years that I have received an eCard. And while the thought does count, it just seems to impersonal. I know that little effort was put into the task and that it probably was an automated CRM cue that notified the sender that I was either due for a holiday card or a birthday message.

I understand tight budgets, but relationships are worth more than the two dollar card and fifty cent stamp. If you're on the fence about sending out actual holiday cards this year- please consider that a personalized card says something about your attention to detail and shows that you truly do care about the relationship. eCards, while easy to send, make people feel like a number more than communicating a feeling of appreciation.

We work in a business that is personal. Why not back up this sentiment with a personalized "Happy Holidays" note from yourself? It is something to think about this week.

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayaham of ThinkZILLA

Social Media - PR it like a boss!

Yesterday I talked about using social media for unprofessional content. Today, I want to talk about how to use social media like a boss and own the landscape within your industry.

I've compiled a few easy and simple tips to help you quickly become a respected social media peer within your industry- PR related or not.

1.  Don't be initiative based. That's overtly promotion. Instead,be excited about the probabilities about projected outcomes and share that excitement with the world.

2.  Use and track coupon codes, specific created hashtags and client key word searches. Acknowledge what is working directly with your followers. True bosses give credit where credit is due. Not sure what I mean? Follow actor Jared Leto's Twitter account. He is constantly running beta tests and then thanking his fans. He has them engaged 24/7!

3. Build relationships and be serious about it. Most media resources (and all PR peers) are natural 'BS' detectors. If you're constantly pushing your selfies, your clients' initiatives, and "buy now" deals then no one will feel that you have a genuine interest in a real relationship as a media resource. Be on point without overtly promoting when it comes to visuals and content.

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham of ThinkZILLA

PR Fallout From Online Posts

I have to address an issue I am seeing on an continued basis. Your personal online content. I read a terrible Facebook rant over the weekend and I’m sickened that a publicist would put her hateful opinions for clients and peers to read on her personal Facebook page.

Now, some of you might say that it is her personal page. Sure it is, it is just archived onto Google’s search engine for the world to read. She is entitled to her hateful opinion but she is going to have business lost to it. Peers will soon catch on and stop referring her too. I will not repeat what she said, only that it is filled with hate and aimed at a certain demographic of sexually orientated people.

I can’t stress enough that nothing you write is personal anymore. Friends can quickly become enemies and take screen shots of your “private” social media accounts for all the world to see.  Don’t ever write anything on your personal pages that you wouldn’t want to proudly read- outloud- in front of a client or potential client.

As a publicist, you don’t have a personal life. Your clients’ lives are your obligation- both personally and professionally when it comes to branding and visibility. Voicing your own opinions online (even via a personal account) will harm your own reputation- right or wrong, this is the culture we live in.

Keep it professional and keep those negative or opinionated posts off of social media!

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham

Pitching Media via Twitter

To continue my piece from yesterday, I want to talk about pitching the press via Twitter. For some occasions, this works. However, not all members of the media like to get pitched via Twitter. You truly have to decipher each member of the media’s pitch preference before sending out any pitches. Blast pitches never work, either. Sure, they highlight your news but these efforts will not result in actually capturing any true interviews or media mentions.

So, if you want to pitch the press via Twitter, and you know the targeted journalist accept social media pitches, follow these tips;

1. Make sure your Twitter profile is complete and professional. Photos of you drinking with clients or partying with other publicists isn’t professional and should be kept to your own private accounts, not your company account.
2. Make sure that your Twitter feed is active with industry news and valuable information for your sector. Remember, members are the press are professional BS trackers. They will call you on not knowing your stuff or being too self-promotive.
3. Follow up with a phone call. If the press agent hasn’t responded to your Tweet pitch, make sure you plan a 3 day follow up via a phone call. If they still don’t respond, don’t bug him or her. Try again later and with a different angle.

Until Monday,

Velma Trayham of ThinkZILLA

1 “MUST” Tip for Breaking the Ice with A Member of the Press

Publicists don’t have a magic wand in their desk drawer. Their relationships with the media come from a long line of pitching, meeting in person, bugging, sending over holiday cards, repeating this process without feeling rejected, and then repeating it again. It gets easier as time passes and you prove yourself as a publicist, too.  

This said, I wanted to share one key thought (or magic want maneuver) today when it comes to breaking the ice with a much sought after member of the press. If you can’t crack a relationship (or even a smile) from a press agent, implement the Tripe R method. This method consists of Respect (1), Reliability (2), and Response (3).  

