Tips: Public Relations

Samples: Do Blogs and Websites Send Them Back?

Over the years, we've noticed that with the growing number of blogs, there is growing number of product and sample requests. Sometimes the blogger declares that they need to review your product in order to feature it. Sometimes they wil use it, so can't (or won't) return it. Sometimes it seems, these blogs just exist to get free stuff. In fact, the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) has recently amended its rules to include bloggers as media who need to include a disclaimer if they received free stuff for a review. So how can you tell who is legit, and what to expect from them? Who pays for sending the samples over and back to you again? Designer James Perse started charging the press for samples. So where do we stand now? We interviewed our own PR Director and Co-Founder Sabina Ptacin to get her take.

So the deal is usually this: magazines and television programs will ask you to “send  XYZ over”. Because we are in a recession and because media is in a pinch, and because they are the power players, our PR team will 7 times out of 10 do the delivery (or clients do) themselves. This is expense #1 people should be aware of. If you are in NYC you can have an intern (or yourself) deliver it, or pay for a messenger. You can ask a magazine to pick up, but if they don’t volunteer it don’t be needy, just do it.  Often they WILL send back on their dime though. (*Note: make sure you give them your correct return info.)

In terms of sending samples, if it is make-up, food, a book, etc. don’t expect it back. If it is something someone has to use to experience consider that as well.  If it is apparel, accessories, baby toys, or other physical products and you are sending them to a magazine, and THEY request it, they should be returning it. You can even double check and make sure they aware you have limited samples and this is a returnable sample.
 
National television rarely returns unless it’s something expensive or one of a kind. Why? Because they have too much going on. With bloggers, it depends. Some see products as currency for reviews, and sometimes that’s fair enough if it’s a good blog. Other times, I let them know “this has to be returned”. If they say no, decide on your ROI (return on investment) and if it’s worth it to your brand before you send.
 
PS: The Oprah Winfrey Show ALWAYS returns my products!  Even after a YEAR.
PPS: If you send a sample without them asking for it, no matter who they are, don’t expect it back.

Learn more about Katie Hellmuth Martin

How to Create an Effective Media Kit

Your media kit is an essential part of your public relations plan - it's your calling card and speaks for you when you aren't there to share the story of your brand yourself.  For this reason it's recommended you always have at least 10 prepared media kits (physical copies) ready to go.  We will talk about digital or electronic media kits as well, but let's first begin with what you need in order to prepare your physical media kit.

At it's most basic, the media kit you present, whether you are a service, expert, or product should include all the information necessary for a person to understand who you are, what you do, what you sell and where you do it without having to speak to you.  People should also be able to see what you or your product look like, and they should be able to keep all of this information in one place.  So let's start with the physical look of a media kit. 

THE PHYSICAL MEDIA KIT

Though more and more often these days people rely on sending media kits electronically these days, physical media kits, or "hard copy" as some refer to them, are still essential to your pr campaign as they will still be requested and you always bring them to media appointments and be able to leave them behind.

If your budget affords it, sure you can get a fancy printed and branded folder with tips and your photo even on a flap - but who wants to spend money on that these days?  Though branded folders and fancy material can be nice and stylish to have they aren't necessary.  At your most basic you simply need a folder, which should be sturdy enough to travel and not fall apart with your materials inside of it.  The folder should have a place for your business card, and we often recommend picking a color that goes with your brand or website's colors.

Next, you need to have a sticker or some sort of label on the cover of the media kit that lets anyone who sees it know quickly and clearly whose media kit this is.  Sure you can go to Cafe Press and print some, but you can also simply use address labels purchased at any office supply store and print your logo or company name on them and stick them prominently on the front, center side of your folder.

Simple, easy, affordable and effective!

Now that you know how to house all the material in your media kit, let's talk about what is actually going to go into it!  At it's most basic your media kit should include:

* A company backgrounder/expert biography letting people know about who you are and what you do.  This should not be more than a page, no one will want to read any more, and if they do they will call you - great!

* Your most recent press release about your company, product, good, service or expertise. 

* FAQs

* A One-Sheet about you as an expert or about your products or company.  This is more or less a one page document with a photo (often in the right hand corner) of you or your product, a brief summary next to it (no more than half a page),  and then bulletted talking points about you, your product, samples of expert tips you could give on air, or facts about what your company can provide.  It's a one-pager meant to deliver a great overview of your business - whether YOU are your business or you make brownies, it should be a quick way for them to learn a lot about you!

* Linesheets:  if you are a product based company you must have line sheets in your media kit that show what you sell (nice, clear images), their retail price, and what they are made out of, with, and any other relevant product information.

