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Life of a PR student: A quick guide to organizing your busy schedule
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Life of a PR student: A quick guide to organizing your busy schedule

Written by: Juby George, Secretary, CPRS Toronto Student Steering Committee, Centennial College.

Oh! How will I complete all these assignments, quizzes and presentations? Do you ever find yourself asking this question? Do you ever feel like too much is going on in your life? If you answered yes, then this is the article for you! You might be overwhelmed or stressed out by the amount on your plate, but all that can be amended by creating a schedule and learning to manage your time.

  1. Understand your time

No two humans are alike, and as a result, no two people require the same amount of time to complete an activity. So, before preparing lists and plans, it is helpful to understand how long it takes to finish a task. The question then becomes: how would I know that? Well, it’s pretty easy. Set a timer when doing an assignment and make a note of the time. This understanding will assist you in the next step.

  1. Plan ahead and make lists

Now that you know how long your tasks take you to complete, you are ready to start organizing your planners and to-do lists. Having a dedicated organizer is the most effective way to manage your time and increase productivity. Would you believe me if I told you that planners and to-do lists can improve your mental health? Well, you should because they do! Tracking your schedule, crossing off completed tasks, and accomplishing short term goals all release dopamine which is known to improve your mood and help you focus. As an added bonus, they also help you get stuff done! Prioritization is key, and when preparing your weekly planner or to-do list for the day, it is best to complete the most crucial tasks first. Now the question is: What are some effective ways to prepare planners and to-do lists?

  • Sticky notes. Don’t underestimate the effectiveness of a classic; these have survived the test of time for a reason. You can write each of your tasks on a different note and order them from most to least important. Their versatility allows you to rearrange the order as new tasks are added to your list.
  • Digital tools. Mobile applications like Google calendar, Evernote, and Todoist allow users to stay organized on the go. You may not always have a pen and paper on you, but chances are your phone always is.
  • Custom planners. Having a planner organized in a way that works for your needs can be a huge asset. There are templates available on Canva and other graphic design platforms.
  • Bonus tip: separate work from daily life. Having dedicated planners for school, work, housework, and passion projects allows you to stay focused and reduces stress.
  1. Breakdown tasks
    When you are given larger tasks, it is always good to break the tasks down into smaller, manageable pieces or chunks. After breaking down large tasks into smaller ones, you can work for 30-40 minutes each day on them. You need to look at the big picture and have a plan to stay on track. By doing this, you can complete your large tasks easily without stressing yourself out. You can also make use of the Pomodoro technique for effective time management. The Pomodoro technique involves dividing tasks into 25-minute chunks, followed by a 5-minute break. If that doesn’t work for you, there are other similar techniques you can make use of instead. You can refer to the Instagram post by CPRS students here to learn more about it.

Bonus tip: Complete your tasks early to allow time for a final review. This final review can reduce the number of errors and typos in your work.

To keep up with all things SSC, follow @CPRSstudents on Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok.!

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CPRS Toronto – Call for Board Members
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Call For Board Members

The CPRS Toronto Board is still in search of new board members to serve as Professional Development and Sponsorship Chairs.

If you are interested in building your resume and volunteering your time with the organization, please contact Lois Marsh at:  marshl@marsh-executive.com.

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Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS), Toronto Chapter Celebrates an Evening of Excellence in Communications at the 2022 Achieving Communications Excellence (ACE) Awards Ceremony 
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Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS), Toronto Chapter Celebrates an Evening of Excellence in Communications at the 2022 Achieving Communications Excellence (ACE) Awards Ceremony 

TORONTO, July 21, 2022 – Last night, the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) Toronto chapter celebrated Toronto’s most talented and innovative public relations and communications practitioners at the annual Achieving Communications Excellence (ACE) Awards Ceremony. Taking place virtually this year, the awards showcased outstanding work in the practice of public relations, receiving 147 high-caliber submissions from a variety of agencies, corporations, individuals and not-for-profits in the Greater Toronto Area.

“I would like to give a big congratulations to the many winners and finalists at this year’s ACE Awards,” said Nancy MacMillan, President, CPRS Toronto Chapter. “The ACE Awards is one of CPRS Toronto’s most exciting nights of the year, and it was a great honour to be surrounded by an incredible group of inspiring practitioners.”

The ACE Awards highlight skill, innovation, and intelligence within the public relations and communications industry. The awards recognize communications campaigns in diverse categories including events, media relations, digital media, healthcare and diversity, equity, and inclusion. This full presentation celebrating the winners in each category can be found here.

“We would also like to acknowledge and express gratitude towards our dedicated volunteers as well as this year’s sponsor, McMaster-Syracuse MCM Program. Without their support, the ACE Awards would not be possible,” said MacMillan.

