Tuesday Marketing Notes (Number 25—March 14th, 2006)

A B2B Marketing Newsletter for BMA Members
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Public Relations (Part 3): Making Trade Media Contacts, Developing Story Pitches, and Executing PR Announcements

In Parts 1 and 2 of this series on business-to-business PR, we covered keys to making your company’s (or client’s) PR program oriented to the goal of increasing sales, and techniques for writing effective press releases. This week, we’ll talk about the other key elements of compiling media contact lists, developing and making story pitches, and the all-important aspect of executing PR announcements for your B2B marketing program.

Compiling Your Company’s Media Contact Lists

If your ad agency, PR firm, or marketing consultant is handling your PR program, they will likely be responsible for developing your company’s media contact lists, (using the methods described here), or working from their existing contact lists established by developing prior relationships with media contacts in your field. Either way, as a marketing manager you need to know who’s on your company’s media contact list, and who’s receiving a press release for your news announcement. The same goes if you’re on the agency side of this process.

Creating your company’s own media contact list is both a process of compiling your own lists, and obtaining media contacts from outside sources, such as Bacon’s or Standard Rate & Data Service (SRDS). This section details the key steps for compiling your company’s media contact lists, for each category of media contact previously described.

Establishing Top Trade Media Contacts

Editors and writers at your industry’s top trade publications are your most important contacts for your media contact lists. These individuals constitute your “A” List of top contacts. If your company has already been covered in any of these publications, the writer of the previous article should be your primary media contact there. These writers will have a natural interest in receiving any new announcements from your company, so they’re your best contacts.

When in doubt, go to the managing editor: If your company is new to PR, and has not yet received coverage in your industry’s trade publications, check the publication’s editorial masthead (found within the first few pages in the front of the publication) and locate the publication’s managing editor. Managing editors serve as gatekeepers for deciding what stories get covered, who covers them, and for pushing these stories into upcoming issues. When the managing editor receives your company’s press release, they’ll route it to the person at the publication they feel is most qualified to write about it.

If you’re developing your company’s own media contact lists, it’s a good idea to contact the managing editors at these publications to introduce yourself, and describe your company and its products to them. In public relations, personal contact always improves your chances of getting coverage, so it’s always a good idea to get to know who will be covering your company at the publication. Ask the managing editor who should receive your news announcements at their publication; this person, and the managing editor, should then receive press releases for all of your company’s subsequent news announcements.

“New product news” sections: Many trade publications also have an editor in charge of the “new product news” sections in their publications. These new product sections feature small, three column-inch blurbs, often accompanied by small product photos submitted by the company with their press release. Many new product announcements end up here if the managing editor doesn’t think the press release announcement warrants a standalone article. It’s likely that many of your company’s new product and product upgrade announcements fall into this category, so it’s better to send them directly to the “new product news editor” at the publication, and get some minor coverage for them, than it is to try for bigger story placement with an announcement that (at least in the editor’s mind) doesn’t deserve it.

Establishing Contacts in General Business Media

You can repeat the process of checking the mastheads of publications for general business magazines, and in the business sections of your city’s local newspapers, to compile contacts for the larger “B” Lists of general-interest business publications.

Both the managing editor and new product news editors should be added to your media contact list for each of these publications. If your company is involved in the high-technology field, add the publication’s “technology editor” to your contact list. When adding a contact for your local newspaper’s business section, select the paper’s “business editor.”

Getting broader media coverage: If your company does business in one or more industries or vertical markets, it’s likely you’ll have to expand the scope of your company’s public relations efforts. For example, if your company enters a new market, you’ll need to execute a PR program to attract media coverage from trade publications in this new industry. Your company may even have a news announcement that would be appropriate for wider, general-interest media coverage, such as broadcast TV, cable, radio, or daily newspapers.

