| We generate stories about our clients in all news media—print, television, radio and Internet—both national and local, including local media outside of Northern California. Services include:
Writing & Distribution of Press Releases: These range from announcements about personnel promotions and new hires to bulletins of breaking news, e.g., lawsuit filings, contract awards, mergers and acquisitions. We also write and distribute media advisories, which alert media to future events such as news conferences or photo opportunities.
Preparation & Shopping of Feature Proposals: These outline for editors, news directors and reporters the substance of a feature article or broadcast segment. Generally they focus on a firm’s competitive strengths and unique culture. They also recommend visuals for television coverage. Within a metro area, proposals are usually shopped as an exclusive, that is, media outlets are offered the story individually according to a list prioritized by the client. Compensation for proposals can be based on a fixed rate or on a contingency fee schedule in which a client pays nothing until an article is published or a segment is broadcast.
Coordination of News Conferences: News conferences are apropos when a story is expected to generate television coverage or coverage by a large number of reporters. (Otherwise a press release suffices to brief reporters and invite them to telephone a spokesperson for more information.) We distribute releases alerting media to news conferences, prepare media kits, consult on the venue of the news conference (the setting is important for television), rehearse spokespersons and manage the event.
Media Training of Spokespersons: This training includes basic techniques to make the most of an interview, such as the delivery speaking points, how to keep on message during questioning, and what to do and not do before television cameras.
|
Publicity v. Advertising
Publicizing a firm is not only cheaper but, for firms with limited budgets, more effective than advertising. Certainly readers notice and are more impressed by feature articles than they are by advertisements. Of course, the advantage of an advertisement is that, unlike an article, an advertisement can be reprinted. "In advertising," goes the adage, "repetition is everything." On the other hand, the disadvantage of an advertisement is that, to be effective, repetition often carries a six-figure pricetag.
Although an article will not be reprinted by the same publication, it can, unlike an advertisement, live beyond the printed page. Most mainstream publications have an Internet presence, which means:
- Articles appear in online editions.
- Articles are archived and accessible on the Web indefinitely allowing firms to create links to those articles on their websites.
- Articles often appear high in search engine results because media websites wield considerable SEO clout. Those searching your firm’s name will likely see articles among the top results.
Although copyright restrictions usually prevent transcripts of articles from appearing on a firm's website, printouts of articles can be included in promotional materials, responses to RFPs and media kits. Moreover, our web designers can create split screens such that an article on a publication's website appears in a window of a page of a client's website. |
|
Crisis Management: We consult with firms on media relations during volatile situations such as labor strikes, political controversies, bankruptcies, alleged malfeasance, etc.
Return To Top |
|
|