The 2022 ACE Award recipients included: 

Finalists, Best Campaign of the Year 

  • Craft Public Relations and Earth’s Own; The Plant Challenge
  • Mint Agency and UM Canada; Her for She
  • Proof Strategies and Audible; Audible Indigenous Writers’ Circle

Finalists, Best Creative Campaign of the Year 

  • IKEA Canada and Hill+Knowlton Strategies; Proud to Play
  • Jake’s House and Edelman Canada; Introducing the ASD Band
  • Zeno Group Canada and Barilla Canada; Barilla Pastaport

Best Integrated Communications Campaign, COVID-related

  • Gold – LABOUR; WeRPN Nursing During COVID-19
  • Silver – Insurance Bureau of Canada, Paradigm and, True Media Canada; Pandemic Assistance for Small Businesses
  • Bronze – Deborah Wilson, Jessica Pellerin, Louise Brooks; Billy Bishop Airport-Restart & Reassure

Best Use of Media Relations, COVID-related

  • Silver – LABOUR; WeRPN Nurding During COVID-19
  • Silver – Kaiser & Partners and ADP Canada; Workplace Insight Surveys
  • Bronze – LifeWorks and Kaiser & Partners; Mental Health Index Campaign

Brand Development Campaign of the Year 

  • Gold – Upfield Canada and Edelman; Oat Yes We Did! Becel® with Oat Beverage
  • Silver – APEX PR and BIC; BIC Gel-ocity Back-to-School Campaign
  • Silver – Town of Whitby; 2022 Budget Community Engagement
  • Bronze – LifeWorks and Kaiser & Partners Inc.; Morneau Shepell Rebrand to LifeWorks
  • Bronze – Coke Canada Bottling and Middle Child; Coke Canada Bottling Local Bottler Campaign
  • Bronze – The PR Department and Radiant; ShareWord Global Brand Launch
  • Bronze – Narrative and Volvo Car Canada; World Free Car Day

Community Relations Campaign of the Year

  • Gold – Agnostic and Metro Ontario; Lincoln Heights Store Re-Opening
  • Bronze – Coke Canada Bottling and Middle Child; Coke Canada Bottling Holiday Truck Tour

Canadian Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Campaign of the Year 

  • Gold – Proof Strategies and Audible; Audible Indigenous Writers’ Circle
  • Gold – Jake’s House and Edelman Canada; Introducing the ASD Band
  • Bronze – Crayola Canada and Argyle; #MyColour
  • Bronze – Veritas and Labatt Breweries of Canada; #TapeOutHate

CSR or Cause-Related Campaign, Best 

  • Gold – Jake’s House and Edelman Canada; Introducing The ASD Band
  • Silver – Canadian Red Cross; Be That Someone
  • Silver – Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada and Weber Shandwick Canada; RMHC National Cookie Day
  • Silver – San Pellegrino and Strategic Objectives; San Pellegrino Chef Collective
  • Silver – Canadian Cancer Society and Hill+Knowlton Strategies; Canadian Cancer Society’s Dry Feb
  • Bronze – Carol Levine, Stephanie Engel, energi PR Jewish General Hospital Foundation; Le Week-end Pour Combattre Le Cancer

Digital Communications Campaign of the Year 

  • Gold – Mint Agency and UM Canada; Her For She
  • Bronze – Climate Proof Canada and Paradigm; It takes both offence and defence to win
  • Bronze – Proof Strategies and NGen; Careers of the Future
  • Bronze – Golin and Arterra Wines Canada; Turning Wines into Wins with Wine Rack

Employee Engagement / Internal Communications Campaign of the Year 

  • Gold – McDonald’s Canada and Weber Shandwick Canada; Elevate McDonald’s Employee Engagement
  • Bronze – McDonald’s Canada and Weber Shandwick Canada; MyMcDonald’s Rewards

Employee Engagement / Internal Communications Campaign Of the Year, COVID-related

  • Silver – Kaiser & Partners and CDW Canada; CDW Canada Internal Communications

Government Relations / Public Affairs Campaign of the Year

  • Gold – Climate Proof Canada and Paradigm; It Takes Both Offense and Defense To Win
  • Silver – Royal LePage and North Strategic; Solving Canada’s Housing Supply Crisis
  • Bronze – GE Hitachi and Argyle; Small Footprint, Big Impact

Healthcare Campaign of the Year

  • Gold – Baycrest, Hill + Knowlton Strategies, BBDO and Hearts & Science; Baycrest Fear No Age
  • Silver – GSK and Edelman; Advil’s #AfterMyShot/#ApresMonVaccin
  • Bronze – LABOUR; WeRPN Nursing During COVID-19

