Category: Blog

Within the field of public relations, media relations is one of the key tactical areas needed to achieve success in influencing perceptions. To execute well on media relations, though, it requires a finesse well beyond other rote tasks within the field. Most certainly, like managing many different other relationships in our lives as well, establishing and maintaining strong media relationships is an essential step in ensuring your message is heard by a wider audience. Journalists are inundated with countless story pitches, and standing out requires more than just sending a note with a press release. It’s about creating real, lasting connections that benefit both you and the journalists you work with. Strong media relationships not only help secure coverage but also build trust, credibility, and mutual respect. Here’s how to nurture and maintain those relationships.

Understand and Respect Deadlines

Timing is essential when working with journalists. Being aware of deadlines and sending pitches at the right hours of the day and days of the week, and with the freshest of news shows that you understand how fast paced a journalist’s work can be. News priorities can shift quickly, so keep in mind that deadlines may change as journalists focus on breaking stories or urgent news. Reaching out during especially busy times, like election cycles or just before a print deadline, can cause your pitch to be missed and may convey a lack of awareness of their workflow. When possible, provide background or framing information through links to give journalists more context, and provide visual assets to convey the visual aspect of the story as well. This shows you respect their workload and efficiency. and gives them flexibility to manage changing demands.

Personalize Your Pitches

Journalists receive countless proactive story pitches daily, so a one-size-fits-all approach can end up in the junk folder, or even worse, with a full email account block. Take the time to research the journalist’s beat, read their recent articles, study up on their personal background and interests, and familiarize yourself with their writing style. Reference specific stories they’ve covered that align with your pitch or spokesperson offering and emphasize why the topic is relevant to their readers or their interests. This shows you value the journalist’s expertise and helps you come across as someone who understands their audience and respects their time.

Be a Reliable, Go-To Source

Building strong media relationships comes down to being consistent and reliable. While your first interaction might center around a unique, proactive story idea, the real opportunity to garner ongoing coverage will come through your reactive responsiveness. By providing accurate information, following through on promises, and being communicative if there are delays or changes, you will establish yourself with the reporter as a trustworthy contact. Over time, this honest approach makes you someone they can count on, and journalists will appreciate your clear communication and dependability, and reach out to you with more and more opportunities to be included in their stories in the future.

Engage on Social Media

Social media is a great way to stay connected with journalists without bombarding them with unsuited pitches. Follow them on platforms like X and LinkedIn, like or share their posts, and feel free to reach out if something they’ve shared catches your eye—beyond just what’s relevant to your organization. This helps you stay on their radar and helps you build a genuine, friendly relationship over time.

Make Time for In-Person Meetings

Whenever you can, take the opportunity to meet your journalist contacts face-to-face. Whether it’s grabbing coffee or attending events where you know they will be present, in-person interactions allow you to build a more personal rapport and deepen your relationship. These moments stand out, helping you move beyond just another email in their inbox or a LinkedIn connection, and establishing you as a real person. The result is a stronger, more personal professional bond that will likely help you secure their attention better the next time you have a creative story you want to tell.

Authenticity is Key

To truly succeed in media relations, you’ve got to be all-in. Journalists can tell when you’re just going through the motions or only focused on your own robotica genda. Authenticity matters. When you genuinely care about their work, respect their time, and take an interest in their stories, you’ll create real connections that lead to better, more meaningful editorial coverage for your clients. At the end of the day, strong media relationships are built on mutual respect and shared value—and that’s what makes them last. If a reporter senses that you don’t understand the unbiased mandate of their work, they know that it will not be valuable for them to come back to you again in the future.

Conclusion

Building strong media relationships is essential for securing earned media placements for any organization. By understanding journalists’ needs, respecting their time, and engaging in meaningful ways, you lay a foundation of trust and credibility that benefits the likely success of earning coverage opportunities. However, it’s important to remember that it’s not just about securing coverage—it’s about cultivating long-term, mutually beneficial relationships that go beyond the proactive pitch and turn you into a valuable source for many stories to come for the years ahead in their reporting careers.

We’re Here to Help

Interested in expanding your network of media relationships for your economic development, real estate, or non-profit organization? Reach us at hello@violetpr.com.

Public relations is a core component of the business of economic development. Through proactive media relations and strategic content creation, public relations tactics build awareness and education around a particular market’s economic competitiveness, thus attracting businesses and talent alike. For economic development organizations (EDOs) looking to boost the visibility of their market area on the national and international stage, or even change perceptions about their place as a potential place to live, work, or locate a business expansion project, a robust public relations program is a key to any market’s economic development success.

