A sound speaking strategy can have a dramatic effect on the growth of your organization, and the impact of your publicity campaigns, while also positioning your company's experts as thought-leaders and innovators.

Here is a step-by-step guide we often use to help clients looking to build speaking strategies that deliver results.

Step 1: Identify Topics

Speaking topics establish the foundation for a sound speaking strategy.  These topics, which will evolve over time, support the identification and pursuit of venues and opportunities. 

Step 2: Select Audiences

Define, segment and prioritize target audiences. 

Step 3: Define Objectives

Establish quantifiable objectives to provide direction to the program and define success. These may include: number of appearances, leads generated, media coverage and attendees.

Step 4: Research & Evaluate Opportunities

• Identify venues for potential speaking engagements, including: colleges, trade shows, conferences, seminars/workshops, career fairs and professional-organization events.
• Establish a valuation system to rate each opportunity based on defined criteria (e.g. event organizer, audience, topic, date, location, objectives, etc.)
• Create an event calendar of opportunities at targeted venues.
• Contact venues to inquire about submission guidelines.
• Pre-qualify high-value engagements through media coverage, past speaker status and feedback, attendance history and projections, and first-hand experience with venues.
• Monitor and assess trends to identify timely opportunities with targeted venues.

Step 5: Positioning & Placement

• Create a speaker’s packet, including: biography, by-lined articles, testimonials from past organizers and attendees, demo DVD, topic list, photos, contact information, A/V requirements and rate card.
• Research and evaluate membership in professional speaking organizations.
• Build the speaker’s resume through preliminary appearances within an existing network of business and trade organizations, as well as academic institutions.
• Enhance credibility and value through publicity programs, including the submission of relevant, by-lined articles to targeted media outlets.
• Utilize the event database built in Step 4 to pursue high-priority speaking opportunities.
• Maintain communications and relationships with all targeted venues.
• Define protocol and prepare responses for declining unsolicited opportunities that do not meet defined criteria.

Step 6: Preparation

• Attend targeted and scheduled venues to assess defined criteria and support presentation development.
• Publicize appearances through targeted media outlets.

Step 7: Evaluation

• Establish a grading system to measure the return-on-investment (ROI) for speaking appearances. 
• Assess and grade each appearance and venue.

 

 

Less than a week after the Tribune Company announced plans for significant cuts to staff and page counts at its 12 papers, RealNEO blogger Roldo Bartimole broke the news that big cuts are in the plans for The Plain Dealer, Cleveland's major daily newspaper.

According to Roldo, "the paper plans to cut 35 pages a week from its news pages and 20 percent of its workforce." And that's in addition to the 17 percent of its editorial staff lost to recent buyouts.

Read more about the planned changes at major dailies across the country:

RealNeo.com — June 10, 2008
Big Cuts in Planning at Plain Dealer 

Chicago Tribune — June 9, 2008 
Tribune Co. faces big cuts, fast 

The New York Times — June 9, 2008
Tribune Co. Plans Sharp Cutbacks at Papers

Los Angeles Times — Feb. 14, 2008
Tribune Co. to cut staff by 2% 

 

The public relations industry is rapidly evolving. Technology is redefining the profession, and Web 2.0 — the new online world of mass collaboration and consumer-generated content — has given unfiltered access to the opinions and perceptions of target audiences (i.e. employees, customers, prospects, competitors, media, etc.).

Plus, through the use of blogs, optimized press releases, podcasts, videos, forums, social networks and other Web 2.0 tools, companies now have the ability to connect with their audiences in a more authentic, human voice.

For the PR industry, which traditionally has relied on pitching stories to mainstream media (i.e. TV, print, radio) in the hopes of landing editorial coverage and generating impressions, Web 2.0 has given us the ability to consistently produce a more measurable outcome — inbound links.

Through social media, search engine optimization (SEO) and self-publishing, wired PR firms are building inbound links, driving qualified Website traffic, generating leads, directly influencing consumers and having a measurable impact on the bottom line.

Here’s a snapshot of three public relations trends changing the industry:

1) Social Media

This is the most obvious and talked about trend in the public relations industry. PR professionals are communications specialists, and blogs, forums, online video and social networking offer the ability to communicate more affordably and efficiently than ever before.