Healthcare Campaign of the Year, COVID-related

  • Gold – LABOUR; WeRPN Nursing During COVID-19

Human Resource or Benefits Campaign, Best

  • Silver – Proof Strategies and Canadian Red Cross; Be That Someone

Investor / Financial Relations Campaign of the Year

  • Silver – Kaiser & Partners and Sleep Country Canada; Showcasing Sleep Country’s Strategy

Media Relations, Best Use of (Under $50,000)

  • Gold – IKEA Canada and Hill+Knowlton Strategies; Green Friday
  • Gold – Royal LePage and North Strategic; Solving Canada’s Housing Supply Crisis
  • Gold – Veritas and Labatt Breweries of Canada; This Game Is For Us All
  • Gold – Craft Public Relations and Tim Hortons; The Launch of Timbiebs in Canada
  • Silver – LABOUR; WeRPN Nursing During COVID-19
  • Silver – Kaiser & Partners and LHH Canada; LHH Canada Labour Force Survey
  • Silver – Briar Wells Cisco Canada and Agnostic; Cisco Canada Hybrid Work Index
  • Silver – Novo Nordisk Canada and Argyle; Don’t Put Your Health on Hold
  • Bronze – energi PR and Canadian Cancer Society; World Cancer Day
  • Bronze – Pomp & Circumstance; Ontario Beef 2021 Media Relations
  • Bronze – Craft Public Relations; Canadian Launch of Big Brain Academy

Media Relations, Best Use of (Over $50,000)

  • Gold – Interac Corp. and Hill+Knowlton Strategies; The Feel-Good Phenomenon
  • Gold – Craft Public Relations and News Media Canada; National Newspaper Week 2021
  • Gold – LifeWorks and Kaiser & Partners; Mental Health Index Campaign
  • Gold – McCormick Canada; Get Outside with Club House
  • Silver – NATIONAL Public Relations; A Breath in the Sky
  • Bronze – McDonald’s Canada and Weber Shandwick Canada; Drive Thru Say I Do
  • Bronze – APEX PR; Mydoh App Media Relations Award
  • Bronze – Mint Agency and UM Canada; Her For She
  • Bronze – Pomp & Circumstance; Park Hyatt Toronto Re-Opening
  • Bronze – Crayola Canada and Argyle; #MyColour
  • Bronze – Porter Novelli Canada; Forward Together
  • Bronze – RE/MAX Canada; Liveability and Realtor Professionalism

Marketing Communications Campaign of the Year

  • Gold – Craft Public Relations and Earth’s Own; The Plant Challenge
  • Gold – Proof Strategies and Canadian Red Cross; Be That Someone
  • Gold – Craft Public Relations; Creating the Tim Hortons Holiday Bear
  • Gold – Walmart Canada and APEX PR; 2021 Walmart BTS Campaign
  • Gold – Zeno Group Canada and Barilla Canada; Barilla Pastaport
  • Gold – Proof Strategies and NGen; Careers of the Future
  • Silver – PRAXIS; Launch of Black Bowmore DB5 1964
  • Silver – Slips, Trips and Falls Campaign Team; Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board
  • Silver – Walmart Canada and APEX PR; 2021 Walmart Apparel Campaign
  • Silver – UPS Canada and Argyle; Come Back Strong
  • Bronze – McDonald’s Canada and Weber Shandwick Canada; MyMcDonald’s Rewards
  • Bronze – Electrical Safety Authority and Hill+Knowlton Strategies; Powerline Safety
  • Bronze – The PR Department and Breakthrough Communications; Amarula’s National Cookie Exchange
  • Bronze – Agnostic and Truss Beverage Co.; Local Cannabis Beverage Outlet
  • Bronze – Government of Northwest Territories and Argyle; Speak the Tooth
  • Bronze – Warner Bros. Pictures Canada: Sandy Power and Christopher Lewchuk ; The Matrix Resurrections
  • Bronze – Pomp & Circumstance; She’s Mercedes Power Suit Project

New Product or Service Launch Campaign of the Year

  • Gold – Craft Public Relations; Monogram x Patrick Kriss Partnership
  • Gold – Craft Public Relations; Introducing the Impossible Whopper to Canada
  • Gold – IKEA Canada with Hill+Knowlton Strategies; Proud to Play
  • Silver – Zoglo’s and Strategic Objectives; Relaunch of Zoglo’s
  • Silver – APEX PR; Mydoh App New Product Launch of the Year
  • Silver – LifeWorks and Kaiser & Partners; AbilitiCBT Pandemic Program Launch
  • Bronze – SodaStream and Edelman; Bublé Drops
  • Bronze – Veritas and Labatt Breweries of Canada; Bud Light Seltzer Launch

Publication, Best

  • Bronze – Kaiser & Partners, Scott Newlands Design and Sleep Country Canada; 2020 Annual Report

