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The PR Report
Strategies & Actions
July 2005
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Leveraging Breaking News
Case Study: 'Identity Theft'
The recent spate of identity theft stories
proved -
once again - how much relationships matter. We've
been working with the business press on security
issues, helping them understand what's going on
behind the scenes to make them more informed about
this complex issue.
It paid off in spades when The New York
Times ran a substantial Page One feature on the
underground economy for identities, and highlighted
iDEFENSE as one of the true industry experts. And as
is often the case, the Times story itself
became
news - and iDEFENSE was quickly seen as one of the
few authoritative sources on a murky topic.
Within 24 hours, we fielded an interview with NBC's
The
Today Show. ABC Nightly News covered a
similar story the day before the Times story
broke, generating more than 10 million viewers tuning
into how to prevent identity theft. Other follow-on
coverage appeared in ABC Radio broadcasts and
The International Herald Tribune, among
others.
How does a company get to be in the right place, at
the right time?
For the prior two months, we'd provided the
Times reporter with access to reports with
unique, revealing intelligence and multiple interviews,
often with tight turn-arounds.
The synergy of working with multiple clients in a
sector paid off for our other security clients, too,
who suddenly got exposure to major media.
In fact, on the week of its launch, StrikeForce
Technologies, one of our newest security clients,
rode the news to an endorsement on The
Today
Show. Though the company had little name
recognition, our relationship with the segment
producer opened the door - and got a demo with the
consumer affairs reporter. Her ringing praise: "This is
something banks and credit card companies can -
and should - use!"
The short of it: Relationships count. Each firm has
its own media relationships, some strong, some not.
Having the right ones can make for the right
exposure - when everyone's paying attention.
Seizing the Opportunity
Breaking News: Getting a Word in Edgewise
News happens in your market every day - and
making your voice heard can get you on the front
lines.
We often put together selected insights from our
clients on news as it's breaking - with a series of
email quotes that deliver the right mix of intelligence
and analysis.
It's a great way to stay in front of reporters and
drive your positioning as an industry and thought
leader.
Here are four 'best practices' for seizing the
moment:
- Get there first. In today's world of
instant
publishing, reporters need resources and perspective
in minutes - pushing your insights out within an hour
puts you on the short list for inclusion in breaking
stories.
- Focus on the big picture. Make
your emailed
sound-bytes reflect your understanding of the
impact - on customers, the community, the market
as a whole - not just on how your universe will be
affected.
- Keep it short. Breaking news rarely
earns in-depth analysis in the immediate timeframe -
your
comments should be short, tight and extremely
focused. Offer 2-3 to choose from; each should
stand on its own.
- Leverage your relationships. Go
first to the
reporters who follow your company and your market -
as an already trusted source you are in a good
position to offer valuable perspective.
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In Our Corner
"Corporate Ink is a true partner in reaching our
business and media goals. The team's deep industry
knowledge and ability to tell a meaningful story
consistently produces national media coverage that
puts us far ahead of much larger competitors."
-Ken Dunham, director of malicious code iDEFENSE
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Pitching an Exclusive
Your Ace in the Hole
An exclusive almost always gets a reporter's
attention. This advanced look promises early access -
whetting an appetite and often increasing the
currency for gaining prominent coverage.
Reporters get what they covet: An edge over their
competition, and credibility in the newsroom for
having the right relationships and resources to get
the story.
The Essentials
Before you pitch, line up the essentials:
- A near-final release, with a target date.
Two weeks is a reasonable lead-time for most
weeklies; dailies can turn on a story almost
immediately. Some reporters will honor an embargoed
version. For others, it's best to offer the essence of
the story in email, but without the details that could
lead to a leak.
- Credible comments from customers and
industry analysts; multiple customers are ideal.
- Supporting market data. This helps round
out the story. Of course, it should be sourced and
come from reputable firms.
Pick Your Targets
With careful strategy, multiple non-competing outlets
can share the same exclusive. Targeting trades
serving different sectors can work, especially if
vertical media are involved. The local business outlet
is often content to share news with a key trade, as
well.
Target the business press first, and then move to the
IT or trade media. Be honest with them about where
else it is running; and likely publication dates. This
strategy ensures that each reporter gets to break
the story, and your team achieves optimal coverage -
before you even announce your news.
Technology Trend-Tracking
Several emerging trends have implications for
technology companies and their marketing teams:
Messaging is getting more attention.
As customers begin buying, companies are examining -
and increasingly, rethinking - their marketing
messages. The overriding shift is to ensure that new
offerings meet buyers' most acute needs, as
companies move to push the needle from 'nice-to-
have' to 'need-to-buy.'
In many cases, shifting the marketing message
follows closely on the heels of reinvigorating the sales
team.
'Influencers' are promoting themselves.
The past quarter has seen both VCs and market
research firms ramp up PR and marketing - in some
cases, for the first time in several years. Even the
smaller market research firms are making a bigger
push, and blue-chip VC firms, which dimmed their
stage lights in 2002, are bringing marketing back.
However, in contrast to the last foray, this round of
hires is less celebrated and often part-time.
Blogging: Yes, you.
With constant pressure from the media for companies
to embrace blogging, the idea of posting, reading and
responding to blogs is now up for review at every
level. Yet most CEOs aren't yet making time to post
their own - or even read the 12 million or so
available.
Instead, large companies are hiring their own mid-
level bloggers. These editorialists, who write under
their own names, function much like marcom staffers.
Many are former freelancers let go in earlier waves of
downsizing and publishing company layoffs.
Continuing Winning Ways
Corporate Ink Lands Four New Accounts
We continue to grow our security and
supply
chain practices - with four new clients signing on last
quarter: StrikeForce
Technologies, Enira
Technologies, Astea
International
(NASDAQ:ATEA)
and Integrated
Warehousing Solutions.
It's a gratifying mix of competitive wins and
recommendations from industry analysts and former
clients. In fact, it was the most new account activity
we've ever seen in a single quarter --- a solid sign
that technology companies are springing back.
Everyone benefits: Our clients get a bigger team
pitching their story, and access to more reporters
and media opportunities. The press benefits, too: We
help them tell a more complete story, quickly and
easily.
- Security: StrikeForce and
Enira are
giving enterprises, retailers and users tools to protect
themselves, their customers, and their networks.
They join iDEFENSE, a longstanding security
client.
- Supply Chain: Astea and Integrated
Warehousing
Solutions are successful, established companies
ready to showcase their expertise in crucial markets.
They enhance our supply chain practice, considered
one of the best in the industry. We also represent
MCA Solutions, Open Ratings, Optiant and Blue Agave
Software.
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Clients 