In their publication Economic Development Marketing & Priorities (Third Edition) economic development consultants Anatalio Ubalde and Alissa Sklar, Ph.D. noted that “marketing” is ranked as the #6 priority of economic development organizations overall. Within this area of marketing, the authors then dive into the prioritization of the various marketing tactics – such as websites, social media, public relations, etc. – and their evolution within the digital age. Their valuable, expansive survey of economic developers active in the industry today also garners personal insights into their perceptions of these tactics and documenting the shifts that have been felt within economic development marketing processes over time. As of the latest survey conducted in 2023, the “public relations” tactic sits as the #5 priority within the marketing arm of economic development offices around the country.

The two spoke in September about their latest findings at the IEDC Annual Conference in Denver, Colorado, and some key highlights from their writing emerged making a strong case for the opportunity public relations offers to the economic development marketing mix.

Identifying Newsworthy Trends

To effectively promote any economic development organization or place as a location for doing business, it’s first important to understand the relevant, timely trends in the global economic development landscape. Workforce development is, without a doubt, one of the most important current focus points, showing up as a high priority for 12% more economic developers than it was when the authors last surveyed the community in 2011. As the labor shortage and skilled labor gap continue to increase, it’s likely that workforce development and workforce attraction will remain a top-level issue for economic developers in the years ahead. The most recent unemployment data in the United States certainly reinforces this fact.

Small business development and local business retention also have seen gains as top priorities for EDO’s, experiencing an upward trend in priority since 2011. EDO’s are expanding their commitment to investing in their local communities in hopes that it will support long-term economic growth. After the global COVID-19 pandemic, the rise in startups and small businesses has clearly indicated that self-employment is a growing market trend and one worthy of economic development attention. At the recent IEDC annual conference, many speakers were focusing on small business and startup resource issues – moving their attention toward helping these small businesses grow and achieve long-term success.

Since local businesses and small businesses have a particular vested interest in the success of their community, EDOs are also increasingly committed to promoting their growth the development. These passionate, risk-taking community members are natural ambassadors for their communities, so leaving them out of the marketing and promotion priority set would be a missed opportunity.

By aligning your proactive public relations plans with these types of timely trends, earned media and bylined stories are much more likely to be read by broader audiences – thus increasing their impact.

Establishing Benchmarks

To identify the impact of public relations on economic development, organizations must develop their own set of key performance indicators, or benchmarks, in order to optimize their overall marketing efforts. The three most popular benchmarks include internet and website traffic, leads generated and audience expansion across email marketing and social channels.

Each of these tactics are correspondingly interconnected, showing that public relations success is directly correlated to an organization’s visibility. By analyzing the data trends for each benchmark, EDO’s can visualize the direct impact of public relations on the support of their organization.

Advising Site Selectors

Site selectors are one of the most important target audiences for EDOs looking to attract new business investment and job growth to their market. Therefore, it’s helpful to understand where site selectors gather their data and information when selecting a location for their businesses’ expansion. EDOs websites are noted in the research as one of the first places site selectors go to gather information on a prospective location, with 81% of site selectors in the United States and 60% of international site selectors indicating this as an important research source.

Further, publications and editorial media are especially important outlets for international site selectors looking to bring investment into the United States, with 49% indicating this as an important source for their information. With foreign direct investment (FDI) on the rise and coveted by EDOs, traditional media relations and public relations are a key tactic to reaching international audiences.

We’re Here to Help

After participating in this session and reading Economic Development & Marketing Priorities (Third Edition), public relations is undoubtedly clear as a key to driving economic development success.

The Violet PR team works tirelessly to leverage timely economic trends, project selection announcements, thought leadership angles, and key messages to secured earned media coverage for organizations working in economic development around the world. If your EDO is looking to bolster its image and drive economic growth, we are here to help. Reach us at hello@violetpr.com.

Scoring a top tier media interview can be a huge win for organizations of any kind that are looking to amplify their key messaging and industries to new audiences. But that victory can turn sour in a hurry if a spokesperson is not properly prepared for the conversation with the press. This holds especially true when working in economic development, where reporters are expecting a wide breadth of knowledge from the spokespeople they are connected with around the world.

In order to deliver their messages most effectively, it is imperative that these spokespeople prepare appropriately. Below are the five best steps they can take to prepare to put their best possible face forward for the economic development organizations they represent.

Define, and Refine, Key Messages

The first step is to develop and refine key messages for the organization that a spokesperson is representing. These should line up with the organization’s core objectives, and be focused on what is most important to talk through at any given time.

Having these points established should not serve as a script for interviews, but they will provide a foundation for spokespeople to fall back on so they know the most important elements to mention during their discussions, and pivot back to when necessary. With messages clearly defined, they can be tiered to make sure that the most important ones are repeated as much as possible, and the lesser ones are put on the back burner as needed.

Above all else, these messages should be updated regularly to add currency and accuracy to them as the market, policy, contextual, and environmental conditions evolve.