2) Search Engine Optimization

Placement of targeted keywords throughout your Website, as well as generating inbound links to your Website, play an essential role in how your site ranks on major search engines, and in turn, directly impacts the quantity and quality of Website visitors. While SEO is not a traditional public relations practice, PR firms that don’t quickly integrate SEO principles into their services will become obsolete.

3) Self-Publishing

Press Releases, blogs, eBooks, white papers, by-lined articles, newsletters and online magazines are now being written with keyword-rich content and distributed with the goal of building Website traffic, inbound links and leads.

 

Web 2.0 has leveled the playing field for many organizations. It’s no longer about the size of your marketing budget, or how many impressions you can generate, rather it’s about how intelligent and innovative you can be in adopting emerging online technologies.

By concentrating on the activities that build inbound links, drive Website traffic and convert visitors into leads, your organization can grow smarter and faster than the competition.

As a PR professional, I tend to hear and read a lot about the battle of traditional media vs. social media.  Agencies and individuals are constantly re-evaluating where to focus their efforts – should a release be sent out to targeted media contacts, or optimized for search engines and distributed to online newsrooms?

Last night during the democratic presidential primary debate, we had an opportunity to see what, in my opinion, is the more realistic example – that our work with media isn’t either/or, but must combine both old and new.  Social media and traditional media are influencing each other, and working together, to create a rich pool of information that people can access, and participate in, as much or as little as they desire.

Not only were news reporters from traditional outlets on hand for the debate at Cleveland State University, so were members of the Cleveland blogging community. The Cleveland Plain Dealer also had some of their own journalists blogging live from the event.

Local NBC-affiliate, WKYC, had correspondents speaking with professionals in the spin room immediately following the debate, as would be expected.  But they also went in to chat with the live bloggers, who were able to provide real-time insight into what the general public thought about each candidate’s performance.

Smart, forward-thinking PR professionals across the board are (rightfully) stressing the importance of social media in today’s world for successful PR campaigns.  This new outlet is fun and exciting, but must be viewed as a complement to the tried and tested services PR firms have been offering for years – not a replacement.  

It’s becoming quite apparent that the traditional media outlets aren’t going away, they’re just adapting to new technology, and evolving with the Web 2.0 world.  

Business keeps getting in the way of blogging, but we've got some public relations and marketing posts in the works to help grow your business in new and innovative ways.

Here's a peek at some of the public relations and marketing trends, news, resources and technologies we're working on:

• What are RSS feeds and how can they make you more efficient, productive and profitable?
• How to calculate a marketing budget?
• What are the best online press release distribution services?
• Do you Digg? Should you?
• What can Del.icio.us do for your business?
• I've got a LinkedIn profile . . . Now what?
• How to hire a Website developer . . . And not get burned?
• How to grow your business with search engine optimization?
  

Also, stay tuned for the Social Media for Communicators Conference blog series. We'll be blogging live from Vegas in early March on more than a dozen social media topics.

If you've got a topic you'd like to see covered in a future blog post, contact us anytime, or just post your comments below.

The public relations industry is evolving. Technology is redefining the profession, and opening up a world of opportunities for PR agencies to expand services and deliver greater value to clients.

While many traditional PR agencies struggle to find and retain clients, innovative PR agencies are monitoring and driving the trends that will shape the public relations industry for years to come.

Here are some of the top PR trends to watch in 2008:

1. Social Media: This is the most obvious and talked about trend in the public relations industry. PR professionals are communications specialists, and blogs, forums, online video and social networking offer the ability to communicate more affordably and efficiently than ever before.
   
   Plus, social media channels give PR pros unfiltered access to consumer opinions and behavior. The leading PR agencies will find ways to contribute openly and honestly, benefiting both clients and consumers.


2. Online Press Releases & Newsrooms: The purpose of a press release is changing. Releases are now being written with keyword-rich content and distributed with the sole intent of better optimizing sites for search engines. Often times, the optimized press releases aren’t even sent to mainstream media.
   
   As a result, the formatting and functionality of press releases and online newsrooms are evolving to integrate social bookmarking, video, blogs, podcasts and RSS feeds (see “Social Media Releases Gain Ground As PR Tool” to learn more).


3. Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Leading PR agencies will continue to blend Search Engine Optimization (SEO) capabilities with the traditional mix of public relations services. And don’t be surprised if over the next 12-36 months a flurry of merger and acquisition activity emerges among upstart SEO firms and traditional PR agencies.