Student Public Relations Campaign or Event of the Year, Executed

  • Bronze – Eleanor Willner-Fraser, Monika Haresh, Kathy Yang, Sevdia Rama and Natalia Franco, Centennial College; Face-to-Face February

Student Public Relations Communications Plan of the Year

  • Silver – Luxshana Sivaneswaran and Gustavo Lopes; 100 Sweaty Sweats
  • Silver – Chiara Silo, Daniela Biggart, Dhruvy Rawal, Karson Simpson and Nicholas Li; PR: Shaping the Future
  • Bronze – Ama Asamoah, Kathleen Bennet, Sara Hopkinson, Amanda Serpa and Sasha Sheludko, Humber College; Madawaska Adventures Communication
  • Bronze – Amanda Cheung; Arielle Rodrigues, Addy Sison, Albina Sufaj, Javier Pardo, Centennial College; The Women We Know

Special Events or Experiential Marketing, Best Use of

  • Gold – Veritas and Labatt Breweries of Canada; This Game Is For Us All
  • Silver – Kia Canada and Strategic Objectives; #KiaElectricSound
  • Silver – Warner Bros. Pictures Canada: Sandy Power and Christopher Lewchuk; The Matrix Resurrections
  • Bronze – Narrative and KITKAT Chocolatory; Made 4 U

Social Media Campaign, Best, and/or Influencers, Best Use of

  • Gold – Craft Public Relations and Tim Hortons; The Launch of Cold Brew
  • Silver – McDonald’s Canada and Weber Shandwick Canada; McDonald’s From Home
  • Silver – ruckus Digital; Taste of the Tropics
  • Silver – ruckus Digital and DoorDash, Inc.; DoorDash Partnership Marketing Campaign
  • Silver – APEX PR and Levi’s® Canada; Levi’s® Canada Ambassador Program
  • Silver – SodaStream and Edelman; Bublé Drops
  • Bronze – McDonald’s Canada and Weber Shandwick Canada; Smarties McFlurry
  • Bronze – ruckus Digital; DoorDash Courageous Conversations
  • Bronze – Golin and PetSmart Canada; Introducing the PetSmart Pawsse

Writing, Best

  • Silver – Kaiser & Partners and SecureKey; Frontiers in Blockchain

CPRS Toronto Leadership awards

  • Lois Marsh Award – Jenny Shin, Milestones Public Relations
  • Volunteer of the Year – Mahlet Sintayehu
  • PR professional of the Year – Lisa Pasquin, Craft Public Relations
  • Student of the Year – Kathy Yang, Centennial College

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About CPRS

Founded in 1948, the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) Toronto Local Society is a not-for-profit association of professionals dedicated to the practice, management and teaching of public relations and communications. Comprising 13 local societies, CPRS’ mission is to build a national public relations and communications management community through professional development and accreditation, collaboration with thought leaders, a commitment to ethics and a code of professional standards, advocacy for the profession, and support to members at every stage of their careers.

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Call for Nominations: 2022-2023 Board of Directors
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CPRS Toronto members interested in serving on the board for the 2022-2023 term should provide their resume to Lois Marsh at marshl@marsh-executive.com

Participating on the board enables you to extend your professional network, add to your portfolio and resume, enhance your corporate governance skills and learn from your industry peers while contributing to our profession in a meaningful way.

In an effort to better represent our community, we would encourage Black, Indigenous, People of Colour and those with diverse backgrounds to submit their application.

The term will start after the Annual General Meeting in June 2022. Having an APR, more than five years of communications experience or being an active volunteer are assets, but not required. All members are invited to apply before the deadline of Thursday, April 14.

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The evolution of the influencer in PR
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May 26, 2021 – The evolution of influencers in PR

Influencers have become an integral part of relaying or enhancing client key messages for everything from brand launches to reputation management. Should you use many micro-influencers vs. a few macro-influencers? Should you be whitelisting (boosting) their paid content? What are reasonable influencer rates and how do you contextualize the vast range of fees? We’ll have answers to these questions and so much more from our panel of experts.

Presenters:

Krystle Ng-A-Mann, Blogger and Lawyer
IG: @dineandfash
Krystle Ng-A-Mann (also known as Dine & Fash) is a full-time content creator, lifestyle blogger, and photographer based in Toronto. She shares engaging and inspiring content with her audience that spans various topics, including food, travel, lifestyle, legal considerations for content creators, and most recently, fertility.

She worked as a lawyer in Toronto for 9 years before becoming a full-time content creator 4 years ago. This year, she has come full circle by starting her own part-time legal practice to negotiate and advise on influencer contracts on behalf of creators and agencies.