Know the Audience and Tailor the Approach

Once messages are established, examining the recent coverage and audience demographic info of an outlet and the reporter with whom the media interview was scheduled. This type of insight will further tee up these spokespeople for success. This analysis should include a strong look at the audience the outlet caters itself to, aiming to understand the level of background knowledge they may already have on the topic that’s going to be discussed.

This will help establish if the spokesperson should have a more technical interview discussion, or if they should be prepared to keep their messages at a very high level, making the information more digestible for lay-audiences. Knowing who will be spoken to will make the interview process that much smoother.

Practice and Refine Through Mock Interviews

Rehearsal is essential for becoming comfortable with key messages and for refining how they’re delivered. Practicing in ways that simulate the actual interview environment will help to make sure messages are conveyed clearly and succinctly. It will increase comfort and familiarity with the typical interview flow, and provide spokespeople a chance to practice helpful techniques to address tough questions. Additionally, spokespeople can have a chance to refine nuances like body language and identify specific ticks they may struggle with, such as adding “ums” or “exactly” in too many places, making sure each aspect is fine tuned so the quality of the resulting quotes or clips included in coverage will be as high as possible.

Prepare for Difficult Questions with Bridging Techniques

There are also specific tactics that spokespeople can have ready to get around difficult questions they don’t want to, or aren’t ready to, answer during media interviews. One of these is called ‘bridging,’ which is when a spokesperson is able to authentically acknowledge the question and then casually pivot back to delivering a more valuable or comfortable key message. Bridging, when mastered, can be applied to almost any question.

This can help avoid awkward silences or struggles to get messages out when the interview goes into places that a spokesperson is not fully prepared for, and also ensures that key messages are plugged in throughout the discussion. Having tools like bridging in a spokesperson’s toolkit will make them more adaptable and flexible overall, even when reporters are unpredictable with their line of questioning.

In economic development interview scenarios, this tactic is especially valuable when questions arise that ask for a politicized option in response. As a-political organizations, typically, economic development spokespeople will want to bridge away from those questions where their personal political preferences might be revealed.

Reflect and Improve Post-Interview

Once interviews take place, the most important piece will be to self-assess, or review with a communications colleague on your team, reflecting on how they went in terms of achieving messaging goals and identifying where adjustments need to happen in order to deliver better in future interview opportunities. Without this step, if there are faults in interview approaches, they will continue.

More repetition of interviews, on their own, will help to increase comfort, but there are likely other issues that will require reflection and intentional adjustment. Humility is essential here, as even the world’s top executives and company leaders need to be willing to accept where they can find places to improve. Perhaps there are specific types of questions that often confuse them, or they find themselves rambling on too much when they get interested in a technical discussion; no matter what it is, having trusted individuals in your corner to provide gentle feedback is key to improvement over time.

Conclusion

For spokespeople of all kinds, but especially those working in economic development, preparing for a media interview in advance will help to make sure that each opportunity can be best taken advantage of to achieve your organization’s goals. If handled correctly and prepared for adequately, each interview can be an opportunity to not only amplify an organization’s critical storylines, but to establish spokespeople as genuine industry leaders that are highly sought after for follow-up discussions with the press and key influencers of all kinds.

Interested in improving your own media interviewing skills? Join us for an upcoming, free Violet PR webinar on November 12, 2024 at 12 pm ET to dive deeper into these concepts. Click here to sign up.

Transitioning from a career in journalism to public relations (PR) has been a rewarding journey that, in many ways, feels like a natural progression. While the two fields have distinct differences, my background in journalism has been valuable in preparing me for the demands of PR. The writing skills I honed, the relationships I built, and the ability to work under pressure have all contributed to a smoother transition than I initially expected.

The Power of Strong Writing

At the core of both journalism and public relations is one key element: storytelling. As a journalist, I learned to craft compelling narratives quickly and concisely. Whether it was breaking news or a long-form feature, the ability to communicate clearly and effectively was crucial. In PR, this skill is equally important, though the focus shifts slightly. Now, my goal is to convey a message in a way that aligns with a client’s objectives, while still being engaging, timely, and appropriate for news coverage.

Journalism taught me to respect the facts, and that has stayed with me since entering the profession of PR. Ensuring accuracy and citing data and evidence, especially when representing a brand or client, is just as critical as it was when reporting for an audience. The difference? In PR, the challenge often lies in shaping a narrative that not only informs but also inspires action or changes perceptions.

Relationships Matter—Everywhere

As a journalist, building trusted relationships was key to success. Whether it was cultivating sources, working with editors, or collaborating with fellow reporters, connections mattered. Those same skills are critical in PR, but the relationships’ nature is slightly different. Now I’m still fostering relationships with other reporters, but in a different way, as well as clients and their spokespeople to ensure the message gets out with the support of respected resources and resonates with audiences.

Having been on the other side of the media equation, I understand the pressures journalists face. This insight helps me tailor my pitches in a way that respects their time and meets their needs, while also delivering value for my clients. It’s about knowing when a story is worth their attention—and how to present the idea in a way that grabs it.

