You’ve probably heard the saying, or at least a variation of, “Choose a job you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life”? That’s what I see with my staff. My publicists are dynamos in the field, and I love seeing how their dedication and tireless effort pays off in new and exciting ways.
They come from varied backgrounds – journalism students, English majors and news room staff – but they all understand how to break through the clutter, and connect with reporters and producers. Would you believe about 75 percent of their day is spent on the phone pitching to reporters across national, regional and local media? That’s the level of effort they put into developing these crucial relationships.
Our company has become well known for the amount of time we spend actually calling the media. Very few companies devote this time, but our hours and hours talking with reporters pay off. We work with them to co-produce the news. My publicists go above and beyond to provide reporters with tools they need for great stories or segments. These tools range from additional spokespeople, to statistics and studies, to props and visuals. Our publicists put the idea in motion and coordinate all the details.
A glowing example in our office was when one of our senior publicists Sallie Crowl landed a story on a local Fox affiliate. She pitched the story and the station ran with the idea. When Sallie cheerfully provided statistics and put the client spokesperson in touch with the producers, they told Sallie they were still missing a testimonial and were really in a pinch. She didn’t hesitate to give up her Saturday morning and offer to be the testimonial. Can you believe that? That’s truly going the extra mile. Like the quote above, when you love what you do a choice like that becomes easy. It’s a reminder of the dedication my team shows to creating the best possible story.
Our clients have learned to depend on our co-producing relationships with the media – we’re able to get their sales messages into credible news sources and provide information that educates the readers or viewers. The media wins with a well-produced piece and our clients win with a mention that lends credibility to their promotional efforts.
Check out the TV clip I mentioned above when Sallie shared her testimonial for our client. What a co-producing success!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4ONtE0QIgM
