In our blog series, Media Moments, the Zer0 to 5ive public relations team highlights a variety of media coverage secured by the team on behalf of our clients every month. Check back each month to get a glimpse at the team’s ongoing work.
When reaching out to the media on behalf of our clients, we generate interest and secure coverage through various approaches. One of the most successful and popular ways is connecting our clients’ points of view to key trends in a particular market or aspect of life. Another successful approach is showcasing a customer with a compelling story that highlights the positive impact of a specific company or technology on their business.
Our media features and inclusions in June resulted from outreach efforts leveraging industry trends and customer stories. Check them out below!
KQED for SchoolStatus
Absenteeism is a priority topic for education writers, and they are always seeking data to support their stories. SchoolStatus had access to anonymized data through its platform, allowing the company to analyze and highlight emerging trends nationally and in certain key states. Our team utilized these trends to pitch a story to the NPR affiliate, KQED, focusing on absenteeism in California and successful intervention strategies that schools can implement with SchoolStatus as a key thought leader on the topic. Read the article here.
INSTORE Magazine for Jewel360
The ability to find a customer that is willing to talk about the products they are using publicly can be a difficult feat. However, these stories are goldmines for both brands and media. Brands love to see their customers happily talking about their services, and media love to speak directly with customers to hear their stories – the challenges, successes, and everything in between. Upon receiving an exceptional customer story from Jewel360, our team took a targeted approach to pitching, with the goal of securing a feature placement in INSTORE Magazine, the premier jewelry trade publication. This approach was successful, resulting in a nice profile on the customer and a mention of Jewel360’s platform. Read the feature here.
Work Shift for Universal Technical Institute, Inc.
A notable trend reported by journalists covering the workforce, economy, and business is the growing interest in skilled trades among students and workers. As this movement continues to impact the future of work and the economy, journalists constantly seek unique perspectives and anecdotes to enhance their coverage. Our team pitched Universal Technical Institute, Inc.’s (UTI) experts to discuss this movement and share the benefits of providing practical, industry-relevant training to students and workers. This approach resulted in an in-depth piece published by Work Shift. Read it here.
To learn more about how Zer0 to 5ive can help drive visibility and industry leadership for your company drop us a line.
By Annmarie Ely
Many subject matter experts shine when they’re given the opportunity to discuss their area of expertise in a long-form audio interview. Participating in a podcast can allow them to convey their excitement for the topic they’re discussing, and also share more detail about a subject than they might be able to in a typical TV segment or written article.
We interviewed Matt Leon, former host of the KYW Newsradio In Depth podcast, who shared valuable insights on what goes into creating a great podcast episode. On his podcast, he covers a variety of news topics that impact listeners’ everyday lives, ranging from trending issues in education, healthcare, and policy to mental health and wellness.
Thank you to Matt for taking the time to conduct this interview! You can explore KYW Newsradio’s podcasts here.
Can you briefly tell us about your background in journalism?
I graduated with a degree in Radio & TV from York College of Pennsylvania in 1996. I have worked at radio stations in Hanover and York PA; State College, PA; Jefferson City, MO; and KYW Newsradio in Philadelphia, PA since 2002. I am also a play-by-play sports broadcaster for the University of Pennsylvania and Thomas Jefferson University.
How long have you been involved in podcasts and what made you want to get into hosting and producing them?
I have been hosting and producing podcasts since 2019. But I really turned most of my attention to them during the pandemic in 2020. I enjoy being able to focus and do deep dives on many different topics, which is really what drew me to the idea of podcasts.
Can you share examples of successful collaborations or interactions you’ve had with PR reps?
I have had many great collaborations and interactions with PR reps. The best come from an understanding of what I’m looking for and the types of topics/ideas I like to pursue. Our work together at Delaware Valley University in Doylestown is one example.
As a PR professional, what are some things to keep in mind when working with a podcast? Are there any specific elements you look for in a podcast pitch?
I think from a PR professional standpoint, when it comes to pitching, know who you are dealing with. Understand what they look for, the type of guests they are interested in, and just as importantly, the type of topics and guests they won’t be interested in.
For example, we were recently pitched a story about the dangers of solitary confinement and a lawsuit looking to end it in Pennsylvania. It resonated because it is an incredibly important topic, but one that not a lot of people know a lot about or understand. It was also pitched with a guest we had worked with before and we knew was very familiar with the material. All of those things made it very appealing and easy for us to say yes.
What makes someone a good podcast guest? What do the most engaging guests bring to an episode?
The best podcast guests have a passion for the topic they are talking about. That makes for a great conversation and a great experience for the listener.