Nina Kalos, EVP, General Manager, Veritas Communications
IG: @kalosnina
Nina is an experienced and highly motivated practitioner in public relations and social engagement. In her role as EVP, General Manager, Nina uses her wealth of experience to deliver impeccable client service, building strong relationships with key stakeholders and clients. She believes we are in the ‘people business’ and that everyone is an influencer.

Whether she is searching for ways to achieve better results for her clients or driving the team forward in executing national campaigns, she is always eager to take on new challenges. Some of Nina’s experience includes clients like Kimberly Clark, Bayer, Church and Dwight, Revlon and Labatt Breweries of Canada.

Bria Weaver, Freelance PR & Marketing Consultant
IG: @briweavs
@theinfluencerrev

Bria is an enthusiastic, creative, and determined professional with over a decade of experience in PR, influencer marketing and content creation. She’s had the opportunity to work with fast-paced agencies and festivals to impactful not-for-profits.

A few years ago, she made the jump into freelancing and hasn’t looked back. Her entrepreneurial spirit is innate and was sparked when she launched her own food tour business to showcase local neighbourhoods in Toronto. Her tour company has since been put to rest (by a food coma) and she is currently in the process of launching an influencer tool to bring more accountability to the industry. Having a long history in digital media relations, she has an eye for identifying key influencer partnership opportunities.

Jenny Shin, President of CPRS Toronto, CEO of Milestones PR and Talent Management
IG: @jennyshinpr / @milestones_public_relations
The driving source of passion behind the team at Milestones Public Relations, Jenny has over 20 years of experience in PR and recently expanded her agency to include talent management.  She is currently President of the Canadian Public Relations Society Toronto and has been on the board for almost 15 years.

Jenny knows the value of building mutually beneficial relationships with well-known influencers, as she has headed a number of highly successful campaigns involving multiple influencers and advocated on both the agency and influencer sides. Her work as a TEDx scout and coach has acutely honed her understanding of who influences and how they influence.

Date: Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Time: 6 p.m.

Location: via Zoom

Cost: Members $16.95

Non-members $22.60

Student members $16.95

REGISTER HERE>>

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February 27, 2020 – Can you code it? Yes, you can!
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Can you code it? Yes, you can!

Join us for an introduction to coding with Sarah Dinn. Through this interactive “code-along” workshop, Sarah will guide you through building your first code-based project and demonstrate the applications and benefits of having HTML and CSS in your toolkit. Whether you need to engage with programmers, counsel clients about communications online, or even build your own website, your overall skill-set will be enhanced when you further your understanding of how to interact with computers.

In addition to boosting your computer literacy, we hope to pique your interest to learn more about code; Sarah will provide a laundry list of resources should you like to take additional introductory coding classes, more intensive courses, independent learning tools, casual online coding games and applications, as well as general resources to support your next learning journey.

Further to our interactive session with Sarah, Dr. Alex Sevigny, APR, will offer brief commentary on the latest academic research related to public relations and information technology. Alex is leading some of this research through his role at McMaster University.

About Sarah:

Sarah is a Toronto-based front-end web developer and works supporting curriculum that develop future skills in technology. Among great company and even better conversation, she values clean, semantic language, responsive design, accessibility for all, and an awesome board game on a Friday night. When not learning about the tech ecosystem, you can find Sarah hiking High Park with her mild mannered husband, spirited toddler and less than impressed dog, Cliffy.

Date:  Thursday, February 27, 2020

Time: 5:30 pm

Location: Proof, 33 Bloor Street East, Suite 900,  Toronto, ON M4W 3H1

Cost:

Members: $20 + HST

Non-member: $25 + HST

Student member: $15 + HST

Student non-member: $20 + HST

REGISTER HERE>>>

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February 6, 2020 – ACE the ACE Awards
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ACE the ACE Awards

Date: February 6, 2020

Location: Weber Shandwick Canada, 351 King Street East, Suite 800, Toronto, ON M5A 1L1

Time: 5 p.m.

Cost:

Members: $20 + HST

Non-member: $25 + HST

Student member: $15 + HST

Student non-member: $20 + HST

Join last year’s ACE Awards winners from Weber Shandwick and DDB Public Relations to learn about what it takes to come out on top at the 2020 ACE Awards.

Weber Shandwick was honoured as the winner of Best Creative PR Campaign of the Year for their creative flair and passion behind #BuickStyle: The Ultimate Driving Shoe.

DDB Public Relations/DDB Canada took home the trophy for Best PR Campaign of the Year for their memorable work on Digital Poppy Launch.

