104 West Partners

Speaking at the CU Journalism School in Boulder

From the Desk of Kathryn Marshall...

Today, my colleague, Ben Johnson and I had the distinct pleasure of guest speaking at the CU Journalism school in Boulder.

Our goal was to give students an inside look into the PR industry and what it’s like to work in this ever-changing market. We started the conversation by discussing some of the major trends shaping the PR industry. Clearly Social Media was on the top of the list and as I suspected, they were a bit surprised that the way in which they communicate in their everyday life with friends was having such a monumental effect on our industry. In particular, they were floored by the statistic that the fastest growing user group on Facebook is age 55 and older. In addition, they were surprised to learn that nearly 40 percent of Fortune 500 businesses are using some sort of social media with blogs being most prevalent in that size of companies.

Ben and I were really encouraged by the thought the students put into their questions and wanted to share three of the most interesting ones asked:

Q: What is the most challenging aspect of your job?  

A: There are many challenges we face on a day-to-day basis but the one that continues to come to mind is being able to navigate and garner a steady stream of noteworthy media placements in the ever-shrinking world of publishing.

Q: What is one thing that you wish you could have been more prepared for when starting your job?

A: Ben answered this one being a more recent graduate of the CU Journalism school. He encouraged students to learn more about how to conduct research for potential client campaigns and learn the fundamentals (e.g. how to build a powerful media list from scratch). He also suggested learning how to utilize information they already have on issues like pop culture and how to put that knowledge to work for clients.

Q: How is your firm dealing with economic stress? Have you had to adjust your strategy or target a different audience?

A: What a great question. 104 West is constantly striving to differentiate itself from other PR firms and find new sources of revenue streams. Keeping clients happy is our number one priority as they are often times our biggest advocates in the marketplace.

Measuring your ROI in Public Relations – Part 2

From the desk of Jen Roane…  

This article is the second in a series of three intended to shed light on the subject of measuring ROI in public relations.

Always a subject of discussion among marketing and PR professionals, measurement seems to be even more important these days. The question is coming up earlier in the discussion process than ever before. Is there a way to understand the ROI in public relations without using outdated ad values or extensive research that eats up resources?

“If I hire a sales person, I have a clear return on my investment and it’s pretty immediate.”

We’ve heard this statement or a version of this statement a half dozen times in the last six months from executives looking for a corresponding way to measure their public relations efforts.

Yes, there are hybrid approaches that can be used to effectively measure public relations and deliver a clear return for businesses.

Consider this: Content + Engagement = Influence

Identifying upfront what the substance is, the content, for any given program will start to build the what, how, and when pieces of the next element of the equation – engagement. Are there key stakeholders? Who makes up the circle of influence? Is the content right for each audience? It’s critical to look at all of the relationships and then start evaluating the progress of the overall engagement with these constituencies on a regular basis.

By combining a continuous stream of content with a solid set of engagement goals, the influence of any given PR program starts to become clearer. Add to this attentive communications between the agency and the client, and all parties have a solid map of what success will look like. This also provides a consistent feedback loop in case adjustments need to be made along the way.

This formula can be applied across PR programs – everything from traditional media relations to more of the community and social-based relations. Overall, success can be measured not only by whether or not the targets are hit, but also whether or not the broader effort is sustaining itself and therefore truly forging a place for a brand in the market.

As we have discussed, measurement can take many forms. If you’re content with how your program is measured, you are ahead of the game.  If you haven’t really implemented a system or you are not satisfied with the way you are currently measuring the investment your company is making in PR, you might consider utilizing this method of measurement.

Next week we’ll examine yet another valid way to approach measuring your public relations efforts.  Stay tuned…

 

Rules of the Game: Having Products Included in Gift Guides

From the desk of Johanna Erickson…

Many of us enjoy shopping for that perfect gift as we flip through the pages of a favorite magazine or watch the morning news. What could be better, experts telling us what is popular, affordable and memorable for this year ’s holiday season - they do the leg work for us, we just have to make the purchase. The question for businesses – specifically many of our clients – how do you get a product to be a part of the infamous gift guide? 

