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We regularly see trends regarding the specific services our clients are requesting from us. And lately a lot of you have been asking us about how to increase your profile in the media. At Sequentia we’re committed to educating our clients and prospective clients on what public relations (PR) can and cannot accomplish. And one of things effective public relations can do is help get you visibility in the media. So in this issue we’ve included some advice on how to become an expert and get noticed. And as always, let us know if you have any questions or want our assistance in your media relations efforts. Jen Evans President, Sequentia Communications  The Making of an Expert
It's a competitive business landscape out there. How are you going to get ahead of your competition and create awareness and interest for your business? If you’ve ever opened the newspaper and seen an article on your competition, chances are they have public relations professionals working with media contacts on their behalf. Here are some ways our Sequentia PR team help clients get noticed by the media. By-Lined Articles – Get the Visibility You Want Sometimes publications will run an article written by a guest, instead of running their own content. They do this because they want their readers to hear first-hand from an expert in the field and this is also a way to associate their publication with quality professionals in the industry. Securing an article placement is a fantastic way for clients to gain respect and notoriety in their industry. To start off, you’ll need to identify a topic relevant to your business. It is best not to write a self-promotional piece, but rather offer information or advice that would be helpful for the publication’s readers. These pieces always get picked up quicker than many other submissions editorial departments regularly receive. Keep the article to around 800 words and work with your PR team on the focus and edits that may follow. Your PR team will then start the cycle of article placement and find a suitable media outlet to run your content. Sometimes publications will show immediate interest in an article; sometimes they like the piece, but need to figure out where to fit the information into their editorial line up. With some luck and persistence on behalf of your PR team, a placement is secured and your article will be published! When publication takes place, be sure to add copies of your article to your promotional materials. This extra credibility will help build trust with potential clients and can even help shorten the sales cycle. Spokesperson Alerts – A Handy Resource for Journalists Sometimes journalists just don’t know who to turn to. They are on deadline and their editor has given them a story to write on the mating rituals of the common sloth. If you are an expert in this field, you definitely want to be on the reporter’s radar when this opportunity comes up by issuing a spokesperson alert. A spokesperson alert provides the media with an introduction to you and the kinds of topics that you are available to comment on. This piece of communication provides media with a basic outline of your company and a list of topics you can speak to. It is a handy reference for journalists who would have to otherwise look up a company online. Sometimes media react quickly to a spokesperson alert because the timing is perfect and they need to include your comments in an article they are currently writing. Sometimes the spokesperson alert serves as an idea trigger for a story a journalist might like to start to develop. Your PR representative can work on an angle with the reporter on your behalf, and hopefully book you with some interview time in the hopes of some coverage in the reporter’s article. Press Releases – Keep the News Coming The most common tool public relations professionals use to get in touch with journalists is issuing a press release. A press release is a document issued to media with information about an important news development within a company. The content of the release could include: a new product launch, a new company campaign or the announcement of a new partnership. Sometimes the news is obvious, as in the case of the above examples, but sometimes you’ll need a creative PR team to help you craft a news piece that the media will find interesting. It is always important to think about the journalist’s readers and gear your information to what they would find relevant. Remember, just because something is news and important to your company, doesn’t mean that others will find it newsworthy. Another important point to consider about press releases is that they are a means of maintaining regular communications with media about your company. Generating awareness for your company is sometimes hard to do. Journalists regularly get an average of 200 emailed press releases a day. Asking a journalist to pay attention to your company is asking a lot. The news value has to leap off the page. Media Pitches - The Press Release Alternative A pitch is written specifically for one media outlet. It has the publication’s specific objectives, audience, and deadlines in mind. Due to the popularity of email and the internet, media outlets are bombarded with hundreds of pitches each week, so it is extremely important that the pitch get to the correct media contacts. A media pitch is simply an outline for a possible story idea that includes information about your company. Pitches that get used are newsworthy, media-friendly, timely, and factual. Opportunity for placement increases with media follow ups and re-pitches. Some tips to keep in mind when pitching the media:
Sequentia News
Open House Update: Due to a lot of people taking off early for the May long weekend, we’re moving the date of our open house to June 8. Mark your calendars now. Have you signed up yet for the White Ribbon Campaign Bowlathon on May 27? No time to bowl, then consider sponsoring Team Sequentia. Email us for more information. Jon Evans’ latest book is out in stores now. Invisible Armies is the third book from the Arthur Ellis award-winning Harper Collins author. Jon also has an article in Walrus magazine’s latest issue on the thrice-lost east African city of Goma. Timewasters
YouTube
is a unique website where people can watch and share their original videos through the web. Not only can you upload and share your own videos, you can find, create and join video groups to connect with people with similar interests. And for any webmasters out there, YouTube can be integrated with your website. Talk about building community one video at a time! |
In This Issue April 2006
 Get a Quick Media Mention- Issue a statement Sometimes a statement can be issued to media in the form of commentary on an issue at hand. For example, let’s say that your company is an expert on bank security, and recently there has been a rash of ATM thefts. By issuing a statement to media on the topic and offering a valid, relevant opinion with some advice and contact information for further discussion, the journalist may contact your company in order to get more information to round out their story. 
Press releases make great search engine food. By regularly posting press releases on your website, you can help increase your search engine ranking on Google and other search engines.
We love it when our public relations and online marketing worlds collide.
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