When you need to expand the reach of your public relations program, the Bacon’s media directories (at www.bacons.com) and Gebbie Press All-In-One Media Directories (at www.gebbieinc.com) can provide you with full contact information on newspapers, business media, TV, radio, and any other media source in the U.S. Average cost for the hard-copy Bacon’s directories is around $400 each, for example, but you can order and download specific groups of targeted trade and media contacts from both the Bacon’s and Gebbie Web site for less.

For most of your company’s public relations activities, however, you’ll be focusing your efforts on the trade publications of your industry or marketplace. For example, if your company has developed a new model hydraulic pump for industrial plants, it’s a safe bet that The New York Times, Forbes, or The Washington Post isn’t interested. Keep your program focused on your industry, develop good working relationships with the editors at the top publications there, and you’ll get coverage that boosts sales for your company’s products.

Execution of Your Company’s PR Program

When planning your company’s (or client’s) ongoing public relations program, it helps to plan the specifics of each of your projected news announcements out as far in advance as possible, to anticipate and support all of your company’s marketing projects.

Plan ahead for major announcements: Since the press release is the main marketing deliverable all PR projects are built around, it helps to think of the major news announcements in your PR program as a series of press release mailings, or “distributions,” timed to coincide with your company’s major marketing initiatives throughout the year. For example, if your company plans a fall launch of its major product line, you need to have a press release distribution in place to support this launch. Major announcements require more background effort (such as creating and executing story pitches) than minor ones, so give your ad agency, PR firm or marketing consultant enough advance notice so they can prepare for these projects.

Establish “meat grinder” press release distributions for minor announcements: Your PR program must also provide for the continuous distribution of minor news announcements that need to be written up as press releases and distributed as they occur. These announcements, also known as “meat grinder” press release distributions, are minor news announcements in your company that usually arise immediately, and are handled just as quickly, by a rapid press release distribution to your company’s trade media contacts.

Again, the purpose of getting your minor PR announcements out is not so much to support sales (although there may be some effect here), as it is to keep your company’s name in front of editors, writers, and other media contacts, so they’ll know who your company is when your PR firm calls them with your major news announcements.

In addition to these minor news announcements, you’ll never know when an exciting new business opportunity or a novel product application in your company will present a useful opportunity for media coverage. These unforeseen events will require you to respond with either a minor or a major news announcement, so be ready to handle these opportunities in your PR program.

Countdown to a News Announcement: Execution Steps for Public Relations Projects

This section is a start-to-finish checklist and summary of the key steps involved in executing PR news announcements in your company.

Is it news?

Whenever a potential company news event presents itself, first decide whether or not it should even be a news announcement from your company. As mentioned earlier, some events, like executive promotions, charity contributions, or minor new account sales, simply don’t justify the time and effort of a press release distribution. An event should be announced only if you believe it can have a positive effect on sales—either directly, by leading to sales from the press coverage, or indirectly, by creating a favorable impression alongside other marketing efforts, such as advertising and direct mail programs.

Is it a minor or major news event?

Judge the importance of the event: Does it justify more attention and effort, such as phone follow-up contacts, or story pitches? PR firms have a tendency to treat every client’s news announcement with the same level of effort, unless you force the distinction. If it’s a minor news event, put it in your “meat grinder”—have it written up as a press release, and distribute it by e-mail to your media contact list, where some of these contacts may decide to cover it in their publications.

Should we use a story pitch?

A story pitch (also known as a “story hook”) wraps your company news announcement inside of an industry trend or issue. For example, if Internet hacker attacks have been in the news, your company’s announcement of its Web server software’s upgraded security features could be presented in the context of the network security issue when your PR rep speaks to an editor at a trade publication. An example of a verbal story pitch for this announcement might be:

“You know, server and network security is a big topic these days, especially in light of last month’s ‘denial of service’ Internet server attacks. The recent attacks on Yahoo!’s site were caused by _____; Rezware’s IBX system prevents these kinds of attacks. If you’d be interested in doing a story on network server security, I’d be glad to supply you with some contacts in the industry who could talk about it…”

Of course, a few of the “contacts in the industry” referred to above would include your company’s CEO or VP of Technology (in addition to some other, more objective, contacts). Many articles in trade publications get published as a result of these story pitches, and editors and writers rely on skilled PR reps to provide them with the interview sources, industry research, and the other key contacts they need to write their stories.

