How To Build A Winning Relationship With A Journalist

By Jenny Finke

job, jobs, career

Many of us want to be the go-to person in our industry. The one person journalists think of as soon as news happens in our industry. But being that go-to person takes time. After all, you need to build a relationship with the reporter and prove yourself as a credible expert too.

Get on a Journalist's Radar. The first step is to simply get on the reporter's radar. A good way to get the attention of a reporter is to first email them an introduction and an invitation to coffee or lunch near their office. You simply can tell the reporter that you've enjoyed reading their work and you'd like to introduce yourself and see if you might be able to be a source to them in the future. You can't be shy if you want to get on a reporter's radar.

Be Prepared. If you have successfully secured a meeting with a reporter, it's important to come to the meeting prepared. Read the reporter's latest stories. Truly understand what their beat and interest areas are.

Don't Sell Yourself. When meeting with a reporter, don't just focus on selling yourself. Rather, find out what the reporter's needs are. Ask them questions. Learn what stories they are working on and what kinds of things they look for in a go-to source. This is your chance to get to know a journalist personally and form a great relationship with them.

Build Trust. Once you understand a reporter's needs, then it's time for you to offer your services - but only the things that are meaningful to them. Stay focused on their needs and wants and you'll build a trusting relationship from the start.
Being a journalist's go-to source takes time - but the pay-off can be huge. You need to get in front of a reporter and then manage that interaction with grace and ease. Remember, journalists need you and you need them, so maintain a trusting relationship and you're bound for success in PR.

Fashion PR 101: What Exactly Do You Do?

By Lauren Francis 

job, jobs, career

I've been doing PR for two years now, and I still have some of my friends asking me what exactly it is that I do. They know it has something to do with fashion, and something else having to do with promoting people. Really, I'm in fashion public relations. Once I knew I wanted a career in this industry, I went in through the back door. I skipped the internships and the school experience. I launched my own agency at age 26, and two years later, I'm working with designers, planning events, and on the phone with magazine editors.
Here are a few questions that I get the most...

What do you call yourself and what is that?

I'm a publicist. My job is in the public relations/communications industry with a concentration in fashion, beauty, lifestyle, arts, and entertainment. What I do every day is basically media communications by phone and e-mail, organizing events, securing sponsors and guests, writing press releases and articles, promoting our clients online, and following up on new leads. It's a lot of fast-paced work. I hired an assistant earlier this year and she's been a tremendous help to me.

Is PR really like what you see on Kelly Cutrone's TV show, Kell on Earth?

It can be like that. Especially for agencies with a long roster of clients, it can be totally overwhelming. All of the work that goes into just one client can take up a lot of time, so imagine having 20 clients and only 24 hours in one day. I try to give myself enough work to go above and beyond, but not so much to where I can't handle the load. Also, I've never been a bitch to anyone, and I've never been called a bitch, so this image of fashion PR girls being the biggest snobs in the industry isn't definitive of us all. I'm one of the nice PR girls!

What advice would you give to someone wanting to start a PR firm?

I would say study the art of branding, communicating, and promoting. Read up on people who inspire you in business. Write down quotes that stick out to you and will help push you to great heights. Know all of your legality matters, including getting a business license, drawing up contracts and invoices, saving receipts, etc. Network at fashion shows, art galleries, and industry events, and make friends/build solid relationships with other people. Get over your fear of cold-calling and talking to strangers. Start up a blog or website and start promoting!

How long did it take you to see success?

About 6 months into it, I signed my first client. I was hired to do a short-term PR campaign for a newly-launched online fashion magazine. Soon after, I started working with fashion designers, models, and stylists. I'm 2 years into it now, and the one statement I would make about success is Have faith and work as if your dream is really coming true.

Is the money good?

Yes, if you find your niche. Find what works for you. Someone else's formula may not fit for you... that's why you can't be afraid of failure. With failure comes success. Don't give up just because something didn't work. Learn how to make it work until the money starts rolling in.

What are the best and worst things about fashion PR?

The best thing is being my own boss and knowing that I built something out of nothing. I love being a publicist. I get excited talking to editors, going to events and runway shows, being invited to Fashion Week, and getting my clients press. It's the thrill that comes over me that I love the most. The worst thing is sacrificing sleep. I pull a lot of all-nighters or only get a few hours sleep, but I'm not complaining because I'm living my dream!

Use Press Release Services When You Are Hard Pressed For Time

By Marc Tendo

job, jobs, career

It will be naive of you to deny the importance of the media in our lives today. If you rely on the quality of your product, which might be the best in the business, but if it doesn't generate enough hype it will suffer in the highly competitive market. That's why you need a strong press campaign that will drive your product and company into headlines and give it as much mileage it deserves. Press Releases are the way forward; to wrap your product in a story that will be appealing to journalists who will then pass it on to readers, who are your target users.

Print media, has been traditionally used to market your products and reach millions of users. Especially when you have a new product on the anvil, Press Releases are a handy tool to let users know more about your product and tempt them to go and buy it.