4. Content Publishing: With the widespread availability of affordable (and sometimes free) online press release and article distribution services, organizations have the ability to generate impressions and leads online through content publishing, in addition to what can be accomplished with mainstream media publicity campaigns.


5. Social Bookmarking: Social bookmarking sites such as Digg, Del.icio.us and Reddit have changed the way PR pros consume and share news. See “Is Social Media More Relevant Than Mainstream Media?” to learn more about how social bookmarking sites are redefining what is relevant and newsworthy to consumers.






6. RSS Feeds: RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds are an incredibly efficient tool to monitor frequently updated online content, such as: blogs, news headlines, forum posts and podcasts. RSS feeds give PR pros the ability to consume and filter enormous amounts of information and news from mainstream and social media sites. Below is a sample RSS feed from the Internet marketing experts at HubSpot.
   
   
   



7. Google News Alerts: Google News Alerts has become an invaluable tool for PR professionals, delivering continuous email updates on clients, competitors and industry trends. It’s free, easy and effective.
   
   Savvy professionals will use Google News Alerts, RSS Feeds and other free online monitoring applications to reduce or eliminate the need for high-price monitoring services that have long been a staple of the public relations industry.





8. Standardized Services & Set Pricing: I may be a bit partial to this one, but based on the phenomenal response and demand we have seen in the market since introducing standardized services and set pricing in November 2005 (check out The 20/20 Standard to learn more), it’s hard to imagine more firms won’t catch on and move away from prohibitive hourly rates.
   
   It will be extremely difficult for many traditional PR firms to evolve, since it requires a dramatic shift in staffing, billing and operations, but it could quickly become the model of choice for PR and marketing upstarts.

 

SEE RELATED POST — Public Relations in Web 2.0: From Impressions to Inbound Links 

 

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The most effective strategy to bolster a PR campaign’s success is to do something different, that is, something worth talking about. Think Apple.

However, not every company has the ability (or the R & D budget) to continually innovate and redefine its industry, so below we take a look at a sampling of tools that can position organizations as thought-leaders and capture the attention of mainstream and social media:

1. Authoritative Surveys: Conduct and publish surveys on topics relevant to your industry, and your expertise.


2. Blogs: In this Web 2.0 world, if you’re not blogging, then you’re not an expert. So check out the Corporate Blog Creative Brief, and get started. 


3. By-Lined Articles: Find trade magazines and online resources that accept and publish by-lined articles from experts.


4. Newsletters: Share tips and insight with internal and external audiences through print or electronic Newsletters. 


5. Online Forums: Contribute to relevant online forums.


6. Podcasts: Podcasts give audiences the ability to listen when they want, where they want and how they want, and they give your organization the opportunity to differentiate from the competition and be further positioned as an innovator and industry leader.


7. Seminars: Host seminars that give customers and prospects the knowledge and tools needed to grow their businesses.  


8. Social Networking: Join LinkedIn, build your network and post responses in the new Answers section. 


9. Speaking Engagements: Share what you know with trade and professional organizations as a featured speaker or panel member.


10. Webinars: Educate and inform target audiences in a virtual classroom. Webinars offer a convenient and effective venue to conduct interactive presentations and discussions.

Public relations is all about building relationships and communications, and contributing to the discussion. So stop focusing on getting "covered" in the media, and start thinking about how your business can be different, and make a difference.

Brands of all sizes have been built, and destroyed, by the media. Print, broadcast and online media outlets have unmatched power to influence behavior and affect change, making publicity an essential part of every marketing budget.

Effective campaigns build strong media relationships, publicize newsworthy information and events, and proactively create news that fits the needs and profiles of target media outlets.

Here are 10 fundamental tips to conduct successful publicity campaigns:

1. Media Database: Every successful campaign starts with a custom media database. Whether you build the list yourself (or through your agency), or use a service such as PR Newswire’s MEDIAtlas, the key is to tailor the list to reach mainstream and social media with information targeted to their beats and interests.


2. Historical Coverage: Review past media coverage to establish a clear understanding of how your brand is perceived and positioned, and ensure you remain connected with media contacts that have covered your organization and your industry.


3. Press Releases: Identify the common news topics that can be publicized through press releases, including: awards, events, executive appearances, new locations and clients, personnel, product innovations and sponsorships. While I’m not a huge fan of the traditional press release, it still has its place when properly targeted. Releases can also be distributed online as a search engine optimization (SEO) tool (either through a corporate site or release distribution service). 