Managing Multiple Priorities

One of the biggest differences between journalism and PR is the client-centric nature of public relations. In journalism, my primary focus was on the audience and the story itself. In PR, the client’s needs and objectives guide the narrative, and that requires balancing multiple interests—media, clients, and audiences—all at once.

Journalism taught me how to juggle tight deadlines, complex topics, and shifting priorities, which prepared me well for the fast-paced, multitasking environment of the public relations field. Whether it’s managing a crisis, launching a new campaign, or drafting a timely press release, that ability to adapt and prioritize has remained essential.

A New Lens on Storytelling

The transition from journalism to public relations offers a fresh perspective on how stories can shape perceptions—whether through a news article or a strategic campaign. While the two fields have their differences, the foundational skills of communication, integrity, and relationship-building remain essential. For anyone making this shift, the experience gained in journalism provides a truly strong, relevant foundation to navigate PR challenges, offering a new and creative way to help businesses and brands share their stories through earned media effectively.

We’re here to help.

The Violet PR team is made up of seasoned storytellers with a diverse set of career paths. If your economic development or real estate organization is looking to increase positive perceptions for your city, state, development, or organization, we are here to help. Reach us at hello@violetpr.com.

With the seasons changing (perhaps one of my favorite times of year in New Jersey), there’s another aspect of this month that I always look forward to – new trends worth tracking, the end of the third quarter pushing us into the final stretch of the year and the release of market reports from nearly every major brokerage.

In general, I’m pretty bullish on New Jersey – after all, there’s a lot to love about the Garden State. But beyond our beautiful beaches, a plethora of diners and restaurants, and a wide variety of arts and entertainment just a short drive away, here are some real estate market bright spots, opportunities and roadblocks that caught my attention:

Office market showing encouraging signs

The office market has struggled to find its footing even several years now post-COVID, but in Q3 – a flurry of large deals is providing a glimmer of hope. According to CBRE’s Northern & Central New Jersey Q3 market report, Class A properties are continuing to outperform the rest – accounting for 91% of all leasing activity. It’s worth noting that these assets are appealing to tenants for a variety of factors including prime locations, amenities, vibrant environments and quality workspaces.

Colliers also noted that prominent headquarters relocations, including Samsung to Englewood Cliffs and Unilever to Hoboken, contributed to a stable third quarter.

The industrial market is still humming

Rising vacancy rates are coming with new construction delivery, but demand remains strong – according to a NAI James E. Hanson’s Q3 Industrial market report. This quarter tends to be the slowest part of the year, but year-over-year leasing activity was up this quarter as a result of several large deals.

One trend worth watching as we look ahead to the start of the new year will be the dockworkers strike, which is suspended until January 15, but could resume and bring major economic impacts to the industrial sector should it become prolonged.

Retailers are getting creative

Retail is another sector that was impacted greatly by the pandemic, but the economy and inflation are also factors that have influenced buyer preferences and spending. Experiential retail has continued to breathe life into brick-and-mortar, but in order to succeed – retailers are finding they need to be persistently creative. That’s exactly what’s happening with pop-up retailer Spirit Halloween stores.

Known as a superstore for Halloween decorations, costumes, props and accessories, Spirit is not getting into the Christmas spirit with the launch of Christmas stores in key markets. A flagship Spirit Christmas store in May’s Landing, New Jersey, will be the first to open on October 18 and will test a new model for this pop-up retailer. Only time will tell if this strategy will prove to be successful, but I’ll be happily watching to see if any of these will make their way up to North Jersey.

Market analysis key to CRE communications

What data are you tracking? And are there any trends in this quarter that you find exciting? Reach out to us at hello@violetpr.com to continue this discussion!

Last month, I had the pleasure of moderating a panel of female economic development leaders at the International Economic Development Council (IEDC)’s annual conference in Denver. The session “Lessons from the Top” featured Danielle Casey, President & CEO, Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance; Maureen Donohue Krass, President & CEO, Detroit Regional Partnership; Ashley Mays, Chief Real Estate and Marketing Officer, Newark Alliance; and Mary Ellen Wiederwohl, President & CEO, Accelerator for America.

Why Sponsor a Women’s Panel?

As a woman working in economic development for nearly 30 years, I’ve personally seen the profession shift from nearly all-male leadership to more of a balance. Yet, like many professions, the highest rungs continue to be hardest for women to climb.

As background, when I started my career in 1995 at the Kansas City Area Development Council (KCADC), women had only recently been “allowed” to wear pants in the office. Most of my female colleagues were secretaries, and the senior team was all male (the CEO referred to them as “a band of brothers”). My first year, my boss told me that I talked too loudly, was aggressive, and needed to learn my place – which, he explained, was at the bottom. However, he seemed pleased that I took charge of our annual meeting planning, set up frequent lunches with reporters, and volunteered to write and edit nearly everything that went out the door.

