Kat T.

Here are just some of the questions I get asked about #PublicRelations: - How can I get news media to cover my business or #nonprofit? - Public relations is expensive. Would you just give me some pointers and I'll figure out how to do it myself? - If I want to get the word out about [FILL IN THE BLANK], what's the best way to do so? - How do you find the right reporters to tell the stories you are pitching? Because this happens so frequently, John Forberger and I have created a program called 'PR Playbook, All You Need to Know in 4 Weeks.' Details on what we'll cover and our first seminar starting on Nov. 1 are in the #video below. I'll post a link to our registration page and a blog with more details in the next few days. Watch this space for more information. And feel free to DM me here in the interim if you simply can't wait to join. #PromoteYourBusiness #BusinessDevelopment #Promotion #DIY #TheMoreYouKnow #BusinessLessons #Advice #MarComm #MasterClass

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Writers, bloggers and LinkedIn posters LOVE lists, but sometimes they use them as a crutch. Here’s the first of nine suggestions on how to write better lists: ****Have truly meaningful content.**** I’m as easily hooked by a list post as anyone else, but when I’m lured into reading one, I get mad if it doesn’t deliver what the headline promised. See the comments, below, for a link to a particularly inept one. In that post, all the so-called tips were blindingly obvious to anyone with two brain cells to rub together. If the list just states stuff everyone already knows, then please spare us the trouble of clicking. Don’t irritate the reader! ✍️ What guidelines do you keep in mind when writing lists? ♻️ Please share if you think this post might help others.

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How to get your email deleted by journalists or really anyone else… 1. Misspell the person’s name or address them by an entirely different name. 2. Keep [First Name] and all the areas that you left highlighted. 3. Fail to tailor your message to the recipient. 4. Neglect to research and become familiar with their work or needs. 5. Pitch them irrelevant topics or services. 6. Send them a poorly worded, grammatically incorrect email. 7. Don't get to the point quickly. 8. Avoid pitching them anything original or a unique value proposition. 9. Copy everyone and their mother! 10. Send them a book-long email. 11. Include a lengthy document or press release without context. 12. Forget to provide necessary resources like links to high-resolution photos and b-roll. 13. Attach huge files that clog their inbox. 14. Be annoyingly persistent with your follow-ups. 💡 Pro tip: Want your email to actually get read? Avoid these common pitfalls like the plague. P.S. What are your biggest email pet peeves? Share your tips in the comments below. 📧 #MediaRelations #PitchingTips #JournalistStruggles #EmailEtiquette

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We have a saying at Comprise: PR does not stand for "press release." Of course, press releases (I really prefer to call them news releases) can often play an important role in a public relations (PR) program. But if your agency's entire approach is planning for "the next press release," they're only helping you see about 10% of the landscape. Today's media landscape is dramatically different from just a few years ago, and there are myriad options for effectively telling your story. Contributed content, interviews, blogs, podcasts, infographics and much more should all be a part of an all-encompassing plan. Just as you can't build a house with only a Phillips-head screwdriver, you can't build a reputation as an industry authority by having press releases as the only tool in your communications toolbox. Don't even get me started on those who think a press release or two every week is a PR strategy. Well, I guess it is -- a strategy for wasting money, not meeting goals and irritating the very people you're trying to reach (reporters). We've had the misfortune of working with a couple of clients who held this belief. It didn't end well -- but it did end. Demand that your agency develop ideas and programs to tell your story, not simply blast out press releases.

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Writers, bloggers and LinkedIn posters LOVE lists, but sometimes they use them as a crutch. Here’s the fifth of nine suggestions on how to write better lists: ***Know your word-count goal before you write .*** Many writers dislike math, but the arithmetic of writing is so simple you can do it on the back of an envelope. Take the number of points you want to offer and divide them by your final word count. If you have only 500 words, it should be pretty obvious you can’t offer 99 Reasons to Switch from Vegetarian to Vegan. My estimate? You ideally want to allow at least 50 words per point. That means the most points you can squeeze into 500 words is 10. ✍️ What guidelines do you keep in mind when writing lists? ♻️ Please share if you think this post might help others.