As for what makes a podcast guest interesting, someone who is able to get their ideas and points across in a concise, engaging manner is important. A great guest also has the understanding and ability to have a back and forth conversation with the host on the topic (instead of being scripted) and is able to think on their feet.
In our blog series, Media Moments, the Zer0 to 5ive public relations team highlights a variety of media coverage secured by the team on behalf of our clients every month. Check back each month to get a glimpse at the team’s ongoing work.
As journalism continues to evolve – especially as newsrooms continue to shrink – reporters and editors must make difficult decisions about what to cover. This ultimately makes the job of a public relations professional that much harder. While this scenario is challenging, it should serve as a means of empowerment. Public relations professionals must be more deliberate and specific when pitching the media.
Today, journalists are looking for relevant angles and sources to help them tell their stories more than ever:
- Nearly 70% report that subjects connected to a trending story make it more shareable
- Many indicate that subject matter experts (82%), researchers (77%), and CEOs (46%) are the most credible sources for their reporting
At Zer0 to 5ive, we’re always looking for current events related to client research, industry trends corresponding to client technology, and more to create relevance between our clients and news topics.
Check out some of our latest media features and inclusions from May 2024 to see examples of this work!
CNBC’s The Exchange for
Universal Technical Institute, Inc.
There is a growing trend among our nation’s younger generations: opting to pursue skilled trades over traditional four-year college programs. Universal Technical Institute, Inc.’s (UTI) mission is to serve students, partners, and communities by providing quality education and training for in-demand careers, and they have seen this trend firsthand. This enabled our team to pitch UTI’s CEO as an expert to CNBC’s The Exchange to discuss why this trend is occurring and what they see among students within their programs. Watch the interview here.
Forbes for AERDF
The most recent data from The Nation’s Report Card shows that many eighth graders are still reading below a basic level. A recent RAND study underscored this, finding that many secondary school teachers still have to teach foundational reading skills to their students. AERDF pursues multigenerational change through scientific discoveries and inventions that further learners’ brilliance and transform their PreK-12 futures. One of the key areas in which they have deep expertise is reading, which enabled our team to offer the executive director of AERDF’s Reading Reimagined program to a Forbes contributor to discuss the important link between the decoding threshold and how well a child learns how to read. Read the article here.
CIO Dive for Onymos
Over the last year, there have been countless incidents – from accidental data leaks to cyberattacks – related to the popular software model, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). These events have highlighted why the model is flawed, and enterprises should be concerned about data sharing and security practices by those who employ the model. Onymos has long been a proponent of a new software model that puts data ownership and security back in the hands of those who need it most. This point of view has enabled our team to pitch the company’s CEO as a top thought leader, securing opportunities for him to shed light on why companies need to rethink leveraging SaaS. One of the most recent opportunities was for a story from CIO Dive on Slack’s AI policy language. Read the story here.
K-12 Dive for YouScience
While there have long been calls for greater diversity in STEM, interest in pursuing education and career opportunities in these fields has been lower among some student populations – including female and Black students. YouScience, which is on a mission to connect education and careers to help students find success in school and life, has seen this trend in its own aptitude and interest data. Most recently, the company released a report, The 2024 Black Students and STEM Report, that uncovered a significant career exposure gap in STEM for students. Our team pitched this report to K-12 Dive as a resource for its topic coverage, securing the inclusion of research in a relevant story. Read the story here.
TechStrong TV for Digital.ai
Discussions about artificial intelligence’s (AI) impact on various industries have been growing as the technology becomes more sophisticated. Journalists are working diligently to help their readers understand those impacts, including AI’s relationship with multiple business functions and activities such as software development. Digital.ai has worked with many customers on how they can unleash the power of AI for developers by improving processes across their software delivery organization, providing them with a unique perspective. Our team used this background to offer the company’s general manager of intelligent DevOps to TechStrong TV to discuss the topic in a video interview. Watch the interview here.
To learn more about how Zer0 to 5ive can help drive visibility and industry leadership for your company drop us a line.
By Hannah Davis
No matter where you are in your PR career, establishing and maintaining relationships with journalists is an incredibly important part of the job.
We sat down with Christina Samuels, the Deputy Managing Editor for The Hechinger Report, to discuss her perspective on working with PR professionals. Christina oversees coverage of early childhood education, as well as K-12 education in the South. Samuels previously worked at Education Week, where she covered topics such as educational equity, special education, early childhood education and school district governance. She also had stints as a staff writer at The Washington Post and The Miami Herald.