It was a confusing and challenging environment for an ambitious woman like me to navigate, and I sensed I was at a career disadvantage compared to my male counterparts. To overcome this, I worked more hours than my peers and earned a master’s degree after hours. I dressed “above my pay grade” in secondhand suits that my mom purchased for me from a stylish friend.

Eventually, I was promoted – and over time, taken more seriously. And KCADC has evolved significantly too – with powerful female executives in charge of investor relations, marketing communications, business development and more.

Challenges for Women Continue

Our panel of high-level female economic development leaders shared similar challenges, and generously offered advice for women seeking to grow their careers. The discussion was supported by statistics showing that though women have come a long way, we aren’t equal to men just yet.

According to an IEDC 2023 survey, the average male in economic development makes $113,000 annually, and the average woman makes $93,000 – meaning women make roughly 83 cents for every dollar a man makes in this field.

Another challenge women face is the “self-promotion gap.” This was characterized by a 2019 research study that found 69% of women would rather minimize their successes than tell people about them. In fact, nearly half of women would rather run errands in the rain or clean the bathroom than promote themselves at work. Women are socialized from an early age to be collaborative, so we need to be intentional about sharing our successes.

How Can Women Succeed Today?

The panelists were open about addressing ways to close the salary gap and become leaders in this field. Here are several important takeaways:

Embrace Your Leadership Style
Women often spend more time listening than speaking in meetings and tend to have a more collaborative leadership style – which has huge benefits. Panelists encouraged women to identify and lean into their individual strengths – whether it be in the areas of emotional intelligence, research and technology skills, or consensus building.

Create a List of Your Awards and Accomplishments
Yes, women have been socialized NOT to talk about themselves, but it’s critical that we create a list of our accomplishments and share it on LinkedIn, as well as on our professional bios and resumes. Know your numbers. For example, how many companies and jobs have you helped to create in your community? How many leads have you brought into your EDO? What awards or designations have you helped your region win? How much funding have you helped raise?

Cultivate Male Mentors
Panelists shared examples highlighting times when they weren’t taken as seriously as their male counterparts. Compounding the issue is the fact that economic development organizations continue to have male-dominated boards and site selection teams. To become more comfortable leading and partnering with men at all levels, panelists encouraged women to build a wide professional network and cultivate male mentors in addition to female advisors. These mentors can provide great insight into their own contract terms and negotiating styles and can help women land better deals for themselves.

Negotiate a Salary That Reflects Your Value
The panelists all experienced times when they’d been offered lower salaries than market rate. To address this, they emphasized the importance of doing extensive research when seeking job opportunities. Forge strong peer and recruiter relationships so you know what your role pays nationally and what perks can be negotiated. Do not accept the first offer you are given without first doing your homework.

While our profession has made positive strides since the mid-1990’s, many women still face a “glass ceiling” as they work their way to the top. I’m proud of the speakers’ candor and willingness to share their experiences and advice with the 100+ women who attended this valuable session!

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the public relations (PR) industry, with tools such as ChatGPT, Brandwatch, Character.ai, and QuillBot boosting efficiency, providing data-driven insights, and enhancing media monitoring practices. AI’s capabilities can significantly streamline processes and offer valuable analysis for PR professionals, but the real magic happens when AI and human expertise combine. Successful integration happens when PR professionals blend technology’s strengths with the irreplaceable human elements of creativity and empathy. This human element ensures that PR efforts resonate personally and authentically, whereas AI can make messaging more targeted and impactful and efficient. It’s this human touch that ensures PR efforts resonate personally with the human decision-maker on the receiving end of message’s delivery.

How Can PR Pros Best Utilize AI?

EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY

AI is transforming PR by automating time-consuming tasks like trend spotting and data analysis. AI tools can identify key trends in large datasets more efficiently than humans. This increased efficiency allows PR professionals to concentrate more on creative and strategic content creation. With AI handling analytical tasks, PR professionals have more bandwidth to develop innovative, eye-catching content that creates the most visible opportunities for the organizations they represent.

DATA-DRIVEN INSIGHTS

AI’s ability to analyze extensive data and reveal unique insights is a major advantage in public relations. Tools can quickly assess information ranging from social media interactions, to news coverage, to public sentiment, which enables PR professionals to predict audience reactions to messages or campaigns with greater accuracy. Although it’s important to ensure the accuracy of AI-generated data, taking advantage of its insights helps develop unique angles more quickly in the pursuit of achieving more impactful client results. For example, AI aids in audience segmentation by analyzing behavior and interests, facilitating more personalized and impactful communication. By automating these tasks, AI allows PR professionals to focus on creating tailored content, media pitches, or messaging strategies that align with unique audience interests.

