What We're Saying

5 tips on dealing with the media from a journalist turned PR pro

Wednesday, 28th Jan - 9AM

By Adam Kress

After 15 years in media, I made the jump to public relations with Ubiquity Public Relations about six months ago. It’s been a fascinating ride, and more than a little educational to see things from the other side of the media equation.

I’ve also been in PR long enough now to start picking up on how some clients can fall short when it comes to media relations. My background touches print, online, TV and radio, so I have a pretty good idea of what today’s media is looking for in terms of stories. These tips below will give you better insight into how the media operates, and how your company can get more coverage as a result.

1. You and your story are only a small part of a reporter’s day

It’s easy for clients working with a PR firm to lose sight of the bigger picture when it comes to where their company ranks on a reporter’s priority list. After all, while a marketing director is full engulfed every day in how to grow his company, a business reporter might be looking at a handful of companies each day, and dozens per month.

The thing to remember here is that while your job revolves solely around your company, a reporter’s job revolves around something different every day. Reporters often say the variety they experience from day to day is their favorite part of their job. With that in mind, understand that your company will always be much more important to you than it is to a reporter. How do you overcome that? Give the reporter a story so compelling they have to pay attention.

2. Obsessing over your press release is a waste of time

Revisions, revisions and more revisions. They may seem critically important as you and your PR firm are crafting a press release, but I promise you the reporter isn’t going to be paying any attention to whether your company is “market-leading” or “an industry leader.”

The reporter is interested only in the news value of what you are distributing. If it’s relevant to their coverage area and significant within an industry, the odds are good you’ll get some attention. Clients are apt to waste a ton of time in the process of making sure a press release matches every single piece of their marketing message. In reality, they should be focused on making their announcement truly newsworthy.

3. Speed and efficiency are the keys to happiness

Let’s say your release is out and a reporter is interested in your story. I’ll give you a little insight into reporter deadlines these days. The deadline is now. As soon as their story is done, it gets edited and is posted...

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7 Business Books I’m Reading This Year

Wednesday, 14th Jan - 12PM

If you think business books are boring, you're - well, you're partially right. Quite a few are just a rehash of online listicles, peppered with buzzwords. But others provide actionable guidance from real insiders. Unfortunately the first group seems to scare many people off from reading business books at all - if they’re not already using the time-honored excuse of being “too busy.” And that’s too bad, because there are some great new(ish) books out right now.

Here’s what’s on my Amazon wish list for this year. All of the below were written or recommended by people I admire. Some relate to public relations, others to startups, others to general business strategy and some to creativity.

The Freaks Shall Inherit the Earth: Entrepreneurship for Weirdos, Misfits, and World Dominators by Chris Brogan

Great title, amazing cover. Purportedly for “the kind of person who wouldn’t normally pick up a business book,” Freaks talks about turning passions into businesses, mastering the digital landscape and succeeding in business without compromising your weirdness.

Creativity Inc. by Ed Catmull

Catmull is a co-founder of Pixar Animation Studios, so it’s not surprising that he wrote a book on creativity in business. It covers topics like smarter management, building a creative culture, and protecting and nurturing the creative process. Forbes said it “just might be the best business book ever written.”

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The top 3 skills PR pros of the future need

Thursday, 11th Dec - 9AM

By Jennifer Jewett

There are many important skills that PR pros need to be effective communicators. While the changing media landscape and increasingly digital world place more emphasis on knowing technology, I believe that the most important skills PR pros need focus around the basics. Here are the Top 3 skills PR pros of the future need.

1. The willingness to read – While it’s a skill that’s developed in kindergarten, reading is the single most important thing a PR pro can do. It's key to appreciate the importance of reading and make sure you set aside time daily to read. The only way you’ll truly understand a client’s industry and stay up to date on what’s happening within that industry — with data points to back it up — is by reading. Plus, the only way to ensure you’re pitching the right journalist with the right story is to read what they (and their outlet) have written. It doesn’t stop there. Reading up on what’s happening within PR and marketing, and the world around you, makes you more prepared to make intelligent recommendations for clients.