4. Feature Story Pitches: Package and promote big news about your organization, special events, industry trends and more with feature story pitches. Ideal for targeting one key TV, radio or print outlet with an exclusive story, feature story pitches often start with a phone call or email to the selected media contact.


5. Editorial Calendars: Identify opportunities to deliver timely information to trade, business and consumer media. Editorial calendars (commonly available on publication Websites) provide detailed outlines of the topics and news that outlets plan to cover throughout the year. 


6. Expert Sources: Position your company spokespersons as valuable media resources, assuming that they can offer expertise on topics relevant to your industry or an outlet’s coverage areas.


7. Awards: Garner recognition for your success, innovation, community involvement and leadership through awards. 


8. Trends: Consider the trends impacting your industry, how they are being covered in the media and what your organization can contribute to the discussion. 


9. Special Sections: Assess the recurring special sections in your target media outlets for editorial opportunities. For example, your local weekly business magazine may have a monthly small business or technology section that would be a great fit.


10. Publicity Calendar: Plan and track press releases, feature story pitches, editorial opportunities and events throughout the year with a publicity calendar. Basic software applications such as Word and Excel work great for maintaining publicity calendars, or for the more tech savvy professionals, consider a project management tool, such as BaseCamp, or even a wiki.
    

Next up on PR 20/20 Insights, “Tools to Increase the Impact of a PR Campaign” . . .

This may come as a shock to some, but I'm a PR professional and I can't stand (most) Press Releases.

I tend to view them as a necessary evil in our industry, and unfortunately too many organziations and agencies still rely on traditional Press Releases as the primary tool to "get the word out" or "create buzz" about their companies, products and events. For some it's easier, and more cost effective, than building relationships and reaching media contacts with information tailored to their beats and interests.

One interesting development in the PR industry, which is being championed by some of the more progressive corporations, is the Social Media Release. First introduced by SHIFT Communications in May 2006, a Social Media Release integrates social media technologies, such as links to podcasts, webcasts, purpose-built del.icio.us pages, and social bookmarking sites, such as Digg.com.

WARNING: If your PR agency is not talking to you about Social Media, then it's time to search for a new firm. 

Our experience has been that we’re still a long ways off from acceptance in mainstream media; however, we are starting to see major organizations integrate Social Media Releases into their PR campaigns in an effort to deliver more targeted, interactive messages online.

Coca-Cola Launches Competition to Design Online "Virtual Thirst" Coke Machine

2008 Ford Focus: Social Media Press Release

Social Media Release: Cisco Connected Life Contest

Palm Travel Tips and Tricks: Travel Smart with Your Treo

While the Social Media Release may not be for everyone just yet, the more important issue is an organization’s overall Social Media Strategy. Here are a couple blog posts I’ve put up recently on the topic:

Social Media Battles for Budget

Is Social Media More Relevant Than Mainstream Media?

Also, you may want to check out the Social Media for Communicators Summit this coming March in Las Vegas. We'll see you there.
   

When I first saw this on Digg.com, I thought it had to be a joke.

FEMA Apologizes for Fake News Conference on Fires

Not only did a government agency call a news conference 15 minutes before it was to be held, but they planted their own employees as "reporters" and then had them lob softball questions at Harvey Johnson, FEMA's deputy adminstrator. .

. . . But with no reporters on hand and an agency video camera providing a feed carried live by some television networks, FEMA press employees posed the questions for Johnson that included: "Are you happy with FEMA's response so far?"

According to Friday's Post account, which Walker confirmed, Johnson replied that he was "very happy with FEMA's response so far." . . . .

And here's another take from Al Kamen of The Washington Post:

FEMA Meets the Press, Which Happens to Be . . . FEMA

". . . . Johnson stood behind a lectern and began with an overview before saying he would take a few questions. The first questions were about the "commodities" being shipped to Southern California and how officials are dealing with people who refuse to evacuate. He responded eloquently.

He was apparently quite familiar with the reporters -- in one case, he appears to say "Mike" and points to a reporter -- and was asked an oddly in-house question about "what it means to have an emergency declaration as opposed to a major disaster declaration" signed by the president. He once again explained smoothly.

FEMA press secretary Aaron Walker interrupted at one point to caution he'd allow just "two more questions." Later, he called for a "last question.". . . ."