MEDIA MONITORING

In today’s fast-paced digital environment, media monitoring is key to understanding a campaign’s impact, and pivoting to improve results. AI powered media monitoring provides real-time alert tracking and analyzes brand mentions and conversations across various platforms. This capability encourages proactivity, ensuring that secured press coverage or positive media mentions can be used in a timely and relevant way. This rapid monitoring and analysis also allows for PR pros to reach out quickly and secure corrections, when needed, to limit the impact of the distribution of inaccurate information.

Undoubtedly, leveraging AI for media monitoring helps safeguard client interests, enhance strategies, and reinforce credibility within the industry.

The Value of the Human Touch

MAINTAINING HUMAN OVERSIGHT

Although AI has advanced capabilities, human oversight remains essential in the public relations field. AI is effective for writing initial drafts, refining pitches, or enhancing press releases. However, AI lacks the creativity, empathy and nuanced understanding of human emotions that has long made PR professionals so irreplicable. By using AI to gather data, analyze trends, and generate insights, PR teams can craft more informed strategies, but in order to develop authentic and impactful messaging, it’s important that PR professionals refine AI generated content.

INVEST IN TRAINING AND ETHICAL USE

To fully leverage AI in PR, investing in training is essential. Effectively integrating AI into workflows is only possible with well-researched understanding about how AI works and how the PR pro should interpret its outputs. Training should also cover the ethical use of AI, ensuring responsible data handling and transparency in decision-making. It’s important to recognize potential challenges, such as over-reliance on technology or inaccuracies in AI outputs. Fact-checking remains crucial, as AI-generated content may not always be accurate. Additionally, AI-written content is not always allowable in editorial media environments, so contributed articles need to never be written with the help of AI tools.

With proper training it is easy to manage the likelihood of negative outcomes, enhancing both the efficiency and accuracy of PR efforts.

UNDERSTANDING AI’S LIMITATIONS

Understanding AI’s limitations is key to its successful implementation. While AI can aid in ideation and streamline various tasks, it cannot replace the nuanced judgment and creative insights of human professionals. AI-generated content and data need careful interpretation and validation to avoid errors. AI-written pieces can often come out as very generic or even “fluffy,” a leading to very negative perceptions of any brands generating written material this way. Addressing these limitations early ensures that AI serves as a supportive tool rather than the replacement of a savvy PR mind.

Additionally, privacy is crucial when using AI tools. PR pros need to avoid sharing sensitive information in AI platforms to protect the privacy of the organizations they represent. Using temporary “chats” within ChatGPT for confidential data can help maintain the integrity of the sensitive information.

Like in any industry today, AI has significant potential for the public relations field – some of which is still untapped. By utilizing AI thoughtfully and maintaining human oversight and integrating a human touch, PR professionals can enhance the effectiveness and reach of their work in the years ahead, and even achieve more impactful results.

We’re here to help.

The Violet PR team works hard to stay on the cutting edge of technology, integrating it into our work to drive more effective PR campaigns for our clients each year. If your economic development or real estate organization is looking to increase positive perceptions for your city, state, or organization, we are here to help. Reach us at hello@violetpr.com.

When it comes to PR – there’s no better feeling than securing top-tier coverage. The thrill of seeing an on-message headline with an organization’s name, engaging imagery and a strong quote that drives the message home to an audience of millions is truly priceless. Your monthly report is packed with results, social shares are endless and celebratory emails are circulated – I can attest, it’s a great feeling.

But I can do one even better: an award-winning media campaign.

Since our founding in 2010, Violet PR has been the recipient of over 40 national and regional awards for PR and social media excellence. In June, our team secured the prestigious PRSA Bronze Anvil for our work with the Greater Topeka Partnership to boost the region’s reputation as a growing hub for Hispanic immigrants; an initiative that was ultimately highlighted in nearly 70 media outlets. This past winter, our agency secured a staggering count of nine PRSA-NJ PR awards, including the coveted ‘Best in Show’ for the second consecutive year.

Here’s what it takes to make these award wins happen:

Data

What makes Pittsburgh the Silicon Valley of the East or Buffalo a ‘climate change safe haven’? It may be easy for your team to paint these narratives, but they won’t materialize into coverage unless there is data to back up the claim. Before any media outreach is conducted, it is important to take a deep dive into the numbers. In Pittsburgh’s case, that means analyzing the tech sector’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, recent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) figures and the size of the regional tech workforce, comparing each of data points to national statistics, looking to uncover sizable differences. As for Buffalo, population growth was the main resource – as there was data to show that the population grew in 2020 for the first time since 1950. Why? There were a number of trends pointing to climate change as a main factor. For example, after Hurricane Maria, 3,000 people from Puerto Rico decided to make Buffalo their home.

Human Interest Stories

Yes, data is cool … but it gets boring. Bulking up angles with humanized, relatable stories, brings this data to life. This can include holding interviews with a CEO of a tech startup, students enrolled in a manufacturing trade program, or a climate migrant. Having people willing to share their very personal example to support the above data-based claim is a critical piece required to secure almost any top-tier story.