This interview provides great insights into best practices on achieving effective communication and continued relationships between journalists and PR experts. Many thanks to Christina for taking the time to speak with us! You can read Christina’s stories for The Hechinger Report here.
Can you briefly tell us about your background as a K-12 education reporter and editor? How long have you been reporting on education topics, and what motivated you to focus on this field?
Right now, I am the Deputy Managing Editor at the Hechinger Report. I oversee early childhood education coverage and also other K-12 education coverage, as needed. Previously, I was at Education Week from 2004-2021. I also covered early childhood there for sometime. Prior, I was covering education at The Washington Post for five years.
One of my colleagues at the Washington Post went on maternity leave and she covered education and so I fell into it in a really nice way. At that time, the Post had a lot of resources to cover one beat, so I was covering just Prince William County schools. I formed a great relationship with one of the principals and could often call him for quotes. It was a nice way to start covering the education beat because I could say, “I don’t understand this budget, can you tell me how this works?” and he would explain it. At that time, the standard movement was just getting started. Kids are interesting; one thing that’s great about education is it touches every single important topic that you can think of. It touches family life, how we deal with each other in society, how we want to raise our kids to be. All of those things just come together in the education field.
Collaboration with PR Professionals
Can you share examples of successful collaborations or interactions you’ve had with PR reps?
In general, what has been most successful is when people have an understanding of my beat, especially when I was writing more. Right now, because I’m an editor, I don’t write directly as much, but I do get a lot of pitches. When people do understand what it is that I write about, and can connect it in larger ways, that is when a pitch can be successful. What often happens is people will see a story we’ve written and they’ll say, “Ah I’ve got a client who or something that relates to what you just wrote,” and I always think, “Well it’s too late now, we just wrote about that”.
The best public relations interactions I’ve had are with people who are thinking like reporters. They’re thinking before the story is written – “what is the story here?” It is always successful when people can give you a tip, not even necessarily about their particular client, but that they can think of a subject matter. For example, here is a subject you might be interested in and also I’ve got some people you can speak to.
Effective Communication
What are some common misconceptions reporters might have about working with PR folks?
I would say maybe our misconception is we don’t always know whether a PR person will be a help or hindrance to getting the story. That probably isn’t the best attitude to go into with anything – wondering how we can get around the PR person is probably not a very useful way of thinking about the relationship. That being said, something that has come up a lot for me is there are so many more PR professionals than reporters. This is a very sad truth. The journalism industry is contracting in a very painful and ugly way so there are only a handful of people in the early education realm. When there’s only 1-3 people in a newsroom covering that specific beat, we get so many pitches and it becomes a lot. There’s probably too much of a level of mistrust, and it would be better for everyone to not assume this from the start.
How can PR professionals best tailor their communications to meet the needs of education reporters?
It’s helpful when PR professionals offer something that I perceive can advance a topic. For example, a hot topic right now is the struggle for parents to find affordable child care – and I get a lot of pitches about this. Someone can say, “Hey, I have an expert who can talk about how hard it is for parents to find affordable child care,” but what is the next part? That in itself is not a story and it’s also a well-covered topic at this point. It’s hard. Journalists are asking PR professionals, “Well, what’s new,” and you’re working with your client who wants to get a particular story out there, so I would imagine there is a disconnect sometimes.
I will always respond to someone trying to tell me that something is new, or just different, or a little twist of a take on it. An example to follow on this one is if you then said, “Parents are struggling to find affordable childcare and where it’s the hardest is infant care. Here’s an organization that is trying to make it easier for home-based providers to get started.” Then I would say that’s a twist on it and we’re going somewhere. As opposed to, “Yeah it’s hard, and here’s an expert who will tell you how difficult it is”.
I will say, and I cannot speak for all, but specifically at Hechinger, we really respond to solution-oriented stories. We definitely want to explore the problem, and honestly some stories don’t have a solution, but I think at least here, really pulling out the, “So now what, what can we do?” That type of thing will get our attention.
What communication strategies do you find most effective when working with PR professionals? Are there any specific elements or information that you consider essential in a press release or pitch related to education topics?
Shorter can be better. There’s a lot to sift through. The sense that someone is writing to me, the Deputy Editor at The Hechinger Report, as opposed to a massive mailing list, is useful. It’s tough to break through as there’s only a few of us. Personalization is key. Elements that can show or demonstrate that you’re familiar with me are important. Knowing our audience is useful – I feel like that is almost more important than the exact length of the press release or starting with a specific salutation.