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Take this 5-second PR test Before sending that press release, ask yourself: "Would I care about this if it wasn't my client?" If the answer is no, don't send it. Instead: 1. Find a unique angle. 2. Link to a trending topic. 3. Offer real value to journalists. Remember: Your reputation is on the line with every pitch. Quality over quantity. Always. What's your litmus test for newsworthy content? #PublicRelations #PRTips #MediaRelations #CommunicationStrategy

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Press Releases Are Not Dead. Some PR pros might disagree, but reporters frequently request press releases from us. Often, they even publish them verbatim online. Of course, not every announcement requires a press release. A media pitch, a LinkedIn article, a blog post or a website landing page often suffice. We never just send out a press release. It's always part of a strategic media pitch, linked in a media kit, or noted under our email signatures. Done correctly, a press release provides reporters with comprehensive background information, giving them everything they need in one place. Here are several tips for crafting effective press releases: Dos - Start with a strong headline. - Keep it concise, aiming for one page. - Use the inverted pyramid style; the most important information first. - Include a clear, compelling lead paragraph. - Use quotes to add credibility and personality…and not the “I’m excited” variety. - Provide all necessary details (who, what, where, when, why and how). - Include contact information for follow-up. - Proofread for grammar and spelling errors. - Fact-check everything before sending it out. - Include links to high-resolution photos and videos. - Include a boilerplate about your company, but keep it updated and concise. Don'ts - Don’t bury the lead or hide key information deep in the release. - Avoid jargon and technical language that might confuse readers. - Don’t use a promotional tone; keep it factual and straightforward. - Don’t forget a call to action if applicable. - Avoid long paragraphs; keep them short for easy readability. - Avoid repetitive information that doesn’t add value. - Don’t ignore your audience and who the information is geared towards. - Don’t send without getting necessary approvals of quotes and facts. 💡 Never underestimate the power of a well-written press release. PS: If you’re not using press releases, then what are you using instead to deliver your information to reporters? Share in the comments below so we can trade best practices. #PublicRelations #PressRelease #MediaRelations #PRtips

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Writers, bloggers and LinkedIn posters LOVE lists, but sometimes they use them as a crutch. Here’s the fourth of nine suggestions on how to write better lists: ***Brainstorm more items than you need.*** A good list has at least five items (fewer than five isn’t long enough for a list.) Large, round numbers suggest authority: 10, 50, 100. Odd numbers are intriguing: 7, 17, 37. Pick your target number and then try to generate enough ideas for it. Then — here’s the important part — cross out all the points that aren’t interesting or unusual enough and go with the smaller number. ✍️ What guidelines do you keep in mind when writing lists? ♻️ Please share if you think this post might help others.

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.Edu White Hat Linkbuilding via "Resources" Just as with journalist outreach and white hat guest posting, you need to pitch something *relevant* to the page you're targeting. So long as you can do that, you can build white hat backlinks from .edu domains at scale. In this example, a parenting website looking for .edu links could create a resource guide for "Parents in University" or "Parents at Community College", etc. https://lnkd.in/dfTE2QHU