REGISTER HERE>>>

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PR and Influencers: On Transparency, Disclosure and Trust
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PR and Influencers: On Transparency, Disclosure and Trust

On September 28, 2016 the Canadian Public Relations Society (Toronto) kicked off its Annual General Meeting with a panel discussion titled, “PR and Influencers: On Transparency, Disclosure and Trust.” The panel included PR professionals and successful social media personalities offering their take on the importance of trust, and what it means to be an influencer.

With the rise of the social media influencer, it’s never been easier to reach an audience. Rather than relying on expensive celebrity endorsements, or extensive traditional media campaigns, brands can promote their products and services through social media-savvy individuals- with incredible results. For the public relations community however, this gives rise to a new challenge: how to build and maintain trust between influencers and their followers to the benefit of your client?

CPRS Toronto welcomed Jennifer Waxman Stallman of the popular Facebook goup, “Entertain Kids on a Dime,” Danielle Finestone of “TO Foodies,” and social media/digital marketing guru Sheldon Levine. The panel was moderated by former CPRS president and celebrated digital marketing expert, Martin Waxman.

During the discussion, the influencers shared their experiences using social media to build business. As a successful mom blogger, Jennifer Waxman Stallman highlighted the importance of trust among her clientele- mothers looking for entertainment, care, and products for their children through Facebook. “One woman posted an advertisement for necklaces she was selling around Christmas, and didn’t get a single response. I re-shared her post and she was fielding messages into the night,” she said. “I explained to her that they don’t think she’s a scam- it’s just I have their trust.”

Danielle Finestone launched TO Foodies through Instagram, and said she grew her following through a very grassroots approach: reposting, asking for tags, and posting and moderating the group herself. “Foodie culture in the city was focused on the high-end. We found a void and filled it, and we’ve maintained that reputation.”

With Advertising Standards Canada changing its disclosure laws next year, Sheldon reinforced the importance of full disclosure on the part of influencers when promoting free product from a brand. He also shared five tips for success for PR professionals working with influencers, which included creating a clear and realistic definition of success, and working together to create content.

Leandra Grant (leandrakgrant@gmail.com) is an independent blogger, PR writer and communications consultant who regularly works with Milestones Public Relations, Tuni Talks, and various publications.

 

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Everything You Wanted to Know About Journalists But Were Afraid to Ask
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Everything You Wanted to Know About Journalists But Were Afraid to Ask 

By Melissa Meyer, Communications Assistant, CNW Group

This post originally appeared on CNW’s Beyond the Wire blog, at: http://cnw.newswire.ca/blog/Media-Relations-BestPractices.html

In Canada, PR professionals outweigh journalists 4:1 and media outlets continue to consolidate as newsrooms keep shrinking. It’s never been more important for PR professionals to have top-notch media relations skills, but approaching a journalist can still be challenging even with the added convenience of social media. How can PR build real relationships with Canadian media?

On June 23rd, CPRS Toronto presented survey data collected from Canadian journalists by Leger and CNW about their PR and media relations preferences. Presented by Dave Scholz, Managing Partner of Leger 360 and Laurie Smith, VP Strategic Communications, Media and Audience Relations at CNW, the study results reinforced some key essentials and introduced new ideas foranyone seeking to improve their pitching skills.

A panel moderated by Daniel Tisch, APR, FCPRS, President and CEO, Argyle Public Relationships included Linda Andross, ABC, Managing Partner at APEX PR/ruckus Digital, Stacey Dunseath, Executive Producer for The Agenda with Steve Paikin, Steve Ladurantaye, Managing Editor, Digital News at the CBC, and Mary Vallis, Life Editor for the Toronto Star. Here are a few highlights from the lively event:

It’s “and” not “or” when it comes to methods of reaching journalists

Include new channels into your media outreach strategy, but don’t abandon old ones. For example, the existence of Twitter has not rendered news releases obsolete; both are now required according to journalists, who understandably don’t want you to make them work too hard to find your story idea.

When weighing the merit of writing about your news, journalists will consider how the story will play out across all platforms, whether in print, digital, social or broadcast, depending on the outlet and the opportunity. PR practitioners should think the same way when pitching and create ways to make this easily apparent in their pitch or news release.

“The story we tell on the CBC’s website is different than the story told on Twitter, which is vastly different than how a story will be shared on Snapchat,” said Ladurantaye.

The study found that while some journalists like being pitched over email, some still prefer a phone call (!!!) and some prefer social media exclusivity. For PR practitioners, it really comes down to learning about the people on your distribution list and catering to their individual preferences.

“Be willing to step outside your format in order to meet my format,” said Vallis.

This means, that if you really want to do things well, you’ve got a lot of work to do on that media list BEFORE you actually need that media list. It’s too late on the morning of a big announcement to be concerned with tweaking individual pitches – you need to have done this in advance or you’re only going to have time to prepare a generic “blast” style email pitch to your entire list and hope for the best. On that though, while journalists hate the impersonal touch, if the news is good enough or if the pitch demonstrates relevance to their audience, they’re going to pursue it no matter how it arrives.