People who I have a long term working relationship with could say, “Hey Christina, I have this person who seems like they have a whole lot of knowledge on X topic, do you think that’s something you might be interested in?” I don’t mind having that type of back and forth with someone who I already have that relationship with. This is the awful secret – sometimes you can have all the things and have a client who can be the perfect spokesperson with measurable results to back it up, and our newsroom just doesn’t have the bandwidth or a reporter who can cover it. Sometimes it’s just down to the timing. If it had been a month earlier or later maybe the answer would have been different. I hate that it’s so capricious because it would be great to be able to say here’s the perfect recipe but that’s just now how it works.
Advice for PR Professionals
What are some best practices for PR professionals to build positive relationships with reporters of any beat? How can they effectively pitch stories and information to you and your colleagues?
It used to be the norm to meet for coffee, maintaining relationships without trying to pitch anyone a story. You know what the shame is – I feel the sense that Covid changed a lot; I now work from home, and to get me out of my house takes a lot. It is harder now, but I will say friendliness is never a bad thing, especially if you are plugged in. If I were covering early ed and someone said I represent this major early ed player, of course we’ll make time. It’s important for us to immediately see the connection. I’m always happy to talk on the phone. Especially with any major players in the for-profit childcare space. Perhaps it’s good to give people the option to meet for coffee. Some people want to get out of the house, but PR professionals can’t go into these types of meetings expecting something from journalists. Laying that foundation and getting the ground rules out is important. Something that is always enticing to me is you can say, “This can be off the record, but I’d love if there are things that come up in our conversation where I could connect you with people later on, would be great,” so you don’t feel like it’s a total dead end. I think that good reporters should be open to that. There is a mutual understanding here that is easy to navigate.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about the dynamics of working with PR professionals?
The PR professionals that I’ve really enjoyed working with are people who understand what it is that they do. I’m not going to expect someone to have read every single article, but having some insight into our readership, and someone who can think like a reporter in some ways stands out. Think about the story. There is hardly any story that I can write that is just about one person or company or situation; but they can fit into larger contexts. This is where you might say, “How does the person or organization or my client fit into a larger story here? How can they be a part of the larger story?” They aren’t always going to be the star, but they can be a part of a larger topic and narrative, and I think those are the best pitches. It’s even better when we get a freelancer who wants to write the story, however the pitches from freelancers and the pitches from PR professionals are all the same. They should show knowledge of the subject and some knowledge of what our audience is looking for.
In our blog series, Media Moments, the Zer0 to 5ive public relations team highlights a variety of media coverage secured by the team on behalf of our clients every month. Check back each month to get a glimpse at the team’s ongoing work.
A year ago, we launched this blog series to offer an inside look at how our public relations team keeps our clients in the spotlight each month. Whether we’re landing a broadcast segment with Bloomberg Technology, garnering an in-depth analysis of education research in The New York Times, or securing the publication of bylines in trades like TotalRetail and DevOps.com, we are committed to uncovering the best opportunities to showcase our clients’ experts, products, research, services, and more.
Our April media moments offer a glimpse into our ongoing efforts, and we’re excited to keep you in the loop with more updates in the coming months.
Check out some of our latest media features and inclusions below!
The Wall Street Journal for Universal Technical Institute, Inc.
Journalists often explore national trends or changes in how people are living and working. The Wall Street Journal recently covered the rising interest in the skill trades among Gen Z. On behalf of Universal Technical Institute, Inc., our team worked with a careers reporter to provide information and data supporting this trend. The article was featured on the front page of the print edition and online. Read the article.
Fortune for Sony AI
A perfect combination for a strong and insightful opinion piece is research and a first-person point of view. Our team recently worked with Sony AI to submit a poignant opinion piece to Fortune that addressed bias in artificial intelligence (AI) development – particularly around skin tone. This piece resonated with the outlet’s first-person opinion editor, resulting in publication. Read the article.
CRN for Onymos
A powerful way to boost credibility for a company is through awards. By identifying the most fitting awards for a client and their products or services, and crafting a thorough and compelling nomination, there’s a chance to land media coverage tied to the awards program. Not all awards programs are linked to a media outlet, but some are – like those offered by CRN. Our team collaborated closely with Onymos earlier this year to craft a nomination for their IoT offering, leading to the company receiving well-deserved recognition as part of CRN’s 2024 Internet Of Things 50 program. The award win was featured in an article on CRN’s site and in the print version of its magazine in April. Read the article.
Imaging Technology News for PreciseDx
Collaborations between organizations can be of great interest to journalists as they not only showcase momentum but can also support credibility. On behalf of PreciseDx, our team conducted extensive and targeted outreach to diagnostic, imaging, and medical outlets about a new partnership between the company and UCLA. This outreach resulted in an article in Imaging Technology News that outlined the details of the collaboration. Read the article.