2. Persistence – In PR, persistence is key. Issuing a press release does not mean scores of reporters will be lighting up your inbox. A successful PR campaign is built in several stages, and each one should be undertaken with clarity and precision. Solid PR pros know you have to learn to walk the line of making sure your clients stay top of mind with a reporter or analyst, without being overly pushy. It's also important to remember that we have the power to play a big role in creating brand awareness. Look for a relevant opportunity to present an idea or send a pitch and clearly communicate the "why" – why you are sending it, why it’s important, why the recipient should care. Know your audience and know when to quickly respond to a new trend, relevant article or tweet.

3. The ability to discern news from fluff – Companies want to make a name for themselves and oftentimes think that a press release will lead to increased awareness. As I said above, a press release does not equate to news, meaning what a company considers to be news may not be newsworthy to a reporter. PR pros need to examine opportunities for news announcements (and pitch topics in general) with a critical eye and be able to make recommendations to a client about the newsworthiness of a particular topic, providing ideas on how to handle it if a press release is not the most advantageous avenue to awareness.

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4 ways to make the most out of speaking opportunities

Monday, 10th Nov - 9AM

By Adam Kress

Speaking opportunities are an important part of building credibility and awareness for new B2B technology companies. There’s nothing more powerful than captivating an audience, but how do you make the most of these speaking gigs when you have the opportunity?

We’ll get to the specifics in a minute, but first let’s take a closer look at why speaking engagements are so important. Put simply, they are getting harder to come by. Competition is increasing for fewer and fewer top-tier speaking engagements as the number of large, physical events continues to shrink.

However, just as we see in the fragmented media environment, new speaking opportunities have emerged at the local and regional level. Hyper-focused virtual events also offer new opportunities to reach targeted audiences.

This is good news for B2B technology startups. First, with more emphasis on targeted publications and events, there’s more opportunity to engage in your niche. Second, you can create your own content channels by investing in brand journalism and hosting your own events.

From the perspective of a PR firm, earned media coverage will always be a top goal, but securing speaking engagements for clients is an important awareness avenue as well. PR pros need to be tied into the industries their clients live in and deliver relevant speaking opportunities to them. It’s something we specialize in here at UPR.

So, when you secure that speaking gig, here are a few tips for maximizing return on your investment.

• Set up a meeting with attending media in advance. Always ask for the media list when you agree to speak. You won't always get it, but if you do it's gold.

• Invite your local sales prospects to the presentation. What better way to share your value prop with prospects than in front of a captive audience?!

• Repurpose your content. Post your slides to Slideshare and your video to Youtube Facebook and LinkedIn Then post takeaways to your company blog.

• Have a call to action to ensure you're capturing leads. It can be as simple as a prize given to people dropping cards in a fishbowl or a bit.ly to download a free whitepaper version of the talk.

Keep in mind through all of this that startups seeking to optimize a speaking program should have realistic expectations. You may not be keynoting Dreamforce or Interop, but you can own your market. Get involved with local trade...

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7 Ways to Help Your PR Team Win Results

Friday, 24th Oct - 11AM

When you begin working with a PR team, you might assume you can step back and let the team work their magic – that they’ll handle everything while the results roll in. But PR really doesn’t work like that. It’s not as simple as signing with an agency and voila, you’re mentioned in your top-tier magazine of choice. Rather it’s a collaborative partnership where your team’s results depend on the information you provide.

To help your public relations team get you the right attention in the right places, make a habit of the following 7 practices.

Define success ahead of time. Instead of hoping for vague results such as “more exposure,” map out the milestones you want your PR service to achieve. Maybe it’s a certain number of site visits or a byline in a prestigious publication. Maybe you want to win a specific tech industry award or speak at a conference for startups. Discuss these with your team up front and agree on what’s realistic.

Share your goals. These are different from the results the agency will win – these are the goals on your wish list, from your brand direction to where you see your career in five years. Your PR team can’t create a strategic roadmap until they know where you want to go.

Assess your staff. Who’s the right author for thought leadership articles? Whose visibility do you want to elevate? Which emerging leader will be an effective speaker at conferences? Identifying these people will ensure your team pursues the right opportunities for the right people.

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5 Reasons B2B Tech Start-Ups Should Invest Time in Analyst Relations

Wednesday, 15th Oct - 11AM

By: Sarah Broome

Analyst relations is an important yet often overlooked part of public relations for B2B tech startups.