Spokespeople

Once your key messages are finalized and ready to be delivered, the next step is securing media interviews. It’s essential to pinpoint key spokespeople who can speak to each element of your messaging. It’s effective to offer up government leaders (governor, state commissioner or city mayor), or a high-level executive at economic development organizations to speak to the broader economic benefit of the particular topic. Secondary to that, leverage those who are open to sharing their personal stories, like those listed above.

Imagery

It’s true when they say a picture is worth 1,000 words, and that’s especially true for a reporter working with a tight word count. It’s very effective to rely on the power of images to convey what words sometimes can’t. Always be sure to compile a folder of options which might include spokespeople headshots, before and after images of a development areas, compelling architecture, and lifestyle elements like a community festival. And keep in mind, all visuals have to come with full rights for use with the press before sharing.

But what happens when a client might not have access to compelling visuals? It’s essential to host on-site shoots or create graphic content when photography isn’t available.

Persistence

After locking in key messaging, the development of the story doesn’t stop after pressing send on the first wave of media outreach. It’s important to constantly look for new ways to position the story, using “newsjacking” tactics or providing updated research findings to hook reporter interest. Tapping into fresh national data, new federal policies relating to the topic, and noteworthy conferences are helpful tactics to engage the media. In the case of Buffalo’s climate migration campaign, over the course of two years, our strategy materialized through the distribution of over 10 tailored media pitches, each uniquely addressing the narrative with diverse angles and timely updates. This resulted in more than 20 interviews between media contacts and spokespeople, making it a strong contender for an award-winning campaign – something we have our sights set on for the 2024-25 award season.

We’re here to help.

The Violet PR team has a wealth of experience in navigating the international media landscape and telling stories that lead to award-winning campaigns. If your economic development organization is looking to increase positive media coverage for your city or state, we are here to help. Reach us at hello@violetpr.com.

Violet PR President April Mason and Senior Account Director Nicole Marshall recently led a webinar focused on foreign direct investment (FDI), with tips for how economic development organizations looking to secure more FDI deals can earn media coverage to create more awareness for businesses selecting an international location. In case you missed it, here is quick recap of the material covered in the session, or you can watch the full recording in the video above.

Understanding the Relevant Media Landscape

When it comes to FDI, there are two broad media groups that are relevant when pitching your story. First, are U.S. based national media outlets that have international reach. While these outlets are headquartered in the United States, many have reporters located in bureaus abroad, and cover international news stories. Some examples of these publications include Bloomberg, CNN, The Associated Press, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.

Second, are internationally based media outlets with “stringers” based in the United States. These stringers cover stories that tie into the international media landscape. They are always looking for stories that feature their own country’s ties to international markets, so country-aligned FDI deals are a perfect candidate! They are also often easily accessed with the help of the Foreign Press Centers, located in several major U.S. urban markets under the operation of the Department of State. Some popular international outlets that the Violet PR team frequently works with include Le Monde, Handelsblatt, Financial Times, The Telegraph, Die Welt and Nikkei.

The Key Elements of a Newsworthy FDI Story

As is applicable to most proactive earned media stories, there are a few key elements that create a newsworthy FDI story. First, there must be an international hook. While this may seem self-explanatory, its key to ensure that your story has ties that extend beyond the United States, and includes global markets.

Second, its key that your story it timely. It’s important that organizations capitalize on opportunities as soon as possible. For example, our client the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC) had less than 24 hours to take action when they heard Toyota planned to invest $8 billion into an EV battery plant in their state. The Violet PR team issued a press release and conducted proactive media outreach on behalf of the EDPNC in a tight turn-around time with the Toyota press release, and was able to secure a ton of organic media interest!

Third, in order for your FDI announcement to extend beyond local to national level news, it is important that your story features some sort of “first, biggest, best” or uniqueness element. This means your story has to contain some type of “wow” factor, whether it be the first, biggest or best of its kind, or tapping into a new industry, etc. There are FDI deals happening around the country day in and day out, and national reporters can’t write about all of them, so you need one of these elements to make it stand out.

Recently, our client the Oklahoma Department of Commerce announced that the Norwegian solar manufacturer NorSun plans to build a multimillion-dollar factory in Tulsa. Given the large scale of this announcement, and its unique “first Norwegian company to land in Oklahoma” element, it garnered a ton of press attention.

Finally, a newsworthy FDI story that achieves economic development messaging goals should contain some level of deeper insight. This means that as an economic development organization, digging beyond the obvious transactional news and being able to offer more perspective is key to the success of the story.