National Jeweler for Jewel360
Product updates and integrations can generate significant interest and coverage from the media. Our team recently leveraged a new update from Jewel360 to secure coverage in one of the top jewelry trade publications, National Jeweler. The article focused on the company’s partnership with Jewelers for Children (JFC) to offer a new donation integration. Read the article.
The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education for YouScience
Journalists covering education are always seeking credible and substantive data on student success and potential. , Our team recently pitched new data from YouScience that showcased that Black students across the nation possess the aptitudes for in-demand STEM careers. This research caught the eye of The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, which summarized its findings. Read the article.
To learn more about how Zer0 to 5ive can help drive visibility and industry leadership for your company drop us a line.
In our blog series, Media Moments, the Zer0 to 5ive public relations team highlights a variety of media coverage secured by the team on behalf of our clients every month. Check back each month to get a glimpse at the team’s ongoing work.
An important aspect of a public relations professional’s role lies in understanding the dynamic nature of the news cycle. They must not only stay on top of current events relevant to their clients but also comprehend the journalistic landscape, including the themes and priorities driving their coverage.
The public relations team at Zer0 to 5ive is always analyzing the news cycle for every client, continuously seeking out relevant current events and potential angles for client integration. This involves actively monitoring live news broadcasts, reading dozens of articles and daily newsletters, monitoring social media channels, and building relationships with journalists.
Here are a few of the Zer0 to 5ive team’s placements from March that showcase the team’s work.
USA Today for SchoolStatus
The national media places immense value on data, and particularly data around education and parental viewpoints. Recognizing this, our team strategically leveraged both data and the media’s preference for exclusivity to pitch SchoolStatus’ new survey. To help ensure a robust, on-message story, the team offered the data exclusively to USA Today. The outlet agreed to the exclusive, conducted interviews, and incorporated the data into a story about the communication disconnect between schools and families. Read the article here.
FOX Business for Universal Technical Institute, Inc.
Often, journalists are seeking expert sources for stories they are already working on. Sharing information on available experts who are willing to be quoted can be a great way to generate national media coverage. For Universal Technical Institute, the team reached out to a journalist at FOX Business who covers careers to offer experts in this area. This outreach resulted in the client’s source being quoted throughout the article on the topic of job interviews. Read the article here.
The Hill for NWEA
In the education sector, the ESSER funding cliff is a key topic of discussion among industry media. Knowing which journalists would likely be covering this topic, the team reached out to The Hill on behalf of NWEA to offer an expert policy source on the topic. This resulted in the journalist leveraging the point of view from the organization’s policy expert in an article. Read the article here.
CSO for Onymos
In the hustle and bustle of the news cycle, important topics can sometimes get lost in the shuffle with so much going on at once. That’s why it’s crucial for public relations professionals to quickly grab hold of these sometimes unnoticed opportunities. With Onymos, the team leveraged an overlooked topic that had gained attention on social media – regarding data privacy and ownership in Software-as-a-Service – to pitch the company’s CEO. This resulted in CSO writing an entire article on the topic and Onymos’ CEO quoted as a source throughout. Read the article here.
To learn more about how Zer0 to 5ive can help drive visibility and industry leadership for your company drop us a line.
The expectations of both clients and journalists are high, and balancing them is key. Clients want coverage maximized and with top-tier outlets, and the media wants stories about topics and trends that their readers care about and will engage with.
At 0to5, we’ve embraced a number of strategies to secure valuable media coverage for our clients. Here are some of our most tried and true:
- Craft a Compelling Narrative: At the heart of every great story lies a compelling narrative. Whether it’s about the company’s journey, an impressive milestone, a groundbreaking product, or an inspiring team member, it’s important to hone your story to resonate with the intended audience. Ask yourself, “Why should they care?” Using relevant industry topics and personalization, a PR pro can create stories that are not only relatable and memorable, but also pique the interest of the intended journalist.
- Offer Unique and Valuable Insights: In a sea of perspectives, standing out requires unique insights and valuable expertise. It’s important for subject matter experts (SMEs) to actively participate in industry discussions, whether at a conference, in a byline, or through expert commentary, and offer data-driven insights. By providing information that adds value, PR professionals position their clients as a go-to source for industry-related topics.
- Capitalize on Your Client’s High-Profile Collaborations and Partnerships: Clients often align themselves with complementary, industry-relevant organizations or influencers that have their own brand and traction. Leveraging these high-profile collaborations and partnerships can help your story and attract the attention of media who have covered the partner in the past.