* Press:  past press validates you, so if you DO have past press you've garnered, be sure you mention it on a simple press document with the outlets' logos listed for which you've appeared, or print out a few of your key press pieces or edited versions and share them.  ** please note that if you are pitching one outlet, for instance, the Today Show, it's best not to mention all the times you've been on Good Morning America, that will not help.  In the same vein, if you are in InStyle and Lucky every month for the same headband, don't share that with Glamour, but include other past press.  If you have never received any press this should not stop you, editors and producers love to discover the next big thing!

* Reel:  if you are an expert or hope to be on-air talent yourself, you must include a reel that is 2-3 minutes and shows you in action.  If you do not have previous tv experience, tape yourself speaking at a local event, or make a 2-3 demo reel at home.

* Your headshot:  if you yourself want to be featured in a story or as an expert, you need an up-to-date headshot included in your media kit.

OPTIONAL INCLUSIONS:

* Tip Sheets:  share examples of great tips you can share with their readers/viewers/listeners.  Keep them organized by topic and make them short and to the point.  For example :  Top 5 Foods to Eat When Pregnant, How to Lower Stress: 10 Secrets, Tips to a Happy Marriage, etc.

* Look Book:  do you have a nice looking look book featuring stylized shots of your products and brand, feel free to include this here too.

* Samples: if you are food or make-up you may want to include these, but first ASK if the media would like the sample before ever sending it.  Never assume, and if you do want something return first check a media outlet's return policy. 

* Articles you have written relevant to your company or expertise.

FINALLY:

Remember that once you've finalized all the essentials inside your media kit and are ready to send it to press, your sales team, or whoever else has requested it, you MUST inlcude a personalized cover letter or note to the recipient.  Remind them of who you are and briefly reiterate why you are sending the media kit.  Keep it short and to the point, polite, and paper clip it to the outside of the media kit so they see it asap.

Also, as with everything you distribute to the press, be sure you check and re-check it for mistakes and readability.

Our last piece of advice? Be sure you have a header or footer on every document in your media kit with your contact or company information on it - the last thing you want someone doing is finding your tip sheets and not knowing who to contact for more information!

Learn more about Sabina Ptacin

Online Press Clippings: Best Bets

What goods a press hit if you can't share it?  Media hits should always be saved in your website & media kit, sent out to leverage your press, and saved to show potential buyers.

Normally when a clip is in print we can easily scan it and put it on our site etc.  What do you do when that press clip appears online?  After trying numerous ways to do this quickly, efficiently, and at minimum to no cost to our clients, we solved the problem at Red Branch PR last year and I'm excited to share it with you:

Short and sweet, we now use the program "SnagIt" which snags web pages whether they be scrolling, a clip or window, or the just a screen shot.  Even better?  You can use a free trial for a few months so you're not spending any money and it's the easiest thing to use - even for an inept computer klutz like me!

Happy snagging!

Learn more about Sabina Ptacin

Pitching Do's & Don'ts Chapter 1

Here at Collective E we remind you daily of how essential it is to reach out to the media and do little things to build your buzz daily.  That said there are rules when building media relationships, just as there are in regular relationships.  Today we'd like to share a few Do's & Don'ts that are guaranteed to help you on your quest to reach out to editors and producers, and hopefully they'll boost your confidence when you're pitching as well.  Be sure to check your Collective Exchange emails regularly for more PR tips and remember, it's PR, not ER, so breathe deeply and remember to smile and dial!

DO:

Research the outlet you are going to pitch so you know which sections your product is appropriate for and which editors cover your categories.  By doing this you may actually find new places to pitch your story and think of new angles!  It's also a great way to count reading magazines and flipping through television programs "research" becuase it is!

Research the editorial calendars (story calendars) of the magazines you are pitching.  This will tell you who to pitch, what to pitch, and when to pitch, or at the very least let you know what they plan on working on for the year.  This is essential to your PR campaign!  Find these manually or if you are a Collective-E Core member find editorial calendars all online here on this site!

Go to the websites of shows like The Rachael Ray Show, Martha Stewart Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and The Tyra Banks Show and find out what they have scheduled for future shows.  These programs usually book on a short lead schedule (meaning not too far in advance) so you could be just what they are looking for.  Knowing what they need before you call them gives you extra ammunition and background information while going in to pitch.

Always pitch with a script in front of you when you are on the phone - seasoned pros still do so there is no reason you should not be.  This prevents moments of embarassment when you forget or freeze up, and will leave you feeling more confident.

Send thank you notes when you have received a placement or were given a deskside appointment by an editor, and include something small in it that will remind them of your brand.

Try to schedule a deskside appointment so that you can get your product in front of them.  Try to schedule several of these appointments at once in one place ( ie at Hearst one day, Conde Nast another, etc), this way you can say "Hey I'll be in the building on Tuesday, can I swing by and show you my XXX very quickly when you are free?".

Have a media kit and all your branding information, line sheets, bio, and photos ready to go BEFORE pitching so you can email a follow up immediately afterwards.

