Pitching Stories Archives - G2 Communications Inc.-Medical Practice Marketing

Aug 02 2016

Where’s the Problem?

At WriteCulture we teach all kinds of tech PR workshops and seminars to corporate PR staff and PR agency account teams. When we teach the pitching class we run into the same roadblocks across the PR spectrum… too much jargon, wasted email intros with lifeless descriptions of company products, and no hooks to grab the reporter’s attention.

Many PR writers assemble a pitch and then pray for the reporter’s interest. They bank on the allure of their client’s n^th iteration of, say, anti-malware software. This leaves reporters wondering, “Why should I care?”

Why do we pitch this way?

Because we’re here to serve the executives on the corporate side and our clients on the agency side. We want to dazzle the journalist with the app’s new features and hope that makes the grade. Maybe we’re afraid to ask questions because we think we should know the answer. Or we’re shy to ask for what we need because we’re the new kid on the account team and we’re supposed to absorb all the information before we speak up.

Perhaps it’s none of these things.

Rather, perhaps it’s the glaring omission in the pitch – that is, the problem the solution fixes! … the people involved, their pain (and gain). Too often, PR writers describe the company’s side of the equation (the solution) without mentioning the customer’s side (the problem).

Journalists like to write stories about people solving problems in stories of transformation. The most important words in that statement? People, problems. Notice we didn’t say “companies, solutions.” Sure, the company and solution ends up in the final story, but that’s not what hooks journalists or their “readers (aka customers and prospective customers).”

A winning pitch is not a jargon-filled product description. But if you read the average technology pitch you’ll wonder what problem the technology solves. At WriteCulture, we know this because we read countless pitches across many agencies and companies. We know that this misguided omission of “the problem” is commonplace.

The problem might strike you as implicit in the company’s solution. But it must be spelled out, it must be demonstrated. It should strike a visceral cord in the journalist. Showing her the problem clearly shows you understand her audience’s needs and pain, and demonstrates your product’s relevance in the life of the reader.

In the WriteCulture Pitching Workshop we tell team members to put the solution on ice and focus only on the problem. That might sound harsh, or maybe even difficult or off-putting to your client. But we’ve seen the results. It works.

Not only should the problem be front and center, it should start the pitch. Introduce your client at the end. That’s right… if the reporter is sold on the problem, she’ll read further and contact your company.

To get more tips on pitching reporters, sign up for our mailing list. We share our best advice freely.

To explore the possibility of a workshop for your team, contact us at Info@WriteCulture.com.

May 25 2016

Finding Joy in Work that Resonates: Q&A with book publicist Helena Brantley

Helena Brantley is a book publicist who founded Red Pencil Publicity + Marketing in Oakland. Helena left the PR agency, marketing and advertising world and tripped into book publicity, first working as a publicity director for HarperCollins and Nolo Press before hanging out her own shingle. She has had the opportunity to work with world-renowned spiritual leaders like Deepak Chopra, as well as academics like Bart Ehrman and Stephen Prothero.

Helena finds special joy in promoting the compelling stories of memoirists. She has pitched guests who have appeared on Fresh Air, The Oprah Winfrey Show, CBS Sunday Morning, and the Daily Show. She has also managed the book campaigns for a string of New York Times best sellers.

It seems like everyone is writing a book these days, so I sat down with Helena to talk about what that means as a book publicist in the ever changing world of public relations.

What gets you up in the morning?

I don’t sleep well so usually it’s a mix of things I worry about related to being a wife, parent, daughter, sister and running a business. More enjoyably, I often awake to pithy one-liners, ideas for an email subject line, a pitch, or most recently, I awake to Twitter and Instagram post ideas! I love what I do, and I’m excited to get up in the morning on most days. I help people who have spent years researching and crafting something important to say. I take seriously the responsibility of helping to carry out their work into the world and trying to engage people—media and readers directly. Even if I won the lottery I’d still promote books and book festivals.

How do you select projects?

I have to in some way be interested in the promise of a book. Even if I don’t agree with the premise or thesis, it still has to resonate. Otherwise I could work in-house somewhere. I can do it. I have done it. But I find it very hard to get excited about something that doesn’t interest me. I also only work on nonfiction titles and most enjoy working with academics who write accessibly.

What does a successful publicity project look like?

It starts with a written plan: book publicity is to me like running a campaign with a beginning, middle, and end. Without a plan the people perish; book publicists too! Success to me is when even if the campaign didn’t sell the number of books desired, or result in all of the desired media coverage, the publisher and author feels like their time and money was used well. Like many publicists across industry, I acknowledge that it’s harder to secure national print, which is in my opinion what drives all else. What is also true is that there are a lot of new tools and tactics to apply the fundamentals of publicity. That’s exciting. It also takes time to learn these new tools.

