Applied Woo 01/27/2010
 
In their book, Art of Woo (Penguin 2007), authors Richard Shell and Mario Moussa present “the selling of ideas”  from a sales/negotiation perspective.  Despite their rather broad framing of the subject  their discourse is highly instructive for Marketing Public Relations professionals.  One of several points that are worth noting is their discussion of barriers to woo.  Shell and Moussa consider relationships, credibility, communications mismatches, belief systems, and interest and needs to be the major obstructions to successful persuasion, and, I will argue, they are the same hurdles faced by marketers when pitching journalists and other connectors. 

 Clearly, relationships are critical to PR.  The better we know our connectors and the better they know us, the more likely our chances of getting media mentions  from connectors picking up our stories, or by their coming to us for assistance on something they are already working on. 

Credibility is obvious, but the key to being a trusted source and strengthening the newsworthiness of a pitch. 

Communications mismatches manifest themselves in the mundane and operational side of PR when marketers forget to pitch connectors in the format and in the timeframe that suits the connector best.  Is a journalist more receptive to a phone call, email, or a letter in the mail?  Is there a certain time of day week, or month that is typically best?  Communications mismatches also occur when styles clash.  For some editors and journalists bold, over-the-top pitches work really well, for others, they do not. 

A match also needs to exist between the story you are pitching and the belief system of the connector.  In the case of pitching in PR it is more about knowing the mission and audience of the connector’s medium than understanding the socio-cultural profile of the connector himself, although both are important. 

The last barrier is one that MPR pros are keenly aware of-interests and needs.  Connector are charged with producing content that is interesting to their audience, is in line with the mission of their medium, and supports their editorial calendar.  If you can show how it will also please their advertisers or help their medium’s sales people sell into a specific issue or episode, you’ve struck gold.

Check out Art of Woo.
 
 
It is somewhat ironic that I found out about the Tribune’s planned one week fast of Associated Press (AP) wire material from an AP article in the New York Times.  If you haven’t heard, the Tribune, parent of the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, and other regional newspapers, announced that it will not be using AP content next week.  There has been much analysis of what this means for the media, particularly newspaper industry, but I think this shift might signal opportunity for MPR pros. 

As mission driven (ethnic, religious, etc.) and locally focused media are the bright spots in a rather gloomy forecast for traditional media, I think it is reasonable to suggest that audience focused content will replace national news in many outlets.  While it will take more work for MPR folks to identify and pitch a growing number of news channels, it will lead to a more direct and meaningful dialogue between those with a story to tell and those eager to consume it.  Rather than saying “this is why our (company, brand, product, etc) matters to the world,” you should be saying “this is why our (company, brand, product, etc) matters to you.”  Since the big media companies and new aggregators will continue to cover national and global events, it will still be useful to tie larger trends to the interests of regional audiences and affinity groups.  To make this connection valuable to the audience, medium and firm, savvy MPR pros will have to use stories relating their brand’s value in terms of reputation, relationships, experience, or symbolism as the conduit.

I am interested in hearing what you think.  What effects with the changing media industry have on those of us on the marketing side of the PR fence?
 
 
Lately, I’ve been spending a lot of time on social media, and while that is really important in today’s marketing environment, there are tons of great topics on the traditional side of marketing PR that are worth covering.  I have been getting some good feedback on a video I did for my Applied Public Relations class on pitch letters, and I think it is worth sharing with you.  Keep in mind that this was created for a class, but there are some good take-aways here for you.

You know where to find my book, but if you want to check out Richard Laermer’s book you can click here.  Please remember to tweet this story to your friends.

 
 
The New York Times, NPR, and even the famous Dr. Oz have jumped on the water quality bandwagon. If you’ve got a product or a client with a product that has anything to do with water quality or safety, now is a great time to rev up the pitch machine.  If it is something that has a significant impact on consumers or businesses, you’ve got a national story.  If your story is not that different from what’s out there already you may still be able to play a local angle on this global topic.  This is also a great opportunity for activists groups, and a heads up for companies that may have a negative impact on the water supply.