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**Debunking PR Myths: The True Power of Public Relations** Public Relations isn’t: ❌ Just about crafting clever press releases (sometimes you need more than just good writing skills) ❌ Only for extinguishing fires (Crisis management sounds dramatic, right?) ❌ About telling tall tales (No secret agent-level trickery here) ❌ Exclusively for the corporate giants (Startups, I see you!) ❌ Simply a fancy way of saying advertising (Nope, it’s deeper than that) But, it is: ✅ Cultivating relationships that last longer than my New Year resolutions ✅ Making your brand glow like a superhero in a movie ✅ Sharing stories that make your audience go “Wow, really?” ✅ Beneficial for businesses of every size, from your local bakery to global giants ✅ A strategy that’s a blend of art, science, and sometimes, pure magic Your Public Relations efforts help to answer these burning questions: How do we not look like a desperate ex on social media? What’s the best way to chat with our beloved audience without oversharing? How do we charm the media and not scare them away? One-line tip: Think of Public Relations as the friendly neighborhood Spiderman of your brand—genuine connections and clear, powerful communication! Ever had a PR moment that made you laugh out loud or cringe? Share below! #PublicRelations #BrandBuilding #Storytelling #BusinessGrowth #AskAnExpert

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“Our current agency isn't delivering.” Usually, there's more to the story. Dig deeper, and you'll find underlying issues like: ➡ Lack of proactivity or creativity ➡ Frequent agency team changes ➡ Missing senior-level strategic input ➡ Client structures are hindering the agency ➡ Budget cuts are having an impact on performance It’s rarely just about the results. What are some other hidden challenges you've encountered in client-agency relationships?

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Change your mindset regarding press releases. Actually, let's get rid of the term altogether! Their purpose and usefulness has changed - a lot. The document, formerly known as a press release, is *simply* a public disclosure. The more you expect from them from as a news driver or "press" perspective, then the more you will be disappointed. We don't like to be disappointed, so stop setting yourself up. Can you turn them into a pitch like many PR Influencers on here will have you believe? No and here's why: It's a disclosure - It's facts, it's statements, it's a public record of a thing or a business moment. Don't make it any more than that. It is NOT - a thought leadership piece, a story, a narrative, a media coverage driver (earnings releases aside), an "opportunity to tell our story." Why? Because your PR team should be building all of these things - off of the disclosure. Think of a Tootsie Pop - all of the sweet outside goodness is the sugar that your PR team builds around the oddly-flavored disclosure in the middle. Keep it short and to the point (especially to minimize your group editing torture). Can we get rid of them? NOOOOOOOOOO! Consistent disclosure of business wins and product updates puts your company's momentum on the record! That's a good thing. The absence of these disclosures creates negative space. Pretend to be a potential investor, employee, or partner looking at a company does not show any of its wins. Negative space = bad for PR! Consistent momentum = Good for everyone! RIP press release. Hello public disclosure #Pressrelease, #Media, #Tootsiepop, #Influencers

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Fellow writing professionals, I have a few questions for you: Are you affiliated with an agency? If so, how has your experience been? Do you find more job opportunities compared to freelancing independently? Would you recommend joining an agency? Are there any specific agencies you endorse? If you're not part of an agency, could you share your reasons for that choice? Thanks! #writing #writers #contentwriting

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Shout out to all the writers who have to field the "are you afraid that AI will take your job?" question with uncomfortable frequency. My canned answer is "only if consumers are content with things that sound like they were written by AI, I guess." Because really, it's not about us or even the C-suite folks who think they can get away with replacing us with bots and scripts. At the end of everything, it's about whether or not consumers are able to discern the value and decide their own engagement with brands and products and services. People seem to forget that they're the ones who make decisions about what to read, what to buy, what to share, and what to follow. If AI writing that sounds like someone's Boomer mom was Facebooking while in an Ambien haze gets you to buy stuff, then yeah, of course we're worried. But if people — regular-ass consumers who still have the power to demonstrate what they/"the market" will bear — are turned off by captions that are barely coherent, emails that read like a MadLib, and TV scripts that sound like a toddler relating their dream to you, not so much. Do I think I'm a better writer than ChatGPT? Duh. But the folks making hiring decisions don't seem to think it matters, so it doesn't matter. They need to see, in their own language (money), that consumers care about it. And if consumers don't care, then I'm going to have to pivot in my career for the eighteenth time.