Years of helping clients get their products be included in gift guides has taught me quite a few things about what works and what doesn’t. With the gift guide season nearing an end we thought we’d share s few important “rules of the game” that we share with our clients who have a gift guide programs.

    Gift Guide Fact or Fiction:

• The expression Christmas in July is actually very factual. Magazines begin working on gift guides as early as June and are typically closed by the end of August! This means you need to send product and get on their radar in June for a shot at the guide.

• Jack-of-all-trades is true here. The editor in charge of gift guide is probably not who you would guess. This assignment changes year to year and can be the food editor or even a freelancer who just comes in to do the gift guide. Don’t let your product get lost in the wrong hands, do your homework first.

• Sending product is never enough. Editors are overwhelmed with products all hoping to be included in the gift guide. You need to stand out in the crowd through follow up. What are the categories this year? How many gifts will they include? Do they need images? Help them through the process to better position your product for inclusion.

• Know your audience. Many publications run gift guides but not all of them include gift ideas in multiple categories. Don’t send a gift for kids to a magazine that does not include children’s items in their gift guide- sounds obvious, but it happens all the time.

• Print is not the end all be all. Many publications hold a print version AND an online version of the gift guide. The online version is often larger and contains different recommendations. Don’t just pitch the print editor- make sure and reach out for online coverage too. (Hint: the online version may actually be better since it can link directly to the product for immediate purchases.)

• Tickle Me Elmo - not so much. You never know what is going to be the “it” item of the season or for a publication. Gift guides often come down to specific guidelines such as price or a theme. In many cases it is about the layout or the editor-in chief’s final verdict. Gimmicks not needed here - the rules of gift guide are subjective.

• Don’t forget round two! While it is certainly Christmas in July, it is also Christmas part two in September. Short lead publications and broadcast are just starting to think holiday as the leaves fall and the chill comes in the air.

• Gobble Gobble! As you carve the turkey, gift guide season is officially closed. Most guides start to run in November and are stuffed by the time you sit down for Thanksgiving dinner. Yes, you have truly been pitching since June, but it is finally over!

Measuring Your ROI in Public Relations – part 1

From the desk of Patrick Ward...

In today’s economy, the need for measurement of and accountability for PR, either traditional or social have never been greater. However, the lack of definitive metrics is making it hard for companies to commit to PR programs because there is no clear path to value. This post is the first in a series of three I plan to write to shed some light on an issue that has been the subject of discussion in this field for a long time.
 
The Traditional Measurement Approaches

Since news articles appear in newspapers, magazines and on electronic media, the natural measurement approach in PR has been to try and replicate advertising measurement models.

The simplest method for measuring success of a PR program is to add up the circulation of the media that covered the story. That idea sort of works for TV and radio - if you’re watching or listening to the news, then you can’t really skip something. Sure, you can change the channel, but Nielsen factors that into their ratings.
 
It’s even more inaccurate when you try to measure print mediums. Circulation numbers simply represent total distribution. There is no way to tell who read what articles. So even if an article is in a prominent publication, if it’s poorly positioned in the magazine or newspaper, the actual readership may be much lower than the circulation. Furthermore, there is no way to measure if it’s the desired readership.
 
This approach starts to touch on issues of article placement, size and number of mentions in the article. This method often leads to measuring an article by using comparable advertising rates. If a half-page ad costs so much, then a half-page article should be worth the same. That often is a skewed way to look at it. Advertising is like renting a room in a house. PR is more like getting the homeowner to let you spend the night for free. Presence in an article is a validation to many; if it’s in the editorial, it must be true. Advertising is often viewed through a more cynical prism.

PR is rarely a blunt instrument. Advertising can be and often needs to be. Think about the major ad campaign from Yahoo! several years ago in which the company tried to make ‘Yahoo’ a verb.

