Posts tagged ‘research’
Todd’s Media Relations Do’s and Don’ts – A Three Part Series
You may have read reporters lamenting about PR “hacks” pitching aimlessly and spamming them with news that has nothing to do with their beat. Some reporters have even publicly “blackballed” publicists after being fed up with one too many irrelevant pitches.
When I first started Ricochet, I made it my mission to change the mediocre media relations practices that had become standard in so many agencies. Many publicists approach media relations by churning out lists of hundreds of reporters (many irrelevant) and basically throwing news to the wall in the hopes it’ll stick. I wanted to provide clients with a new approach – using some simple tactics to deliver smart media campaigns that get results.
While the media landscape is continuing to evolve, some best practices hold true. Here I’ll share the secrets behind our media relations success.
Step One: Getting Started
- Become very familiar with the client and the topic being pitched. If you’re unfamiliar with the nuances of the company, your research will be less effective. This may seem obvious, but 20 minutes spent reviewing your client’s materials again could yield additional nuggets you can use in crafting a story angle – which may lead you to target publications or reporters you didn’t previously think of. Clients love this kind of creativity!
- Develop a good understanding of the initiative or product you’re pitching. Sometimes a company will want to target a specific kind of media or restrict its coverage to certain topics, so it’s crucial to know the project as
completely as possible. This will also help you answer reporters’ questions and represent your client intelligently. - Research how other companies in the industry have handled similar projects or narratives. Is your client really the first one to launch this initiative or product? Have other companies been successful with a particular strategy? The more you know about the industry and your client’s competitors, the better your recommendations will be.
Up next, how to build a killer media list.
- Todd Aydelotte, Founder & President
Internships in Health Care/Biotech with Ricochet Public Relations
It’s been a while since our last post. The start of 2010 has brought on a lot of changes with our firm. I’d like to welcome students looking for PR internships in health care and biotech to consider our firm and send me applications.
Ricochet is a rapidly-growing business, forging a new industry paradigm in technology and life science public relations. We emphasize collaboration, intellectualism and a sense of humor. Use your life sciences and/or technology expertise in a completely different arena than you thought possible by joining true innovators in the PR industry. Prior public relations experience is not necessary for these positions, but exceptional research skills, social skills and intellectual curiosity are essential.
To find out more about Ricochet Public Relations, please visit our website.
To be considered for this position, please email your resume (single page), cover letter and two samples of written articles to Dr. Nancy Ilaya.
As an intern, you will be working intimately with experienced publicists and will learn many of the core skills necessary to become an outstanding publicist.
Requirements for consideration include strong writing, research and organizational skills, as well as a keen interest in the media, technology and the life sciences.
The following skills are strongly desirable:
- Strong writing skills
- Research and organizational skills
- Strong communication skills
- Adheres to deadlines
- Works well under pressure