I’m working on a campaign for BIPOLAR FAITH by Dr. Monica A Coleman, publishing in July. I’m setting up a 5-7 city book tour, promoting the tour in each regional market where we’ll contact local media and schedule readings at book venues and churches. I’m also pitching national media across mediums and helping to secure the endorsements. And we’re working on social media: I will tweet excerpts from the book, and engage with the author and others relevant to this topic. The author is also live blogging using Periscope, a Twitter app.

What are your views on self-publishing? What advice do you have for lesser known authors looking for a book publicist?

There are a lot of people who see value in self-publishing a book, and it’s great for people who find readers for their books. In my experience it is very hard to get a book deal with publishers.

In my experience, people who self-publish their books with very few exceptions need marketers, not book publicists. Unless you’re someone who is well known and has a platform, the majority of news outlets are less likely to run stories. I also think self-publishers see more value creating well-produced events and working with relevant associations and organizations on speaking engagements. If you don’t have a plan on paper for how you will market and promote the book, the project probably won’t succeed in the ways desired.

What’s your perspective on social media?

It’s a kiss and a curse. The challenge for me is understanding what is worth the investment of time and what is not. For me, Twitter is. Facebook ads are worth it – I also selectively promote my projects on my Facebook page. My personal feeling is that with few exceptions it is a waste of time and money for an author to pay someone to manage their social media presence. I think it’s a missed opportunity to learn how to stumble and fail at first, as we all do in learning social media.

If only to learn that it doesn’t work, it’s worth the pain of learning something new and especially if you are someone trying to engage people in new thoughts and ideas. In my experience the principles of publicity haven’t change: we just have more tools and tactics.

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Helena is the publicist for the Bay Area Book Festival, June 4-5 in downtown Berkeley. If you’re a reader, this is a personal invitation from Helena to attend the festival featuring nearly 300 authors from around the region and the world. Details at baybookfest.org or follow #baybookfest.

Apr 25 2016

“My favorite stories are about people, not things”: Q&A With Leslie Mladinich

Leslie Mladinich followed her passion into journalism and built an impressive career across Bay Area newspapers and magazines, from her first assignments at The Montclarion and the Oakland Tribune, to her days covering transportation at the Tri-Valley Herald. In her first job as a journalism undergrad Leslie got embroiled in the Oakland School District’s controversial resolution recognizing Ebonics.

So why did she choose to pivot her career from journalism to marketing? Mladinich is now using her storytelling skills at Rodrigue Molyneaux Estate Winery and Vineyard, as head of marketing. I asked Leslie to discuss the decline of newspapers, the future of journalism, and how to make your pitch about people, not tech.

How do you see changes in journalism over the last 10 years?

On the one hand, it’s great because journalists, publications, and people’s voices are more accessible. On the other hand, long form writing is no longer in demand. The ability to have longevity with one audience for one publication–to build trust with readers and sources–has diminished.

With electronic media, people graze and scan. They may only read the first paragraph before they shut their laptop. As a result, real writing and news gathering skills are less of a priority, and blogs and memoir style pieces have been elevated.

The decline of long-form writing and newspapers has pushed journalists out, and they’ve turned to corporate communications and marketing. Anyone’s voice can be out there now, but news that makes a difference in people’s lives is declining.

What should PR pros keep in mind when pitching reporters?

All my favorite stories are about people, not things. I’m interested in how any story, event, or phenomena changes and challenges people. If a company is trying to tell its story, I want to know about the people involved.

You don’t have to focus only on the consumer. Who are the people who make your product, and why do they make it? What challenges have they faced? If it’s tangible and evokes the senses, it makes good copy.

What do you look for in a good source?

A good source kept me in the loop and wanted to have a partnership with me. They understood my job and what it takes to make readers read the whole piece.

During my stint as a biotech reporter at the East Bay Business Times, I would get press releases stating that a company had gotten funding for a new medical device. But I wanted to talk to the scientists, not the CEO. And scientists who came up with great metaphors would get quoted because they helped me convey the concept behind the device or drug.

It goes back to why I chose journalism: because I love learning about people’s passions and putting it into writing. For a day or a couple of hours you’re in someone’s profession, problem, or passion, and you get to learn about a subject you might not get to otherwise.

Check out our ebook. We interviewed 10 journalists who advise PR professionals on how to build lasting relationships where both parties benefit. Visit www.g2comm.com.

Mar 22 2016

Surviving the Transition: Q&A with Lisa Wrenn, Bay Area News Group Executive Features Editor

The Bay Area News Group (BANG) is a model of digital transformation, whether it’s expanding digital advertising, producing videos, or building responsive mobile sites. And the group’s consolidation of several Bay Area daily papers over the years is a direct response to declining revenues now that the Internet has changed the business model. At the same time BANG is trying to meet readers’ demands for more focused regional news. As Lisa explains, “Our challenge now is how to cover our large circulation area most effectively with our limited resources.”

