Stephanie Rodriguez

PRWeek's great 2024 Business Report highlights the key challenge facing our industry. Communications is more important than ever. Comms and policy leaders are being asked to play far larger roles as business partners supporting ever more stakeholders. So why did the industry suffer so much in 2023 after many years of growth? As an sector, we are not adapting fast enough to the needs. Organizations are desperate for help but also under tremendous financial strain. They now need both senior level counsel and advisory support as well as deep domain expertise to actually produce. By and large, our industry is still split by this chasm - between strategic and tactical. Clients cannot afford to separate these, either in time or money. At Bully Pulpit International our goal is to bridge this divide, building a team that can both 'think and do' at the highest levels. It's not always easy. Last year was a challenge. But if you share this vision for the future, please check out some of our open roles: https://lnkd.in/dGQwJUSG

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Great advice for marketers from Kurt Uhlir on how marketers can communicate value to the C-suite. Have you tried Kurt's approach? How did it work for you? Check it out and share the video below! #marketing #marketers #CMO

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🚀 Crafting the Perfect Subject Line for Media Pitches 🚀 In today’s Association Insights, I’m zeroing in on a crucial element of PR success: the subject line of your media pitch. Why is it so critical? Here’s what you need to know: 1️⃣ Clarity and Relevance: Ensure your subject line is a direct reflection of your email's content. A straightforward subject makes it immediately apparent to reporters that your pitch aligns with their interests. 2️⃣ Brevity is Key: Keep subject lines to 1-5 words. This conciseness is not only effective for visibility on mobile devices but also respects the reporter's need for efficiency. 3️⃣ Convey Urgency and Value: Use impactful words like 'introducing,' 'new,' or 'exclusive' to grab attention and highlight the importance of your content. 4️⃣ Continuously Test and Refine: Employ A/B testing to discover which subject lines perform best, allowing you to enhance your media outreach strategies. A compelling subject line can make the difference between an opened email and one that slips through the cracks. It's your pitch's first impression—make it impactful! 💌 What are your top tips for writing effective subject lines? Share your insights below! #MediaPitching #PRtips #AssociationInsights #OnWrdUpWrd #PublicRelations #CommunicationsStrategy

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👀 Fun truths from Usher Lieberman to start your Monday (💻 + ☕) PR is PR is PR in some ways. Tune in to Coffee with Communicators for some wonderful insights from his 25+ year career in comms. Subscribe here: https://lnkd.in/gBPt76UR #CWC #communications #PR #newsletter

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When it comes to a crisis, a company's success lies directly in its effective communication process. One of the biggest mistakes a company can make is not having a PR team or open lines of communication. This article provides good examples of what to and what not to do during a crisis.

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Don’t just pitch and move on. That thought leadership material you pitched to journalists to open doors for interviews with your execs can also be used as a: ➡ Contributed article ➡ Blog post ➡ Social media post ➡ Podcast episode ➡ YouTube video ➡ Speaking topic at conferences ➡ Webinar ➡ Lead magnet As Ross Simmonds says: Create once, distribute forever.

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Reporters, what would you like PR practitioners to know about pitching you their news/press releases? What tips would you give? I'm hoping to get some input directly from journalists on what's working best 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒏𝒐𝒘 to help public relations pros do a better job, as I put together a couple of upcoming presentations. I know what works for my B2B clients, but I always like to gain a broader perspective to inform my work. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. #publicrelations #mediarelations

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This article highlights the challenges reporters face when seeking comments from companies and public figures. The phrase “did not respond to a request for comment” is becoming increasingly common in journalism. This trend raises questions about the impact on journalistic integrity and the changing landscape of media communications. https://lnkd.in/e33AuQRy

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This article from Columbia Journalism Review is fascinating, and an argument for the importance of a reputation management communication plan. There are volumes authored by PR pros advising against ignoring reporters inquiries, yet this article documents how frequently it happens. Throughout my career, I can count on one hand the number of times I have made a calculated decision not to respond to a media request, and 99.9% of the time it was after multiple engagements with a reporter who repeatedly misrepresented or distorted information (even if not intentionally). I suspect, more often than not, reporters get ghosted because the brand is caught off guard. They haven't planned how they will respond in a reputation crisis. Or haven't socialized the planned response with stakeholders. If the PR team is haggling with executives and lawyers on what to say or how to say it when the reporters' questions start rolling in, the opportunity to frame the narrative is quickly lost. Thanks for sharing the article Jennifer Johnson Avril! https://lnkd.in/gYmTA9CW

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One of the hottest topics in comms at the moment..is your organisation ready? Learn from the experts on how to prepare in this upcoming webinar. #cybercrisis

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Last chance to register's for Tuesday's webcast on GIS and the nature of business. For GIS pros and business managers, it's a good look at how location awareness supports a nature-positive organization https://ow.ly/en9P50S6Si9

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Clients often ask for advice on how to build better relationships with journalists. The answer is deceptively simple – help journalists do their jobs. But what does that mean and what will have the biggest impact on journalists? Cision recently conducted a survey that shines a spotlight on what PR professionals can do to make journalists’ jobs easier. Straight from the source, here is a look at the top five answers directly from journalists: 1)     Understand my target audience and what they find relevant. 2)     Connect them with experts/spokespeople and set up interviews. 3)     Provide data and key research. 4)     Respect their deadlines (respond quickly).. 5)     Offer new and relevant story ideas. Consistently nailing these five areas will help to improve your media relationships as a brand, grow coverage and supercharge your public relations program. Learn more about the survey at: https://lnkd.in/gqn5rvSq #publicrelations #PR #PRagency #journalistinsights #mediarelations #mediamonday

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It's a smart move to incorporate awards into your marketing plan. This PRNEWS article explains why and shares tips on how to get started. #awards #publicrelations #pr #marketing https://lnkd.in/gy6Kef-3

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Not getting responses from journalists? Try pitching stories about these topics: 💡 Lessons learned from failure 💡 Industry viewpoints that are surprising or controversial 💡 Data only you can provide Do that and journalists will start to care about what you have to say.

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An important insight here. A lot of planning goes into the big events like Money20/20 with my fintech clients, and we've had to have these types of conversations with them to make sure the announcement clears the bar to be meaningful, or if they should announcement something before to build some momentum (or announce after on your own terms).

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📰 Media relations is more than just sending press releases 📰 I spend a lot of time talking to journalists so I can understand what issues they want to report on and how I can connect that to what clients want to talk about. Our Wes Streeting event was just one of the ways MHP Group tries to foster this mutually beneficial relationship. We brought together 65 of the UK’s top health and science journalists and 65 of the biggest brands in healthcare so both could hear from (potentially) the most influential man in the national healthcare conversation. The journalists got some great stories out it – more than 10 bits of coverage including pieces in The Independent, The Telegraph, and The Guardian – and our clients could understand what the media are interested in writing about. Using timely storytelling to help businesses engage in broader cultural commentary is why you hire a PR team. Taking the time to meet and understand the people to whom you are pitching is a foundational building block to securing opportunities to tell bigger stories about your brand. And that is ultimately what all good communications is about. #mediarelations #pr #communications

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Election turbulence is a threat to marketers during these perilous and polarized times. Here are nine ways brand managers and communicators can protect budgets, avoid scams and reach customers in a noisy and cluttered market.

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