Most companies have the impression that analyst relations costs thousands of dollars and takes oodles of time. Well, this can be absolutely true – paid analyst relations programs can be costly and often require a full-time manager of analyst relations in order to reap the full benefits.

However, as our client FireHost discovered (download case study), there is value to starting early, and analyst firms accept regular briefings about topics relevant to their research. That gives a company just embarking on analyst relations a solid place to begin.

What exactly is analyst relations?

In the traditional sense, analyst firms (the most well-known in B2B tech being Gartner, IDC, and Forrester) collect research on various industries and release reports on trends impacting those industries. They also provide relevant information and comparisons of available solutions in the market. Large companies will pay analyst firms in order to have access to their research and also to consult with the analyst about industry trends, along with their own company and products. They may also seek advice on what business products to purchase.

Why, as a startup, should you build an analyst relations program?

Establishing credibility is key in the early stages of a PR program, and analysts can play an important role in that process. Here’s why:

1) Analysts create general awareness about your company. You most likely will not be included in an industry report following your first briefing with an analyst, In fact, it can take years before you are included. However, analysts are important influencers in any industry. They spend their time researching and talking to people every day. Therefore, being on their radar is important. In addition, if you impress them, who knows who they might mention you too.

2) Analysts can be utilized as a media source. Often times reporters are looking for an unbiased person to call in order to learn about your company, and analysts are exactly who they are looking for. While many of the big firms no longer provide custom quotes for press releases, almost all analysts will pick up the phone and talk to a reporter. The key to knowing you have a good analyst reference is to keep the analyst updated on the company through briefings and email communication. It’s also important to identify opportunities for your client or...

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The 3 biggest PR changes of the past 10 years, and how we’re adjusting

Wednesday, 1st Oct - 2PM

By Jennifer Jewett

Public relations is constantly evolving, but the past 10 years have been particularly wild as the entire media landscape shifts from print to digital, and increasingly to mobile.

I’ve seen PR agencies and businesses become more agile in their approach to public relations and marketing, and embrace that we are a social society and news is shared in real-time. But what are the biggest changes in PR over the past decade? Let’s dive in.

1: The media has changed dramatically, so we have too

Traditional newspapers are on the decline and media outlets are opening up their coverage to include more contributors and third-party content, making news curation an important element of their coverage. From our vantage point here at UPR, we’re continuing to focus on media relations, but putting an added focus on content development for our clients. We have a complete content team that includes a content director from Motorola and the former digital editor of the Phoenix Business Journal.

2: The digital shift opens up a world of opportunities

Digital has revolutionized the media business, and its impact is all around us. For companies, there are tons of new ways to create and grow a brand presence. Campaigns have more elements, visual images must be included to complement content and timeliness is key. Once information becomes “live” it is consumed quickly across multiple devices – laptop, tablet or phone. UPR works with a variety of digital and adtech clients and is immersed daily in the idea that campaigns must be multi-dimensional.

3: Everything is measured now, even PR itself

Changes in the media have created more opportunity for awareness, and there’s for more to measure than just circulation or ad value. Businesses and brands are looking at the total reach and impact gained from PR, the impact of social, the total ROI of campaigns, what’s working and engaging, what’s not and how this all contributes to the bottom line. At UPR we take a very deliberate approach to PR program management. We use a proprietary software platform to measure the success of campaigns and set very specific goals based on previous campaign success. This gives us a clearer view than ever before into how campaigns are performing.

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Want to land a job in PR? Remember these 5 things

Thursday, 25th Sep - 2PM
By Aly Saxe

I was invited by the Phoenix Chapter of the PRSA to sit on a panel earlier this week designed to help young PR pros. The topic was one that I love: tips and tricks for landing your first, or next, PR job.