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Writers, bloggers and LinkedIn posters LOVE lists, but sometimes they use them as a crutch. Here’s the third of nine suggestions on how to write better lists: ***Provide useful hot links — and not just to your own site. *** When I read a list post with no hot links, like one from Inc. on how to be happy (see link in the comments), I can’t help feeling that the writer is being indolent. Here, for example, tip 12, “Smile and laugh more frequently,” could have easily been linked to a story on Sean Achor. Achor is a well-known expert on positive psychology and his 12-minute TED talk is both informative and deeply entertaining. (See photo here and link to speech in the comments) The more information you give to your readers, the more fulfilled they’ll be. And the great thing about hot links is that readers who aren’t interested can easily skim by them. ✍️ What guidelines do you keep in mind when writing lists? ♻️ Please share if you think this post might help others. [photo by Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia]

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This is it. This is the battle between so many comms professionals and their clients. If you’ve hired us to help you get coverage, to get attention, believe us when we tell you: you gotta do something. If we are telling you that the thing that *you are* doing is not going to get attention, remember you are paying us to know that and to help focus your efforts and dollars accordingly. (It’s why you should bring your comms team in at the beginning, during ideation, so that we can pressure test it alongside your creative and account teams.) Newsrooms are decimated. People’s attentions are divided not just by apps and platforms but by issues and culture. You have to have a plan and you have to do some heavier lifting to get your brand or messaging to break through. (Hit me up if I can help you figure this out!)

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Calling all content leads/managing editors/marketing pros – I've got your next best freelance hire. Writer & editor extraordinaire Alison Bowen has some availability for new clients and you should snap her up ASAP. I've been working side-by-side with Alison nearly two years, and I cannot sing her praises loudly enough. (If I had the work, I'd give it to her! So you're lucky she's temporarily available!) Here's what you'll get if you work with Alison: • A thoughtful, whipsmart, incisive editor who will source and manage freelancers, write assignment briefs, handle onboarding and invoicing, deliver developmental and copy edits, and upload to a CMS • A brilliant, award-winning writer and researcher who can tackle everything from front-page national newspaper stories to branded lifestyle content to B2B research reports. She spent over a decade as a features writer at the Chicago Tribune and she specializes in finding compelling human stories that make you care about the problems people are facing. • A kind, considerate, joyful person to work with. Alison is always positive without being Pollyanna. She approaches every business problem with curiousity and a spirit of collaboration. She can speak to CEOs and veterans with PTSD and treats everyone with the same level of respect and genuine inquisitiveness. • An organized, punctual project leader who can delegate to and mentor editorial collaborators. If you have a large-scope project that needs a careful, experienced guiding hand on copy, Alison is your person. • A veteran journalist who can work seamlessly with marketing and branded content stakeholders. Alison understands that the best branded content is produced with journalistic rigor and the highest editorial standards, while still uplifting and promoting the brand. I know I'm gushing. But it's all true. If you'd like any more of a recommendation, please DM me and I'm happy to share more about my experience working with Alison. I'll link to her portfolio in the comments, and you can reach Alison at [email protected].

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Writers, bloggers and LinkedIn posters LOVE lists, but sometimes they use them as a crutch. Here’s the second of nine suggestions on how to write better lists: ***Predict and answer important questions that are likely to arise.*** A while ago, I was looking to stretch a pair of shoes, so I went online and found a list headlined, “How To Stretch Your Shoes.” Great! Just what I needed. But the first tip stopped me cold. It suggested filling a zip-lock bag with water, stuffing it into the toe of my shoe and then freezing the whole thing for four to eight hours. Really? Wouldn’t that damage my shoe’s leather? I’m not prepared to risk a $150 pair of shoes to find out. Sadly, the post gave me no further guidance. So, I stopped reading. Oh, and that website has now disappeared. I guess readers agreed with me. ✍️ What guidelines do you keep in mind when writing lists? ♻️ Please share if you think this post might help others.

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