- Build Authentic Media Relationships: Building strong relationships with journalists, influencers, and industry experts is invaluable when you’re looking to garner strong media coverage for your clients. Investing time in understanding unique preferences, specific interests, and varying writing styles gives the pitcher an upper hand in knowing exactly what stories they’ll be most likely to cover. It’s important to engage with the media authentically, offer valuable insights, and be a reliable resource that cultivates trust.
- Leverage Social Media and Digital Platforms: Media coverage doesn’t stop once the interview concludes and the story is published. Social media has proven to be a powerful tool for bringing additional attention to your story. By consistently sharing valuable content and engaging with audiences, companies can create a digital footprint that captures the attention of journalists and influencers alike. Moreover, the strategic use of hashtags and tagging relevant entities further amplifies potential reach.
Garnering great media coverage is an effort that requires a strategic approach and persistence. By focusing on compelling stories that offer valuable insights or uniquely interesting storylines, nurturing reporter relationships, and leveraging digital platforms, you will find success in your media relations efforts.
To learn more about how Zer0 to 5ive can help drive visibility and industry leadership for your company drop us a line.
In our blog series, Media Moments, the Zer0 to 5ive public relations team highlights a variety of media coverage secured by the team on behalf of our clients every month. Check back each month to get a glimpse at the team’s ongoing work.
In today’s dynamic public relations and journalism landscape, many factors impact the efficacy of media relations. These include everything from the fast-changing news cycle, to journalist bandwidth, and so much more. Understanding these complexities, public relations professionals must always be strategic, creative, agile, and thoughtful in order to navigate the landscape effectively and garner results for clients.
The public relations team at Zer0 to 5ive demonstrates a thoughtful approach to engaging journalists by leveraging client events, significant news, or unique perspectives, prioritizing strategic and creative thinking in every pitch. Moreover, their agility shines in their ability to tailor pitches and story ideas to match the timely and relevant interests of each individual journalist.
Here are a few of the Zer0 to 5ive team’s placements from January and February that showcase the team’s work.
US News & World Report for YouScience
With deep knowledge of U.S. News & World Report’s education coverage and the focus of its reporters, the Zer0 to 5ive team highlighted critical research from YouScience to secure coverage with the outlet on the topic of student readiness post-high school. The article not only included the research, but also incorporated commentary from YouScience’s CEO Edson Barton. Read the article here.
Fortune for Sony Innovation Fund
Fortune is a high profile outlet that covers a wide range of topics. One of the topics that the outlet is most well known for is venture capital. In order to secure coverage in Fortune’s Term Sheet, you must have a unique point of view on the state of venture capital or technology or significant funding, M&A or leadership news. The team worked with Sony Innovation Fund to secure coverage of its new CEO and Chairman. Read the article here.
IEEE Spectrum for Sony AI
Conferences and events can be great drivers of media opportunities for clients. There are often key national or trade media in attendance to gather information on the latest trends or insights, and to connect with top subject matter experts. On behalf of Sony AI, the team leveraged its attendance at NeurIPS 2023 in December to secure a meeting with IEEE Spectrum for the organization’s Lead Research Scientist for AI Ethics, Alice Xiang. The meeting resulted in an in-depth Q&A with Alice on her work, ethical data collection, and more. Read the article here.
Nation’s Restaurant News for Chatmeter
In some cases, public relations professionals have to employ an embargo strategy to garner coverage around a key piece of news. For client Chatmeter, the team conducted embargo outreach to technology and trade reporters ahead of the company’s launch of its new Pulse AI: Signals feature. This targeted outreach resulted in an inclusion in Nation’s Restaurant News’ Tech Tracker for January. Read the article here.
Paul’s Security Weekly from SC Media for Qmulos
Podcasts are becoming an increasingly popular venue for public relations professionals to pitch on behalf of their clients. This surge in popularity has caused podcast hosts and producers to be inundated with guest recommendations, resulting in long queues for potential guests that stretch from a few weeks to a few months. To secure an interview for clients, public relations professionals have to remain diligent and thoughtful when checking in with the host or producers, gently reminding them that they have a great source in the wings ready to provide a new perspective. On behalf of Qmulos, the team maintained regular contact with the producer of SC Media’s Paul’s Security Weekly podcast and eventually secured an interview for the company’s CEO Matt Coose. Listen or watch the podcast episode here.
PYMNTS.com for GrazeCart
News on mergers and acquisitions is typically very attractive to the media. When POS Nation announced the acquisition of GrazeCart, the team was able to secure interest from PYMNTS.com in speaking with both organizations on how the acquisition would enable GrazeCart to expand its reach to farm-to-fork food suppliers who are looking to take their direct-to-consumer marketing and sales to the next level. You can watch the video interview here.