It was fun to hear some of the stories of woe about job applications gone horribly wrong. But it was rewarding to help out these young professionals as they launch their careers. There were words of wisdom from everyone on the panel, and here are the key takeaways:
1. Your cover letter, or intro email, is your pitch. Follow the same rules you’d follow in sending a pitch to a reporter. Keep it concise, tailor it to the person you’re sending it to, have someone proofread it for grammar and spelling, and be sure to include links to where the recipient can find out more about you.
2. Research the organization you’re interviewing with so you can talk to how your skills and experience can benefit them specifically. This can also help you come to the interview prepared with your own questions and contribute to a more meaningful conversation.
3. Be mindful of your social media presence. You can bet future employers are going to check out all of your public-facing social media pages to see what you’re all about. So think hard about what you’d want them to learn about you by visiting.
4. Follow up ASAP after an interview. Urgency and follow up are key skills in a successful PR pro. Show employers that you understand this by sending a thank you email and/or hand written note within 24 hours. And don’t be afraid to also follow up a week or two after your interview.
5. If there is an organization you really want to work for, but they aren’t hiring, consider asking them for an “informational interview,” where by you can express to them your interest and also learn what the organization looks for in a PR candidate.
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Three reasons we just keep growing and growing

Wednesday, 3rd Sep - 11AM
It’s been an exciting year at Ubiquity PR. We’ve signed some great new clients, moved into a larger space in the Biltmore area, and nearly tripled the size of our team.

Today, we’re excited to introduce the newest member of our team. After a long tenure as reporter and then digital editor at the Phoenix Business Journal, Adam Kress is joining Ubiquity PR as our director of media strategy. His main role will be helping us to identify and craft stories that really resonate with journalists and other influencers. We’ll probably enlist him as a writer from time to time as well.

So, what’s with all the growth? There are three major factors driving it.
- Content demand. Technology PR is increasingly driven by content – from contributed articles to blog posts, whitepapers and infographics. As a result, demand for our content services is increasing rapidly. Motorola and Apollo Group alum Valerie Fenyn leads our team of talented writers to meet that need.
- Expanded reach. Ubiquity PR has long focused on the Southwest with most of our clients based in Arizona and Texas. This year, we’ve expanded our reach into several new markets – from New York City to Toronto and all the way to Poland! Today, over half our business comes from outside Arizona.
- Client success. Of course, we haven’t done this all on our own. Many of our clients are growing rapidly as well and challenging us to keep pace. For example, two of our clients – Infusionsoft and FireHost – have combined to raise $91 million in the last 20 months. That kind of growth creates a lot of PR work!
These are exciting days at Ubiquity PR. And we’re not done yet. If you know talented PR or content professionals with a love for B2B technology and startups, we’d love to meet them.

In the meantime, we want to thank everyone in the Arizona tech and PR scene for your support. Here’s to making 2014 our best year yet!
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Media Relations is Kind of Like Online Dating: Getting a Date for Your B2B Tech Startup

Monday, 18th Aug - 10AM

By: Sarah Broome

As public relations professionals who work with funded, high-growth B2B tech start-ups, our relationships with media are extremely important and the bread and butter of our business. It’s not always an easy relationship, either – the plight of the public relations/journalist relationship is often filled with bumps in the road.

Journalists often complain about the onslaught of emails they receive on a daily basis, many of which they ignore or instantly delete. On the other side, public relations professionals spend all day sending emails, most of which are never answered. Both sides are frustrating, and this delicate relationship is something that most people don’t fully comprehend.

When I was looking for a metaphor to explain this relationship, I started thinking about how pitching is very similar to online dating. Let me preface this by saying that I am absolutely making sweeping assumptions and going off of stereotypes.

She’s Just Not That Into You

One of the top complaints by women about online dating is that way too many people are contacting them and none of those people are what they are looking for. The right guys are buried by everyone else. Some of the messages might be from great guys with well-written messages; they just are not interested in them for whatever reason. On the other hand, many of the messages are probably spam message and/or sloppily written. Some messages are so bad it that might make the average person question why they are putting themselves out there on online dating at all.

Journalists are kind of like your typical woman on an online dating website. They receive hundreds if not thousands of messages a week – and must constantly search for the perfect fit for a story. They are influenced by editors, breaking news, and schedules and often even if a pitch is interesting, it might just not be the right time. Reporters can’t possibly have the time to respond to every message, and that doesn’t mean that they have ill intentions. And it just gets worse as you become a better-known reporter with a good publication. The more valuable you are, the most people want to try to get your attention. But if you’re a top correspondent at a publication like VentureBeat or TechCrunch, it becomes more and more difficult to wade through the pitches and find the next great B2B tech start-up story.

You Have to Kiss a Lot of Frogs…

On the other hand, one of the top complaints by men about online dating is that it is extremely difficult to get anyone to respond to your messages. Say...

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