I sat down with Lisa to learn how the transition from print to digital has affected her role as editor and the nature of local news today.

How has your role as an editor changed in the last 10 years?

My role as a manager is more important than ever. I’m managing change, and I’m required to do more things with fewer people. I have to identify people’s strengths and weaknesses, and fine tune the job to get their best work. My biggest challenge may be keeping up morale for people who haven’t had a raise in years!

Personally, my strongest skill set was working with writers on long narrative stories, but today we’re writing shorter and faster. I miss the luxury of working one-on-one with a writer to make a story even stronger. Still, we care a lot about integrity, so we work hard to get it right and get it first.

How has the transition from paper to digital affected the stories you publish?

The biggest difference is that now we have to drive traffic to our sites, and that drives how we make news decisions. What we think readers should know and what will drive traffic are sometimes in conflict. We like to take on big local issues, and we have a reporter who covers city hall, but even with local news we often are looking for a headline that is search engine friendly.

“Eat, Drink, Play” is one section that happily came about because we had to do something differently. We decided to make our former Food and Travel sections more Northern-California-specific to make it more valuable to regional readership. In print, our Thursday Eye for Mercury News readers and the Entertainment section, and TO Weekend sections also are somewhat zoned and we focus on local arts. At the same time, if people want to Google a pop star we want the search to lead to us, so I have to be on top of pop culture news too.

What is the best way for PR pros to work with BANG reporters?

Take time to get to know what we’re looking for and who to reach out to. I get pitches all the time from people who don’t even know where our paper is located! It’s okay to say, “I’m not sure if you’re the right person” and send me a pitch as long you’re aiming in the right direction. I get tons of business pitches, and if one is good I will forward it to the right reporter or editor.

Email is still the best way to go, and a follow-up phone call doesn’t hurt. I get hundreds of emails a day so I have to triage, but I will listen to a thoughtful call and reply. And another tip: Include a color photo with an event pitch. In Features, at least, we are very art driven and if we get a good image that gives us more options we’ll use it in a best bet capacity.

Photo: Column sig photo for Lisa Wrenn, Executive Features Editor in the Mercury News photo studio in San Jose on Tuesday, Jan.5, 2016. (LiPo Ching/Bay Area News Group)

Feb 09 2016

To Fix the Copy Fix Your Thinking

Lauren Edwards is founder of WriteCulture, a company that coaches PR teams on writing, pitching and interactions with clients. Lauren has trained over 1,000 PR pros, from entry-level staff to SVPs.

I sat down with Lauren to get her perspective on current PR challenges.

Why is poorly written content so prevalent these days?

The bar is lower because there are more publishing platforms run by untrained writers and editors. There’s also the advent of automated writing and outsourced writing. New software lets non-humans assemble and package nuggets of information into simple formats like online slideshows and “Top 10” lists. And ESL speakers are writing first drafts later edited by native speakers.

Some of the new “citizen journalists” have realized that writing is harder and more time-consuming than they expected and are looking for help. We’re at a juncture where more people would like to communicate effectively but don’t have access to the right kind of education.

What advice do you have for PR professionals who want to write better copy?

Take time to think from the audience’s POV, and write about people not products. When you write about people, you put human beings at the start of your sentences and use active verbs. Also, give away the punchline at the beginning to get to the point faster.

Always keep your clients’ long-term business goals in mind. For example, a famous company I worked with had 80% commercial customers, but their long-term goal was to have 80% residential customers. If you were pitching for them, you’d be smart to emphasize a residential angle to further their business goals. If you don’t know their goals, your choices might actually work against them.

Why is there so much jargon in tech industry PR copy?

Unseasoned PR writers may not know their client’s technology or industry, so they use material already crafted by marketing. They move the words around without trying to reach out to an audience. Curiosity and experience eventually make it possible to write in a meaningful way, but some people retain bad habits.

Another reason is that some people come to work wearing a “professional” veneer. When that veneer is on, they don’t write like people; they write like a “company,” in a stiff style.

What can PR agency supervisors do to improve their teams’ writing?

Stop treating the symptom; treat the disease. The problem isn’t grammar and syntax; it’s the thinking behind the writing. People often focus on details like new product features, but there’s a larger story to tell that will improve business outcomes. The writer should look ahead to goals and coming initiatives, and back at important milestones. This puts “news” into context and accomplishes more valuable goals.

Writers need to think critically during the pre-writing phase, and learn who they’re writing for and why. I always say, “Writing is thinking made manifest.” If you can fix the thinking, the writing often fixes itself.