TEACH Magazine for NWEA and SchoolStatus
The ability to offer distinctive and thought-provoking commentary can greatly expand media opportunities for clients as journalists are constantly seeking fresh perspectives that enable them to tell the best and most informational story possible. The Zer0 to 5ive team recently worked with NWEA and SchoolStatus to provide interesting viewpoints on classroom management. The team shared commentary from the organizations’ education experts with TEACH Magazine, resulting in coverage for both clients. Read the article here.
To learn more about how Zer0 to 5ive can help drive visibility and industry leadership for your company drop us a line.
By Colleen Martin
One of my favorite parts of my job as a PR professional is cultivating a strong rapport and relationship with various reporters, where there is mutual respect and trust between us. They aren’t just a person on the other end of a transaction (pitch) to “win” coverage for my clients, but human beings with families, stresses, pressures, deadlines, and, no doubt, unique and interesting backgrounds that helped them get to where they are today.
However, if you ever read the “Bad Pitch Blog,” which puts PR folks on blast on X (Twitter) for often almost comically poor behavior, it can often seem like PR and journalists are like frenemies with dissonant interests. But dig a little deeper and you will find that the best PR professionals know how to build trust with journalists, deliver them incredible sources and stories worthy of their time and energy, and understand what the key ingredients are to help journalists do what they do best: tell a great story, with speed.
I recently had the honor of interviewing Elizabeth Heubeck, a staff writer for Education Week, one of America’s most trusted resources for K-12 education news and information. Elizabeth, who covers education angles and intersections in significant news events, cultural phenomena, and high-demand topics and issues, and I recently collaborated on a few stories, which were truly great pieces.
A big thank you to Elizabeth for taking the time to conduct this interview with me! You can find her latest stories in Education Week here: https://www.edweek.org/by/elizabeth-heubeck.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and your background as a K-12 education reporter?
My career has been a mix of marketing and journalist writing. I wrote about education and children for most of my career; I had a stint writing for a parenting outlet and wrote a lot about children’s health issues earlier in my career. I joined EducationWeek four years ago and have only been a full-time employee for the last year. I am considered an enterprise reporter, which means I can write about whatever I want.
What motivated you to focus on writing about education?
As a parent and spouse of a lifelong educator, I have always had an interest in education. I thought early on I would become a tutor to help kids with reading but I ended up writing about education instead.
Collaboration With PR Professionals
Can you share examples of successful collaborations or interactions you’ve had with PR reps?
I have been fortunate to have many successful interactions with PR people, who respond quickly, understand whom I need to talk to, and quickly connect me to the right people. Everyone is on a deadline, and we typically only have a few days to submit each story. It can be a catch-22 though, some days, we only have a 1-2 day turnaround, and if you want to make the story compelling, it usually requires talking to an actual person rather than regurgitating data over email. Sometimes, there isn’t enough time to make that happen. That’s when a PR person can be immensely helpful. They have their finger on the pulse and can connect us to folks fast.
What are some common misconceptions reporters have about PR people?
What I hear the most from my colleagues is that PR folks are like annoying salespeople. The woman who shares a space with me told me that one day, she walked away from her desk for two hours, and returned to 900 emails, mostly from PR people. That’s not an exaggeration.
When you are on deadline and under the gun, it can be easy to overgeneralize that ALL PR people hound you. Often, we just hit the ‘delete’ button – probably 60-70% of emails get trashed. Many of them aren’t targeting the right person. I keep getting emails about the U.S. Coast Guard. News flash – I don’t write about the Coast Guard!
Effective Communication
What communication strategies do you find most effective when working with PR professionals, such as pitches (length), press releases, research, etc.?
Phone calls have gone by the wayside. I have actually never received an unsolicited phone call from a PR person. What is effective, beyond a tight, well-written, short (couple of paragraphs) pitch that is targeted to what I write about, is getting ahead of trends; now that’s a godsend. Sometimes I will receive a pitch on a topic, immediately after I wrote about the same thing, what your industry calls “rapid response,” but if you aren’t sending me a unique angle or saying something different, then why would I write about it again? Take our partnership to the next level by helping me get ahead of a trend. If you have a relationship with a reporter, the occasional phone call is okay – but cold calling is usually a waste of time.
Advice for PR Professionals
How can PR professionals best tailor their communications to meet the needs of education reporters?
At the bare minimum, know what we cover. I would also invite PR people to reach out and say, “hey, what are you covering in the next few months?”