There are many companies who employ in-house staff for Writing Press Releases. But it's important to note that it's a highly skilled job and needs expertise to make your press release interesting to journalists. Only then will they be inclined to print it in their publications.

Moreover if you have a big product launch coming up, it's likely that you are spread thin with man power handling several things related to the launch. You are also going to be hard pressed for time to have everything in order before the big day. That's when you need to employ professional Press Release Services, who will take over this important responsibility and deliver on time.

You will find many of these services in your area, and you need to pick one that takes time to understand your brand's philosophy before preparing their press release. It's always advisable to choose services with proven track record so that you can rest assured that your job is done by skilled professionals. These services will also make sure the press release talking about your company or product will reach maximum number of relevant publications, given their ongoing relationship with them, giving your product ample attention.

There are many occasions when your company might need Press Release Services:

If you are about to launch a new product in the market, without enough media attention it might get buried on the shelves without getting its due. These services will make sure your product is talked about by masses around the time of its launch.

If your company has received industry accolades or awards, it's something to be proud of. Imagine the impact it will have on your company profile when users all over the world get to know about these awards.

You can use these services to announce your sales, turnovers, profits and any major ventures. Such announcements generate trust amongst your share holders and future investors.

Your personal promotions can also be carried out through these services, and they will have a deep impact on your company too.

Make sure your product is talked about at the right time in right places for desired results.

Top Tips for Finding a Job in PR

By Lee Laz 

job, jobs, career

Finding the right job in PR, a competitive job sector, can be difficult; here are some tips to give you the edge.

Are you qualified?

While a PR degree isn't a necessary qualification to work in the sector, you might want to consider this area of study if you're fully committed to working in public relations.

Work experience will strengthen your CV considerably and also give you a taster of how PR agencies operate on a day to day basis.

Put some thought into where your skills lie. You need to be interested in the news agenda and the world around you, have good communication skills, be creative, work well under pressure and be a good multi-tasker to succeed in the public relations sector.

Applying for PR jobs

Search online and in newspapers for jobs in the sector, and upload your CV to as many hosting sites as you can so that employers can find you. Your CV should be tailored to highlight relevant previous experience and background; writing pages and pages of info that won't be of any interest to employers could count against you.

Bering pro-active can also pay off. Do some research on PR agencies that you'd like to work with and send them your CV and a detailed covering letter explaining exactly why you'd like to work there and why you'd be a good addition to the company, even if they're not actively recruiting - you never know, you might be just what they're looking for.

Preparing for interview

Make sure you do your research on the company that you are interviewing with before you go on your interview; your interviewer will want to know why you're interested in the role and the company, and a bit of background knowledge will make it clear that you're truly interested in the job.

If you're unfamiliar with the area that the offices are based in, it's a good idea to take a dry run of your route before the day of the interview to avoid last minute pitfall.

Take some time to think about the kind of questions you're likely to be asked and draft some answers. This could prove particularly useful when it comes to more difficult to answer questions such as 'What do you feel your weaknesses are?' and 'Why do you want to leave your current job?'

Enthusiasm is key - convey that you're committed to working in PR and it will boost your chances of success.

The Power of Clarity and the Press Release

By Glenn Daniels

job, jobs, career

The Press Release - The Power of Clarity

NASA will furnish to the public and the media the schedule and detailed plans of each shuttle mission. The press release is clear and detailed. Below is a partial table of content from a previous Space Shuttle mission. Look at the detail and start your thought process on building your press release.

CONTENTS

MISSION BACKGROUND

General Release

Media Services Information

Quick-Look Facts

Crew Responsibilities

Developmental Test Objectives, Detailed Supplementary Objectives

And Risk Mitigation Experiments.

Payload and Vehicle Weights

Mission Summary Timeline

Shuttle Abort Modes

MISSION OVERVIEW

Second Servicing Mission Overview.

Rendezvous and Retrieval

Extravehicular Activity

Reboost and Deploy

You must also disclose your schedule and detailed plans of your dreams to the Divine Person that you are. Be exceptionally clear, be remarkably precise, and write it down. This release is for you so remember that this is not the time to be lazy, but it is also not the time to struggle. Use an outline or write it down in bullet format at first. Write your dreams and goals out just the way you want them to happen. You can do several goal-setting sessions, so only focus one of your goals per session. Defining what you want should be extremely easy for you because you have been becoming exceedingly clear each time you "Step to the End". Reflect on those sessions and just briefly write down the essence of each one. After you finish with the outline or bullet points, then go back and write a paragraph or two about them. Focuses on what you want, do not write anything about what you do not want. In some Goal Setting Workshops, it is suggested that you write down what will happen if you do not achieve your goals. It never serves you to focus on the negative.

Let the power of the Universe pull you and assist you along the path toward your success. The Universe knows nothing about negative or positive it only knows to give you what you have focused on. When you focus on what will happen if you do not achieve your goal the universe will deliver what you have been focusing on, failure. Always try to remember that the Universe is not judgmental and will deliver to you what you focus on. The Universe does not see good or bad, only that you have asked and it is now given.
A goal properly set is halfway reached. ~Abraham Lincoln