Story pitches are made for significant company news events: These include new product launches, major new business or market investments and initiatives, or major product upgrades. Your PR rep makes the story pitch by e-mail or (preferably) telephone. Of course, when using story pitches, the accompanying press release should specifically address the topic of the story pitch.

Story Pitch Examples

Most industries have hot-button issues and trends that become the focus of major articles in their publications:

• The quest for higher productivity;
• Increasing plant efficiency;
• More efficient energy consumption;
• Internet privacy and security;
• Using consultants to reduce personnel costs;
• Plant and workplace safety;
• Software moving to Web-based systems and services;
• Effects of growing numbers of seniors in the U.S.;
• Outsourcing to reduce overhead expenses;
• Electronic payment systems;
• Terrorism and domestic security

You can judge the quality of your PR firm by the quality and relevance of the story pitches they use. The best PR firms constantly develop fresh and imaginative story pitch angles featuring your company or product.

Much of what a PR firm brings to its relationship with your company are its own contacts and relationships between its PR reps and their contacts in the media: A PR rep who gets to know which staff writer covers what particular topics at a publication can tailor their story pitches to the interests of that writer or reporter.

Trade publication editorial calendars: Many trade publications plan out their editorial coverage in advance on key industry topics, in their editorial calendars. Story pitches—especially those tied in with key industry trends and issues—can be developed to meet the needs of a publication’s editorial calendar. For example, the cover story and lead articles for three issues of a banking industry publication’s editorial calendar might look like this:

January:         New trends in Web security
February:       Smart card technology and consumer acceptance
March:            Streamlining back-office loan processing operations

Many publications in many different industries publish editorial calendars, usually found in their advertising media kits, detailing the publication’s planned editorial coverage in each issue, by month, up to a year in advance. Thoughtful development of story pitches featuring your product, if they are relevant to the story topics in the publication’s editorial calendar, can open major trade press coverage opportunities for your company.

Trade and business writers appreciate having high-concept “hooks” to write their stories around, such as how your company’s product changes the status quo of the industry, or how your product stands in contrast to your competitors’ products. Even if you decide that a news announcement doesn’t need a story pitch, the press release that covers your announcement should appeal to the desire of editors and writers to exploit conflict, contrast, and change in their coverage of your industry.

Should I give an exclusive to a publication?

Staff writers and editors at one publication compete with other publications to cover the news of their industry. If you have a fairly significant product announcement, such as a new product launch, or an entry into a major new market, you (or your PR firm) may want to consider negotiating for prime coverage in a publication by agreeing to give the writer or editor an exclusive to cover your story. This means that they will be the first and only writer and publication to break the story for an agreed time period, if you agree to hold off on issuing your broader press release distribution to any other publication until after they publish their story covering your announcement.

Since you can never be certain how much coverage your news announcement will receive, the sure bet of getting prominent coverage in a leading publication is often preferable to the greater uncertainty of taking your chances with broader distribution of your announcement. If you have a major announcement, you can propose this to your PR firm, who can then check with their best contact to negotiate an exclusive on it.

What information do I need for the press release?

As you’re planning your company’s announcement, you’ll need to get started on the press release. If you’re writing your own company’s press release, follow the instructions in the first part of this chapter.

If your ad agency, PR firm or marketing consultant is writing the press release, provide them with some background notes to sketch out these essential details:

• Summary: What your company just did;
• Main benefits of your news announcement;
• Why these benefits are important to readers;
• Context of the announcement—industry and market impact, competitive aspects, etc.