The holy grail of marketing is to turn your brand into a noun or a verb that has distinct meaning - Kleenex and Xerox come to mind. The company that actually won that battle was Google, whose name is now synonymous with online search. They basically created the concept of a search engine without ever conducting a major national advertising campaign. Google was trying to alert people to a sophisticated technology that required and benefitted from the explicit approval of technology evangelists and trusted reporters.

The right story by the right reporter at the right time can be much more valuable than a comparable ad in the same medium. The Yahoo! ad campaign was easy to measure. Google’s PR probably wasn’t. But which was more effective? That feels like the ultimate measurement.

 

Designing Press Releases for SEO

From the desk of Elaine Schoch...

According to a recent survey, media and bloggers seek most of their information through search engines, making optimizing your press release an important factor in helping it to be found by the right people at the right time. But with 2,000 press releases distributed on an average business day, how can you optimize it to help reach the most influential audience?

Below are a few simple tips you can easily incorporate to help optimize your next press release.

 

1.    Determine the best keywords for your announcement and be consistent with the keywords that are used both in press releases, on the website and in your online advertisements.

 

2.    Use the most popular keyword phrase in the headline, which carries the most weight with search engines, as well as in the body of the release and in hyperlinks.

 

3.    Include subheads in the body of the press release, rich with keywords since these are one of the main things search engines see.

 

4.    Include anchor text hyperlinks in the press release that are your keywords or similar to them. Make sure you link these words back to the appropriate page on your website.

 

5.      Place anchor text links in the first two paragraphs.

 

6.    Keep press releases short and concise. Most experts agree that the “sweet spot” for an SEO‐friendly press release is between 300 – 500 words.  

 

7.    Include rich media content such as images and videos that will augment search engine pick up in places such as Google Images or Google Video. Be sure all media‐rich content is appropriately tagged with keywords.

 

8.        Optimize your boilerplate and include a link (not a hyperlink) to your website.

 

9.     If your company or product falls into a particular industry that is often referred to by an acronym, include both the full term and abbreviation throughout the release.

 

10.Post all releases on their own permalinked page on your website in addition to sending it out over wire services. (Many businesses scroll from release to release on one page. It’s important that each release has its own page with its own title tags). Each dedicated web page should have its own search friendly title tag as well. When creating title tags use keyword combos and separate with a bar instead of a comma.

Where will you find your next PR firm?

From the Desk of Patrick Ward…

The effect of the “always on” culture of today’s business is having a profound influence on how companies communicate with their communities. It is also having a similar effect on the PR industry and how it interfaces with clients and the media.

When companies start their search for a PR firm, a common question often arises: do you want an agency close to the media or close to your business? While there are solid arguments for each, try putting location aside while addressing the following questions first.

Questions to Ask Yourself When Hiring a PR Firm:

•  Does your business have a distinct culture that is part of your communications strategy? 
•  Does the business move rapidly?
•  Do your communications efforts need to align quickly to that dynamic market? Do those market dynamics mean your PR program needs to be managed closely?
• Does your program work best scoped on a project basis or does it need an ongoing, more collaborative relationship?
• Is your budget aligned with your agency size?
• Do you require a particular expertise?

Answering these questions first will not only help refine your overall agency criteria, but it will also help you understand if you need an agency that is close to your business or whether location is less of a concern. For some companies, seeing their agency once a week or more is important and they will find better value closer to home. For others, email, telephone and the web have broken down geographic concerns and other factors are more important. 

Dismissing firms because of their location alone is a disservice, much like picking a firm solely based on location can also be shortsighted. If businesses are serious about PR as an asset, location should not be the only decisive factor. The good news is that talent is everywhere. Great companies, great PR firms and even the media are in every city these days. Look at home. Look elsewhere. The best relationships start by knowing what you’re looking for. And remember, it just might be around the corner. 

Is your PR program strategic?