Happy pitching!

MPR alerts are a running feature of the MPR blog that highlight a hot topic emerging in the media.  They are designed for marketing & PR firms and professionals looking for new stories to pitch. They also make a great assignment for Marketing Public Relations students.  Professors can ask their students to find examples of stories running on this topic, or to create a press release, pitch letter or social media concept based on this idea.  If you see an interesting topic email me at Gaetan@giannninimpr.com and I will post it.
 
 
Quid pro quo is a Latin term meaning something for something.  I mention this because recently I saw a Twitter post from Richard Laermer (author of 2011: Trend Spotting for the Next Decade & Full Frontal PR) stating, “Another topic colleges never seem to teach kids: ‘quid pro quo.’”  So, I figure I am the person to right this wrong, at least from a public relations standpoint.

When I hear this term it usually has a negative connotation and often has to do with a marketer trying to use the fact that his or her company advertises with a particular medium in order to get some publicity.* Any editor or journalist with a shred of professional credibility will tell you that this is never to be done and breaches the church-state wall that exists between editorial and advertising.  They believe this when they say it, because they should, and I applaud them for it.

The problem is the wall is often more like a veil.  Frankly, media companies like their advertisers.  Ads pay the bills, and it’s nice to give some legitimate mention to deserving customers.  What’s more, media sales folks love feature stories they can “sell into.” When a medium is running a piece on golf, you can bet that the sales team is dialing golf courses, golf retailers, and golf equipment makers as soon as they know the feature is going to run.  Is the former scenario any more or less ethical than the latter? Is there not some form of quid pro quo at work in both instances?

Reflections:

Is there much difference between receiving editorial coverage as a reward for placing advertisements and just paying cash for editorial coverage? How do these practices differ from paid product placement?

Is it unethical for an MPR professional to copy their advertising sales representative with a press release and pitch letter being sent to the editor of their medium?

*Another, more basic, example of quid pro quo is commercial broadcast media.  Viewers and listeners get access to television and radio programming with the understanding that there will be advertisements mixed into the content.
 
 
There are things I wish I had included in the text, but just didn’t have the room for them.  The MPR campaigns executed by Diageo in support of their Captain Morgan brand rum and themed around the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections are an example.   They incorporated social media by having www.captainmorganforpresident.com link to a Facebook fan page, and they used traditional media by distributing some great press releases, albeit tongue-in-cheek to the mainstream press.  In 2008 the release they spelled out the “Captain’s” platform and posted a YouTube video.  In the 2004 release they promoted an event during the Republican convention giving rides to the Hamptons to people who wanted to get away from Manhattan and the bustle of the convention.   Really a great concept with strong execution.

Reflections:

What makes a great press release?  What elements of greatness does the 2004 Diageo release show?

What are the common threads that tie traditional media, social media, and event PR together?
 
 
If you reside in the U.S. you were likely exposed to multiple news pieces highlighting the 40th anniversary of the famed Woodstock Music and Arts Festival.  Rolling Stone’s blog Rock & Roll Daily, USA Today, and ABC News are just a small sampling of the outlets that showcased a Woodstock retrospective.  Cultural significance aside, this anniversary is salient to marketers because it is a good example of how the salacious (sex, drugs and rock & roll) can help sell a story to the media.  It also illustrates how- in the world of 24/7 news-something as simple as an anniversary can have a similar effect.   NPR’s Marketplace ran a great story (An influx of 40-year anniversaries) on the use of anniversaries as a promotional ploy. In addition, there are a seemingly endless number of secular and non-secular holidays and cause or awareness related days, weeks, and months that can be used to connect a company, product, or brand to a larger story.  August is National Inventors month in case you didn’t know.

Reflections:

How would you use an anniversary celebration to garner media mentions and word-of-mouth for your business?

Are there any cause or awareness related days, weeks, or months that tie into your business?  What connectors would be interested?