Email a follow up immediately after talking to any member of the press.  In the subject line include "we just spoke" at the beginning of the email so they remember who you are.  As always introduce yourself and your brand in the email.

DON'T

Send an email or phone pitch that does not include an opening sentence introducing yourself and saying hello.  If you have pitched before always remind them who you are -the media receive hundreds of pitches weekly, and not introducing yourself is like being that person who says "hey it's me" when they call you.  Don't be that person it will start the pitch on the wrong foot.

Never email and say "just checking in" , or "did you get my package" or "when will you put me in your magazine/on your show".  Editors and producers are looking for what is best for their outlet and their viewers and readers.  If they have your informaiton or products and you want to reach out, create a productive reason to reach out:  share a new product line, share a new angle or pitch that could work for them, work your product into the season or trend they are currently working on, touch base regarding company news, but do not just call to see if they have your product.  That interrupts their already busy day.

Do not let them know about all the other press you are getting. These magazines and television shows in essence are competing against each other, and if you tell them that other magazines or shows are covering your product, why would they want to cover you?  They want new, fresh, unique, and exciting products, not something that is seen everywhere.  When pitching keep you past buzz to yourself, unless the buzz is irrelevant to the outlet you are pitching and will only support you (ie, "Hi Real Simple, did you know that this product won an award by the Home Organizers Association for it's XXX qualities").

Do not keep calling or emailing the press and asking them when your placement will be on newsstands.  They will tell you if they are using you, and if they are deduce the newsstand date by finding out what month the magazine issue you are in is.  Long leads will be on newsstands a month early ( ie December issue is out in November, etc).

Do not assume your placement if finalized until you are reading it or watching it.

Do not forget to be patient, publicity campaigns are marathons not sprints if you want to be around for years to come.

Don't forget to share your business story, not just your product story, to ensure longevity.

Don't ever send unsolicited samples if you want them back, and want to stay on an editor's good side.

Don't ever give up, if you don't believe in your brand no one else will!

Learn more about Sabina Ptacin

How do you know if you are ready to have your product featured on a national television program?

Just this past week the producers at The View invited us to submit products for their program that would be included in both a segment as well as an audience giveaway.  We immediately received fantastic responses from so many of you, but also several questions, which leads to this piece of advice.  Here is what you must always be able to provide should national tv come knocking:

* Website - you must have a viable and professional looking website for the producers as well as viewers to find your product and find it quickly

*  Sales - you should be able to sell online with a working and easy to use shopping cart

* Support the Buzz - Your site should be able to support heavy traffic for the first day, as well as the rest of the week that your product was on television

* Product - Not only will you be responsible for giving the audience product (they rarely use gift certificates), but  you must be prepared to deal with high volumes of sales      without delay!  Audiences range from 150-225 members, and you will most likely want to gift the producer you worked with as well ( if they can accept gifts).

* Information - If the producers call you they will want your most recent product information, photos, and perhaps even a recent press release - have those all on hand before pitching!

* Positive & Helpful Attitude - Like it or not, even though you are giving the show a lot of product, THEY are the ones you should be thanking!  Thus be easy to work with, reply quickly, and never expect something, thus you will always be pleasantly surprised!  Even if you had a great call with them, until you actually see your product on the air, don't count your chickens before they hatch!  Be amicable, quick to respond, and don't get upset if they don't use your product or service, there is a reason they make all of their decisions and we cannot fault them.  Besides, you want to be sure you are the first person to call on when they need a similar product again!

Last thought?  GET OVER OPRAH!  Send your pitch, follow up, but don't spend every waking moment waiting for Oprah 's producers to call when you could be missing out opportunities at other outlets!

Learn more about Sabina Ptacin

How to know when your pitch is a bad pitch...

When you are dealing with reporters there are sooo many "do's" and "don'ts" that  at times it's best to simply let others' examples speak for themselves. 

That's why many publicists and brands alike turn to Badpitch.Blogspot.com where they can find examples of what DOES NOT work, and why.  You are also able to hear from those receiving the pitches why they don't work.  See this pitches on this site as examples of what NOT to do.

To visit Badpitch go to badpitch.blogspot.com/ and check it out for yourself ( and your campaign) !

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Planes, Trains, & Automobiles translate into more places to pitch!

Often I find myself traveling between Philadelphia and New York City visiting a client, or even a friend, and though my lap is stacked with work files and magazines, I always end up flipping thro

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Samples: To Send or Not to Send

Short Answer:  No.

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Reaching out to the media

So you have your great elevator pitch down pat, visuals in place, and a stellar media kit.....Now it's time to reach out to the media, but when?

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How to write a great letter to the editor of a newspaper or magazine

Your letter has the best chance of being published if it is a reaction to a s

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