MEMBERS BLOG

On Thursday, February 11 the CPRS Toronto’s Student Steering Committee (SSC) hosted their fifth-annual Building Media Relationships event at The Pilot in downtown Toronto.

Every year, a panel of media and public relations professionals share their insights and key advice with attendees.

This year’s panel included: Lindsey Coulter, Weber Shandwick; Shawn Rusich, Butter PR; Kelsey Rutherford, High Road Communications; Arti Patel, Huffington Post Canada; Jennifer Weatherhead Harrington, Travel & Style Magazine; and Kathleen Newman-Bremang, The Social. CNW Group‘s Laurie Smith moderated the lively panel discussion.

Here are the top six takeaways from the event:

1. Do your research.

Before you reach out and pitch to a journalist, know what they write about and what beat they cover. Questions to consider include: Do they create content for my target demographic? Is this the best medium?

“It is important to really understand how they write and why they write.” – Arti Patel

2. Be personal.

Craft each email pitch to be personal and tailor the story to align with the journalist’s beat. This proves you are proactive and clued into their needs.

“If the email has a generic “hi” then I won’t even read it.” – Kathleen Newman-Bremang

Pro Tip: Kelsey suggested keeping notes about a reporter’s likes and dislikes for future use. For example, whether they prefer email or phone pitches.

3. Stand Out.

Laurie Smith shared the interesting statistic that PR professionals outweigh journalists 4-1. This means reporters are constantly being bombarded by pitches. To make your pitch stand out, write a very tailored and catchy subject line. Simplify the reporter’s job by putting ‘the ask’ in the subject line.

“The art of writing a subject line is important. Tailor it to get their attention.” – Jennifer Weatherhead Harrington

4. Be Respectful

Every good media relationship is based on courtesy and respect. The panelists agreed that it is unprofessional to pitch through personal social media.

On the topic of questions public relations practitioners should never ask the media, these were some of their pet peeves:

“Don’t ask if you can have creative control. We respect what you are promoting, but you also need to let us do our job.” – Kathleen Newman-Bremang

“Don’t ask who my demographic is. Your research should have already told you who they are” – Jennifer Weatherhead Harrington

5. Be resourceful.

During the pitching process, make the journalist’s job easier by providing them with the right content that works best for the outlet.

Bloggers: Provide them with samples of the product so they can test it and reflect on her own experience.

Online news: Send pictures, infographics and social media content that aren’t too branded to be published.

Broadcast television: Provide video content of the guest or spokesperson as well as any related promotional materials.

Pro Tip: if your client will be interviewed on TV, the segment producer needs to see for themselves if they will look good and interview well, hence videos.

6. Stay informed.

With the world of social media and the emergence of influencers and the media landscape changing rapidly, it’s important to keep up with the latest trends.

“The landscape is changing, but it’s forcing us to be more innovative.” – Kelsey Rutherford

There is so much to learn within the ever-evolving world of public relations, but two aspects prevail: good manners and preparation.

More quotes and learning insights can be found on the SSC’s Twitter handle: @CPRSStudents

Check out more photos from the event on our Facebook page: Facebook/CPRSTorontoStudents

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Written by: Alessandra Manieri student in Humber College’s Public Relations Post-Graduate Program.

Past award recipients, Amanda Paterson and Jessica Chong, give their advice to aspiring applicants

Students may be wondering if they should apply for the CPRS Toronto’s Student of the Year, awarded annually at the Achieving Communications Excellence (ACE) Gala. If you’re involved in your community or the public relations industry, you should take the chance, apply for the award and put yourself out there.

From agency to in-house communications department, the last two recipients of the CPRS Toronto Student of the Year award took different paths and here’s where they are today:

 

What’s been the most rewarding part of winning the CPRS Toronto’s Student of the Year?

Amanda: Winning the award means that I have the CPRS name behind me whenever I am job hunting. I feel confident that I can leverage that recognition into better opportunities in the future.

Jessica: I had ton of fun volunteering with the CPRS and working with the CPRS Toronto Student Steering Committee – so the most rewarding part of the award was having made those genuine connections with people in the public relations community.

 

Where are you working now?

Amanda: I’m currently on maternity leave from my position as a Communications Specialist at Baycrest Health Sciences.

Jessica: I’ve been at High Road since June and I’m currently an account coordinator.

 

What’s your day-to-day role?

Amanda: I am responsible for planning and executing internal and external communications plans. My day-to-day includes pitching journalists and editors, writing for web and social media, producing and designing our staff newsletter, and developing marketing strategies for Baycrest’s programs for seniors.

Jessica: My day-to-day schedule changes often and I love how fast-paced an agency setting can be. My role can vary on the digital side and include content calendar creation, web writing, social measurement, community management, influencer relations and sometimes even live-tweeting at events like Taste of Toronto.

 

Has your path in PR changed from what you wanted when you were a student or freshly graduated?

Amanda: I had worked in healthcare marketing prior attending my post-grad, and wanted to continue in that field afterward. It’s an interesting place to be.

Jessica: Before starting my post-grad, originally I wanted to work in-house in a communications department because I didn’t know too much, if anything, about agency life. Going through a post-grad program was my first introduction to agency life. What drew me to agency was how challenging and rewarding it could be to support multiple accounts.

 

What’s your advice to current PR students aspiring to win the award?

Amanda: Treat your program like a job and your teachers like your managers. Impress your faculty and they will be happy to write nomination letters for you.

Jessica: Think about what you can contribute to the public relations industry in the future and what you’ve already contributed. Don’t discount your past experiences before your post-grad or non-PR experience. Sometimes those experiences help paint a more holistic picture of who you are and what you can contribute to the industry.

 

Looking back what is one takeaway from the award you would like current students to know? Is there one piece of advice you would like to give them?​

Amanda: Public relations is all about measurable results. The award is proof of the value you can bring to an organization.

Jessica: Network. Head out to events or for coffee and put yourself outside of your comfort zone. Make connections and ask questions because you’re genuinely curious about their role and their experiences – in and outside of the office.

If you’re ready to jumpstart your career and build connections, consider applying for the CPRS Toronto Student of the Year award. All you need is to submit a resume and one-page endorsement from a faculty, fellow student or mentor. Whether you wish to contribute back to your school or broader community, consider how you will continue to make an impact on others and share your story with the CPRS Toronto today.

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Public relations students, did we cover your questions and satisfy your curiosity about the CPRS Toronto Student of the Year award? You can always connect with Amanda and Jessica on Twitter.

 

 

Written by: Jessica Chong, Account Coordinator, High Road Communications