When it comes to following up on a story pitch or news release, every journalist’s preference will differ. Stacey Dunseath welcomes follow up calls, as stories are sometimes overlooked unintentionally, whereas Mary Vallis would rather not receive follow ups — at all.

Journalists receive, on average, 11 pitches per day. Despite what we read and hear, almost half of journalists surveyed thought the number of pitches they receive is “just about right” while the restsaid it was too many. A surprising 4% of respondents reported they don’t get enough pitches!

Helpful hint: The majority of journalists said bullet points are best in a pitch – don’t get bogged down in lengthy descriptions.

The bottom line:

PR professionals should take the time to the personal preferences of the individuals on their media lists and tailor their pitches and outreach channels accordingly.

Build real relationships

“Relationship building is an analog process,” said Tisch.

“PR practitioners need to put work into their media relations,” added Andross.

“I’m more likely to read your email if I already know you’re a good source,” said Vallis.

“If I know you, and I like you, I will do you a favour once in a while if I can,” said Ladurantaye.

“One of my dearest friendships started out as a PR-reporter relationship,” added Dunsneath.

So where should you start? According to Dunseath, it’s quite simple; “take a journalist out for coffee; it’s a great way to get started.”

Don’t forget thatengaging on social media isn’t the same as a real relationship. “Social media makes us feel closer, but we truly aren’t,” reminded Ladurantaye. All panelists recounted PR professionals who have become close friends because their relationships spanned beyond their work responsibilities.

A word of caution to young PR professionals: it’s not as easy as our panel made it sound to take a journalist out for coffee. Much like needing job experience to get a job, you also need to know a reporter in order to get to know them over coffee. It may take some time to find the right opportunity to do so, but it should be an activity you pursue over the course of your career.

While it is often the case that pitch emails and follow up calls fall to those with the least experience, this is not the best approach. Andross advised that the right people to be pitching a client’s story may be scattered throughout an account team. Take the time to review your media list in advance and determine who has the best relationship or credibility with each journalist.

The panel also discussed the advantage of using exclusives to build relationships and create the best coverage for your news.

Exclusivity is high on a journalist’s wish list. “I don’t want the story that everybody gets,” said Ladurantaye. “Pitch where you will get the most bang for your buck. Even with one outlet, others will follow.”

Indeed, one of the main sources for story ideas comes from what other news organizations are writing about. This is the case for 43% of journalists surveyed.

If the story is perfect for a particular outlet, there may be no point in sharing it with several others and risk no one covering it at all. It often takes some discussion up front to determine interest and set out timing, so plan accordingly.

Andross advised that before undertaking a one-outlet approach, the PR team should always get buy-in from the client. “Educate your clients to understand that not every journalist wants to be pitched for everything and in the same way as everybody else,” said Tisch.

If you don’t have buy-in, or if you firmly believe the story has broad appeal, try to create alternative angles for different outlets, to prevent them from covering the story in identical ways.

Helpful hint: Always include multimedia with your news release and experiment with including different images with your tailored pitches. Don’t include them as large attachments. Try using Dropbox instead.

The bottom line: The media is a competitive business and journalists don’t like writing the same story that someone else is writing. Be creative and present each outlet with a way to cover it best, their way.

  • Lois Marsh
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Everything You Wanted to Know About Journalists But Were Afraid to Ask
150 155 Lois Marsh

Everything You Wanted to Know About Journalists But Were Afraid to Ask 

By Melissa Meyer, Communications Assistant, CNW Group

This post originally appeared on CNW’s Beyond the Wire blog, at: http://cnw.newswire.ca/blog/Media-Relations-BestPractices.html

In Canada, PR professionals outweigh journalists 4:1 and media outlets continue to consolidate as newsrooms keep shrinking. It’s never been more important for PR professionals to have top-notch media relations skills, but approaching a journalist can still be challenging even with the added convenience of social media. How can PR build real relationships with Canadian media?

On June 23rd, CPRS Toronto presented survey data collected from Canadian journalists by Leger and CNW about their PR and media relations preferences. Presented by Dave Scholz, Managing Partner of Leger 360 and Laurie Smith, VP Strategic Communications, Media and Audience Relations at CNW, the study results reinforced some key essentials and introduced new ideas foranyone seeking to improve their pitching skills.