Understand the Value of Relationships

Relationship building is a powerful tool for securing top-tier and quality stories with national and international reporters. In the digital age, it’s tempting to set up an interview via Zoom or another web platform because of the mere convenience. However, offering to host a reporter for an in-person interview can go a long way. Not only does it allow for more face time between the organization and the reporter, but it also helps to build a long-term relationship for the individual reporter with your market. By establishing an increased level of personal connections, reporters are more likely to run stories well into the future tied to your location.

Leveraging Your Press Coverage Once You Land It

Once your organization secures press coverage, it’s helpful to repurpose that coverage to achieve your economic development goals. This can take the form of a turning the article into a social media post, a blog, an email blast, or just general website content. It can also be valuable to follow up on business development leads with this relevant positive press coverage, using them to build on ongoing connections with international companies.

We Are FDI Storytelling Experts

The Violet PR team has a wealth of experience in navigating the international media landscape and telling stories, big and small, around foreign direct investment. If your economic development organization is looking to increase your FDI deals with the help of positive media coverage for your city or state, we are here to help. Reach us at hello@violetpr.com.

We hope to catch you at our next webinar soon!

Since their inception in 1896, the Olympics have always represented something much larger than sports. The Games undeniably serve as a unique platform for countries to position themselves as a ‘land of opportunity’ on the international stage. Traditionally, the Olympics are renowned for bringing people and countries together to tell their stories through the power of competition, and through the personal stories around the lives of their athletes.

In addition to the national messaging that infiltrates the Games, the opportunity to host the Games is perhaps one of the most expensive but highest profile earned media messaging opportunities a city could ever have, and we’re most definitely here for it

A Storytelling Opportunity that’s Bigger than ‘the Games’ Themselves

For a city who successfully bids to host the Olympics, their first audience is targeted through the bidding process. At that point, they have the opportunity to make a case for themselves, and their messaging for their community is strongly developed around the logistics and the costs at this point.

But between the time a city wins the Games, and the time they actually host them, a lot can transpire, and then their most challenging audience becomes the target – the general public. From major political dramas to infrastructural issues to environmental disasters, the stakes get higher and the pressure builds as the reputation of the host city gets closer to opening day.

For the city and the host committee’s communication leaders, maintaining a positive public relations opportunity out of the global event can be an impressive feat, no matter the challenges that arise.

The Key Messages Paris Seems to Be Successfully Landing

This year, Paris’ PR team has worked hard to highlight their approach to hosting the Games as the greenest and most affordable Games ever.

In an era rife with inflation, the affordability factor is actually QUITE impressive. By reutilizing facilities originally built 100 years ago for their hosting of the 1924 Olympic Games, the Paris Olympics Committee made great strides to reduce the environmental impact typically arising as a result of new construction. By building an Olympic Village that will become utilized as affordable housing in the future, they are also showcasing affordability by creating a venue that will fulfill a demand that extends much longer than the life of the two-week Games.

On the environmental front, their focus on reusing existing buildings and expanding their public transportation offerings will make a long-term sustainability impact for generations to come. Considerable investment has been made in extending two subway lines — including one that will now connect the Paris-Orly Airport to the city center. The other rail expansion brings online a commuter train route that will help move visitors from site to site for the Games, and then residents across town with ease. 250 miles of bike lanes were also added to expand access to Olympic venues.

Overall, these initiatives, told with strong messaging and specificity in the Paris games, are doing a great job of helping the total Olympic brand rebuild its reputation as one less rife with negative host city impact like was seen in Beijing in 2008 and in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

The Priority Messages Paris Might Not be Successfully Landing

On the hot topic of urban homelessness, an issue that has grown in public discourse greatly in recent years, Paris has not necessarily handled the issue seamlessly. While the community has been working hard to eradicate homelessness through efforts to provide supportive housing and resources, their timing in its proximity to the Games has created an appearance of only doing the work for purposes of the “photo opps.” In the future, host cities should proactively work on sustainable solutions to these types of social issues well in advance of hosting or even bidding on the Games, learning from some of the negative press Paris has received on this issue.

Additionally, the city took a high-profile stance on cleaning up the Seine, with plans to utilize the river to host the Games’ swim marathon event. Thanks to an unfortunate recent heavy rain event, though, the cleanup project may not be completed in time for the event, and their large publicity focus on the project is now backfiring. In spite of the environmental surprise, the host city seems to be managing the highly-publicized issue well, even having their own Mayor swim in the river in a televised publicity stunt.

Smooth Sailing, and Storytelling, into the Opening Ceremony

In all, even in spite of the global technology outage that disrupted airlines and banks around the world last week also impacting the 2024 Paris Olympics, the 2024 Olympic Games seem to be on track for a high caliber execution as the Opening Ceremony stage is set. With strategic focus on economic and environmental efficiency, the City of Light has overall positively utilized the spotlight of the Games to effectively draw attention to the market.

In my opinion, amidst the backdrop of political unrest, a major global election year, economic volatility, and much more, team Paris deserves an A+ on the public relations front.