Remember to keep your press release to one side of a letter-size sheet of paper (500 words maximum). The final version of the release includes all of the form elements editors look for—contact information, background paragraph, press release date, etc., we’ve covered previously.

What other deliverables do we need along with our press release?

If this is a major news announcement, put together a press kit that includes the press release, and all of the additional information editors need to fill in the background detail on your company. Background materials are important additions to your PR program, and should be sent along with your press releases on major news announcements. On minor press releases, these materials should be posted to your company’s Web site and made freely available to the media as clickable Web links.

For each news announcement you’re planning, think of the other background deliverables to be provided to editors in the press release distribution:

Photos: If you’re announcing news about a product launch or upgrade, supply at least one product shot with the release, and make additional photos available to editors on your company’s Web site;

Action shots of the product in use, closeups of key features, and any other variations, as needed;

Software: If your company is in the software business, or sells any related electronic or information product, you can provide editors with a CD-ROM containing a demo version of your software, for their review;

Backgrounders: If this is a major company news announcement, include some additional pieces of information on your company, distributed as single-sheet “backgrounders” to your media contact list:

• Product Q & A: Answers to most-asked questions about the product;

• Executive profiles: Supply a sheet listing brief, one-paragraph profiles of your company’s senior management;

• Company history: If yours is a long-established company, editors are always interested in seeing some interesting or historic background on your company and its business activities;

Previous major trade articles: Include copies of any major articles previously published on your company or its products: Product reviews, company profiles, business features, etc.

These background materials are a must for any PR program. Put these together at the earliest opportunity, and make them freely available to any media contact.

When do we make our news announcement?

Think about the timing of your announcement: Should it be made immediately, or are their good reasons for making your announcement at a later date? Usually, speed is critical in news announcements: A new product needs to be announced ahead of a competitor’s product, or a press release that ties your company’s product in with an important new market trend must go out immediately to capitalize on the currency of this trend.

Trade shows: Delaying a news announcement sometimes provides your company with an added sales benefit. For example, you might consider delaying a major product announcement until the date of an upcoming trade show, to get maximum exposure for your product from the key contacts in trade and business media attending the show. Trade shows are excellent opportunities to schedule press conferences or other events, to present your company’s new product announcement to the key contacts you’ve invited in advance.

For minor news events, however, it’s more important to get the announcement out there in the media as soon as the press release is written, and to keep a steady stream of these minor news announcements flowing, so your media contacts know who your company is when they receive a major news release from your company.

Trade publication editorial calendars: You may also decide to delay the publication of a news announcement so you can present it to an editor as a story pitch for an upcoming issue listed in the publication’s editorial calendar. While almost never done for new product announcements, an interesting story idea featuring your company’s product can often be held until it’s covered in an upcoming “cover story” issue of the publication dealing with the subject or trend matching your story idea’s subject.

Unlike other marketing activities, PR is dependent on external, uncontrollable factors, such as the whims and agendas of trade publication editors. Because of these facts, always consider whether a news announcement should be made immediately, or held back for a more favorable time, when it could better serve your company’s marketing activities.

Who should be contacted for the news announcement?

Consider the scope of distribution for your company’s news announcement. Most industry and trade news announcements are of interest only to those involved in the industry, so should only be sent to media contacts within that industry.

However, if your news announcement has broader appeal, you can include contacts for general business publications, such The Wall Street Journal or Business Week, in your distribution for the announcement.

Developing story angles that enlarge the scope of your company’s products can also help broaden the appeal of your potential media coverage to a wider audience in the general business press. You can often receive broader coverage if you can plausibly tie your company or products to current events or trends having broader appeal in general business life, such as an interesting new technology used to manufacture your product, or a regulatory concern addressed by your company’s service.

However, be warned that coverage of vertical-market companies and products in general business publications often has no impact on sales of your company’s products. The average Business Week reader is probably not a prospect for your specialized industrial product announcement, so focus your distribution to the media contacts in your immediate industry, unless your news announcement is either a major industry event, or is interesting enough to warrant space for readers of general-interest business publications.