A panel moderated by Daniel Tisch, APR, FCPRS, President and CEO, Argyle Public Relationships included Linda Andross, ABC, Managing Partner at APEX PR/ruckus Digital, Stacey Dunseath, Executive Producer for The Agenda with Steve Paikin, Steve Ladurantaye, Managing Editor, Digital News at the CBC, and Mary Vallis, Life Editor for the Toronto Star. Here are a few highlights from the lively event:

It’s “and” not “or” when it comes to methods of reaching journalists

Include new channels into your media outreach strategy, but don’t abandon old ones. For example, the existence of Twitter has not rendered news releases obsolete; both are now required according to journalists, who understandably don’t want you to make them work too hard to find your story idea.

When weighing the merit of writing about your news, journalists will consider how the story will play out across all platforms, whether in print, digital, social or broadcast, depending on the outlet and the opportunity. PR practitioners should think the same way when pitching and create ways to make this easily apparent in their pitch or news release.

“The story we tell on the CBC’s website is different than the story told on Twitter, which is vastly different than how a story will be shared on Snapchat,” said Ladurantaye.

The study found that while some journalists like being pitched over email, some still prefer a phone call (!!!) and some prefer social media exclusivity. For PR practitioners, it really comes down to learning about the people on your distribution list and catering to their individual preferences.

“Be willing to step outside your format in order to meet my format,” said Vallis.

This means, that if you really want to do things well, you’ve got a lot of work to do on that media list BEFORE you actually need that media list. It’s too late on the morning of a big announcement to be concerned with tweaking individual pitches – you need to have done this in advance or you’re only going to have time to prepare a generic “blast” style email pitch to your entire list and hope for the best. On that though, while journalists hate the impersonal touch, if the news is good enough or if the pitch demonstrates relevance to their audience, they’re going to pursue it no matter how it arrives.

When it comes to following up on a story pitch or news release, every journalist’s preference will differ. Stacey Dunseath welcomes follow up calls, as stories are sometimes overlooked unintentionally, whereas Mary Vallis would rather not receive follow ups — at all.

Journalists receive, on average, 11 pitches per day. Despite what we read and hear, almost half of journalists surveyed thought the number of pitches they receive is “just about right” while the restsaid it was too many. A surprising 4% of respondents reported they don’t get enough pitches!

Helpful hint: The majority of journalists said bullet points are best in a pitch – don’t get bogged down in lengthy descriptions.

The bottom line:

PR professionals should take the time to the personal preferences of the individuals on their media lists and tailor their pitches and outreach channels accordingly.

Build real relationships

“Relationship building is an analog process,” said Tisch.

“PR practitioners need to put work into their media relations,” added Andross.

“I’m more likely to read your email if I already know you’re a good source,” said Vallis.

“If I know you, and I like you, I will do you a favour once in a while if I can,” said Ladurantaye.

“One of my dearest friendships started out as a PR-reporter relationship,” added Dunsneath.

So where should you start? According to Dunseath, it’s quite simple; “take a journalist out for coffee; it’s a great way to get started.”

Don’t forget thatengaging on social media isn’t the same as a real relationship. “Social media makes us feel closer, but we truly aren’t,” reminded Ladurantaye. All panelists recounted PR professionals who have become close friends because their relationships spanned beyond their work responsibilities.

A word of caution to young PR professionals: it’s not as easy as our panel made it sound to take a journalist out for coffee. Much like needing job experience to get a job, you also need to know a reporter in order to get to know them over coffee. It may take some time to find the right opportunity to do so, but it should be an activity you pursue over the course of your career.

While it is often the case that pitch emails and follow up calls fall to those with the least experience, this is not the best approach. Andross advised that the right people to be pitching a client’s story may be scattered throughout an account team. Take the time to review your media list in advance and determine who has the best relationship or credibility with each journalist.

The panel also discussed the advantage of using exclusives to build relationships and create the best coverage for your news.

Exclusivity is high on a journalist’s wish list. “I don’t want the story that everybody gets,” said Ladurantaye. “Pitch where you will get the most bang for your buck. Even with one outlet, others will follow.”

Indeed, one of the main sources for story ideas comes from what other news organizations are writing about. This is the case for 43% of journalists surveyed.

If the story is perfect for a particular outlet, there may be no point in sharing it with several others and risk no one covering it at all. It often takes some discussion up front to determine interest and set out timing, so plan accordingly.

Andross advised that before undertaking a one-outlet approach, the PR team should always get buy-in from the client. “Educate your clients to understand that not every journalist wants to be pitched for everything and in the same way as everybody else,” said Tisch.

If you don’t have buy-in, or if you firmly believe the story has broad appeal, try to create alternative angles for different outlets, to prevent them from covering the story in identical ways.

Helpful hint: Always include multimedia with your news release and experiment with including different images with your tailored pitches. Don’t include them as large attachments. Try using Dropbox instead.

The bottom line: The media is a competitive business and journalists don’t like writing the same story that someone else is writing. Be creative and present each outlet with a way to cover it best, their way.

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