From the desk of Kathryn Marshall...

When you’re developing a new PR program or evaluating an existing one there are a few specific questions to ask yourself to avoid common pitfalls companies fall into when their PR program is not strategically aligned with the goals and objectives of their organization.

1.     How will the PR program help the organization achieve its overall business goals and objectives

2.     What does success look like – what are the results you want and what will they achieve for the business? (Is the existing PR program returning the results you originally envisioned?)

3.     Do you frequently have stories written on your company but nothing really seems to happen as a result?

To ensure your PR program not only drives attention in the marketplace, but it helps reach the people you need to reach to get the results you want there are a few points to consider:  

Identify your goals first: Many companies make the mistake of getting swept up in the idea of seeing their name in print. Or, some feel any publicity is good publicity. Before rushing out to speak to the media, take the time to look at what the overall business is trying to achieve. Is the business looking for funding, or are you trying to enter a new market? Once you establish the goal, then you can figure out a way that PR can help support that effort.  

 

Know where to reach your customers: Ask yourself the important question of who you are ultimately trying to influence, and then figure out where they live. Are your customers reading technical trade magazines to procure the products or services you offer, or are they more likely to be found on mainstream blogs or reading business outlets? Creating a map of the people that consume your product and the people who ultimately pay for it and aligning it with the type of media they read most will go a long way toward making sure the right people are getting your message.  

Use the right message: Getting a story in the press doesn’t net much for a company if the key message your audience needs to hear is buried or, worse, left out entirely. Consider the outlet you are speaking with and put yourself in the reader’s position. What do you think is most important for them to hear and how can you grab their attention and get your message across? Be strategic in what you say and to whom you say it, and always centralize your comments around the most important message you want to convey. 

 

Be Careful What You Wish For...

From the desk of Patrick Ward...

There is an equally elucidating and disturbing story on TechCrunch today.

It has engendered an active discussion on the merits of PR and the ethics some firms use. But I wonder if there is a broader and potentially more important implication here? The tide toward direct expression, through App Store reviews, user group comments and even this blog, has lifted a critical filter in the traditional information flow from company to PR to public: the media.

Before the arrival of the myriad communications means for companies (and their PR firms) to speak directly to constituents, a buffer existed. Reporters decided whether a story was credible and reasonable before it made it into print. Even Letters to the Editor were screened. Much of that barrier is being eliminated in today’s world. So how surprising is it that someone is taking advantage?

I’m reminded of Michael Corleone’s PR strategy to assuage public concern about his impending murder of a police captain: “A dirty police captain who got mixed up in the rackets and got what was coming to him. We have newspaper people on the payroll, Tom? They might like a story like that?” When the story-teller can be corrupted by money (agency fees or download dollars) the ethics get invariably murky.

For all the love of freedom of expression that ‘user-generated’ content offers, we seem to forget that the traditional news organizations vetted this kind of gamesmanship. So, as many play violins while those news organizations burn, look at this story for what could be your alternative.

Building Relationships One Link at a Time

From the desk of Elaine Schoch...

In a previous post I discussed the importance of including anchor text links - also called hot links - in press releases to help boost SEO and add another way to measure PR - the ROI a specific press release can generate in terms of how much traffic it brings back to the website and how many visitors then become customers.

I’d like to expand on this a little more since the simple inclusion of links be it in a press release, a blog post or even an executive bio housed in a client’s press room all impact search and create an opportunity to build and/or further business relationships. I’ve struggled with a concise way in trying to explain link equity. I honestly think it’s because I talk with my hands a lot and draw pictures to communicate something that’s new to people or can be hard to understand. It might also be because I’ve worked with SEO folks for several years and like to dive too far into the details... Regardless, when I saw one of Chris Brogan’s blog post earlier this week on link equity I thought he nailed it. It’s one of the most succinct, un-techy explanations I’ve seen. I won’t go into detail since you can read Brogan’s post yourself.