How should the media be contacted? By mail or e-mail? Should follow-up phone calls be made?

Send minor announcements by e-mail: Editors and writers at trade publications have Internet e-mail, and they check it continuously throughout the day. Press releases for minor news announcements can be sent exclusively by e-mail to contacts on your trade media list, along with a Web link for access to background materials, such as product photos, on your company’s Web site. E-mail communications should always be introduced with a short, personal note from your company’s PR rep.

Major press release announcements can be sent simultaneously, as both an

e-mail communication and a hard copy press kit, which also contains product photos and other background pieces. If your company is in the high-tech field, you are just as well off sending press releases for every news announcement by e-mail, since this has become the accepted form of PR communications in the technology trade press.

Follow-up major news announcements by phone: Follow-up phone calls to trade media contacts by your PR firm are an excellent way to promote your company’s major news announcements. A follow-up call to jog an editor’s memory on the press release that was sent a few days earlier can often move your story higher on the editor’s agenda. PR reps can also use follow-up calls to answer an editor’s questions, and fill in additional detail on your company’s news announcement.

Limit telephone follow-ups by your PR reps only to your company’s major news announcements. Follow-up phone calls are unnecessary for minor news events. Editors and writers at trade publications know a minor news announcement when they see one, and they’ve already made up their mind on whether or not they’ll cover your story when they first received your e-mailed press release. They get annoyed when they receive unnecessary phone calls from PR reps following up on a minor news releases, so don’t risk turning them off when you’ll need their goodwill for your more significant news announcements at a later date.

Where else should the press release be distributed?

As you finalize the essential details of your press release announcement, give some thought to where else your press release can be distributed, in addition to sending it to your media contact lists.

For example, you can send your press release (for an additional cost) to PR Newswire (www.prnewswire.com), a service that distributes your press release to thousands of contacts at media outlets who’ve agreed to receive press releases from PR Newswire. The PR Newswire Web site has a constantly-updated, keyword-searchable archive of all corporate press releases it distributes, which is sometimes used by editors and writers as an online research tool to search for background news items on the companies and industries they cover.

In general, you are far better off focusing your PR efforts on your own company’s trade media contact lists than paying the extra expense (around $1,400 per release) to distribute your press release on PR Newswire. While some editors and writers pay attention to PR Newswire releases, they will pay more attention to a press release they receive from your company or your PR firm, especially if this release is followed up with a personal contact. If you have the money in your marketing budget, you can take your chances and put your press release out on PR Newswire, but bear in mind that this is often just a little better than doing nothing.

The final, very important, action step in a PR project is to put your press release up on your company’s Web site. If you haven’t already done so, create a “Company News” link on the home page of your company’s Web site, and use this as your company’s online press release archive, arranged by date.

Posting your press releases to your company’s Web site can be a tremendously valuable promotional tool for your company: Potential strategic and joint venture partners, key sales prospects at other companies, major customers, media contacts, and others who are interested in your company and its products can learn more about them by reading your press releases here.

Inside Advice from The Editorial Side

Finally, Hiawatha Bray, Technology Editor for The Boston Globe, has written some words of wisdom for all of us running PR programs in trade, tech, and business media. Click below to read his classic column entitled “A Few Hints for PR People:”

Comments? Questions? Send them to me at: eric@realmarkets.net

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Eric Gagnon (eric@realmarkets.net), is president of GAA (www.realmarkets.net), a sales and business development consulting firm, and is the author of The Marketing Manager’s Handbook, the master study guide for the Business Marketing Association’s Marketing Skills Assessment, Skill Builder, and Certification (MSA/B/C) programs.

For more information on The Marketing Manager’s Handbook, available to BMA members at a special discount, link to:

http://www.businessmarketinginstitute.com/book.html

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