First, you have to respect the demand on journalists today. Many people blog for free and get paid by ads or PPC campaigns- not media resources.  This said, budgets are tight and reporters have more responsibilities along with a skeleton staff due to cutbacks. Traditional media is competing with a heavy freelance community. If you call a reporter once during the day, leave it. Don’t call four or five times. Don’t send emails throughout the day. Don’t trample on their time. Be respected and also make sure what you’re pitching is included in their assignments category, otherwise you’re just being annoying.

Second, be reliable. This means not exaggerating facts or shoving hype when speaking with a reporter. If a member of the press can learn to trust you as a resource, you will have them knocking at your door- not the other way around. So remember, never lie to the media to get press attention. It will backfire.

Finally, be responsive. If you can’t respond to any member of the press within 5 minutes of the day or night (and anytime of the day or night) you can say goodbye to your client’s story / interview and the relationship with the reporter. Most members of the press work long hours and are usually up late finishing stories. They may send you an urgent email at 1am asking you to verify a fact. Do it. Be available at all times to the media as this is part of your job as a publicist.

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham of ThinkZILLA

End of Year Reports

End of Year report time is upon the marketing and publicity world for annual retainer accounts. So, what makes for an outstanding retainer? Many things.  I'm going to list the key topics to cover within this report to help new publicity people understand what should be included. The same goes for clients who buy PR services- you too should know what to look for.

1.  The start to finish synopsis. It is always good to refresh your clients as to where they were at prior to hiring your firm.
2. The objectives you met and the objectives you exceeded. This is where you boast about how you exceeded expectations as a publicist.
3. Key message theme reviews followed by the program components you implemented.
4. Media value that includes brand visibility measurements and social media value. Don't forget to convert your followers as media value, as well as any followers you built for the client.
5. Campaign time.  Make sure you show results in stages of goals within a time frame, not just as met or the value they produced.

Again, beautiful demographics are important but content is key!

Velma Trayham of ThinkZILLA

Instagram Leads 2015 for PR Clients

I can’t tell you how many of my PR clients are lost when they show up in my office. They have either been burned by a bad publicist or they have been trying to DIY it.  While a pro, like me, has to reign things in and rebuild or brand from the bottom up, there is one app that I tell my clients to use and to use frequently. It’s Instagram.

Now, people seem to be hooked on Pinterest and not Instagram. The opposite should be true.  Pinterest works great as an intention book or a quick recipe share with a deep link. It is popular for hairdressers and retailers as a way to engage with their clients. From a personal branding perspective, Instagram is better for converting a fan base that TRULY follows you.  You can have all the social media accounts in the world but if you’re not using them properly, and you’re not converting ‘Likes’ to business, why bother?

Instagram means brand loyalty and brand loyalty means business, maybe not as immediate ROI- but it will cultivate leads that eventually turn to business. Pinterest, however, is for sharing pretty pictures and recipes.  Many tech savvy journalists agree with me. Instagram is still beating Pinterest as one of the top phone apps to use for business in 2015. If you don’t already have Instagram, and you’re not actively using it, you’re already that far behind. The good news it is isn’t too late to join the game.

You can’t outsource Instagram either. I take that back, you can- but it defeats the point. Content and marketing can be outsourced for Google+, Yelp, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Instagram demands more of your time because it is a social engagement app. Your followers want a peak into your life, not a marketing update!

So, ask yourself if you’re active on Instagram. If not, download the app right now and start posting!

Velma Trayham of ThinkZILLA

Hype or Spin?

I want to talk about the power of hype. It is a funny thing because it can be a double-edged sword. Public relations is about spin, but there is more to it. A great publicist will create spin that leads to actual press and then results in long-term ROI. A poor publicist will send out chopped flyers, create copy with vested interest, and develop hype that doesn’t lead to more than 15 minutes of fame and no ROI. So, yes there is a difference between hype and spin.

Here are two examples of hype. I’m hopeful these examples will help you think of your long-term strategies before moving forward with a client initiative.

1.       Balloon boy. Remember this? It was all over CNN and Fox news. The media value coverage received went well beyond the million dollar mark. With all the “breaking news hype” and media value, balloon boy’s rep. sunk and their 15 minutes of fame soured.

2.       Dumber and Dumber To. This is a recent example of hype. Jim Carey hosted SNL. He appeared on Howard Stern. Millions of PR value was earned and millions of marketing dollars were spent. When people left theaters after the movie’s premier- the hype couldn’t turn them into fans, nor their social media reviews into positive ones.

This week carefully look at how you craft a PR campaign for a client. Are you teetering more on the side of hype or more on the side of spin?

Velma Trayham of ThinkZILLA