How far in advance are you planning stories?
I will put story ideas in buckets based on timing and typically work 1-2 months ahead. I might have something planned for this month, and have other ideas that I will file away for a future month.
Are there any specific elements or information that you consider essential to a story?
If you have background information on a topic that is super easily digestible about a product/service/curriculum, so that we can easily refer back to it – that is phenomenal. We need strong sources, especially educators that can vouch for something working well.
What advice do you have for PR professionals looking to build positive relationships and trust with reporters?
Keep your communication targeted and avoid bombarding reporters with constant pitches. Less is more! If you are in a stage where you are supporting a reporter with a specific story, identify strong sources at the onset and make introductions in a timely manner.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about the dynamics of working with PR professionals?
Know that timing is incredibly important for us – we are almost always under a time crunch. Put yourself in the position of a journalist, “What would I want to get out of it?” If you do those things, it can be a really phenomenal synergistic relationship between us, or really annoying. It is critical to be super responsive. Journalists who have flipped to PR really get it.
In our blog series, Media Moments, the Zer0 to 5ive public relations team highlights a variety of media coverage secured by the team on behalf of our clients every month. Check back each month to get a glimpse at the team’s ongoing work.
At the end of each year, journalists seek insights from experts spanning diverse sectors to anticipate trends that will appear in the coming year. This presents an ideal opportunity for companies to share distinctive and insightful perspectives that resonate with significant national or industry trends. By offering these bold opinions, they can continue to establish their position as a key thought leader on a specific topic or sector — which also contributes to overall brand awareness.
The Zer0 to 5ive public relations team collaborates with our clients annually to craft compelling predictions that not only address overarching trends but also express bold opinions that align seamlessly with the client’s industry or offerings.
Here are a few of the Zer0 to 5ive team’s predictions for placements from December.
Forbes for Onymos
Shiva Nathan, Founder and CEO of Onymos – developer of the world’s first Features-as-a-Service platform – was quoted by Forbes offering his prediction for the continued journey to passwordless in 2024. Read the article here.
SiliconANGLE for Digital.ai
Greg Ellis, General Manager of Digital.ai – the leading provider of enterprise-grade software development and delivery solutions – was featured as an expert by SiliconANGLE on how the continued industrialization of cyber tools will impact the threat landscape for organizations in the coming year. Read the article here.
ITOps Times for Qmulos
Igor Volovich, Vice President of Compliance Strategy at Qmulos – a next-generation compliance, security, and risk management automation provider – was included in an article from ITOps Times for his prediction on how organizations will increasingly take a more proactive posture in terms of security, risk, and compliance. Read the article here.
QSR Magazine for Chatmeter
Cynthia Sener – President, Go To Market, at Chatmeter – a leader in reputation management and multi-location intelligence – was quoted by QSR Magazine on how restaurants will continue to innovate in the area of customer experience and service. Read the article here.
Convenience Store News for C-Store POS
Kevin Patel, Vice President of C-Store POS – an all-in-one, cloud-based retail software built to meet the needs of modern convenience store owners – had his insights published by Convenience Store News on how small convenience stores will continue to use data analytics to revolutionize their operations in 2024. Read the article here.
District Administration for NWEA and YouScience
District Administration published a few stories on what trends to expect in 2024, leveraging perspectives from both NWEA – a K-12 assessment and research organization – and YouScience – the leading technology provider dedicated to solving the skills gap crisis for students and employers.
- NWEA’s Lindsay Dworkin (Senior Vice President of Policy and Government Affairs), Ayesha Hashim (Research Scientist), Laura Hansen (Director of Academic Services), Fenesha Hubbard (Lead Professional Learning Designer), Chase Nordgren (Principal Research Lead, Effective Instructional Strategies), and Scott Peters (Senior Research Scientist) were all quoted on topics related to student progress and effective interventions, the investment in data through remaining ESSER funding, and the importance of academic identities of educators. Read the article here.
- YouScience’s Jeri Larsen (Chief Operating Officer) and Hans Meeder (Senior Fellow for Education and Workforce Education) were quoted on the topic of college and career preparation, including career and technical education (CTE). Read the article here.
eSchool News for School Status
Russ Davis, Founder and CEO, SchoolStatus – a leader in K-12 communication and attendance solutions – was included as a thought leader in a 2023 trends round-up from eSchool News, sharing how data on the student, classroom, and school will be critical to supporting academic recovery efforts. Read the article here.
To learn more about how Zer0 to 5ive can help drive visibility and industry leadership for your company drop us a line.