Announcing TravelCon: The World’s Premier Travel Event

At the end of 2015, I started a travel media school called Superstar Blogging. Since then, the community has grown to over 1,700 students learning blogging, vlogging, writing, and photography from some of the best minds in — and out of — the travel industry. I created the program so that people could learn the real, practical business skills needed to create a sustainable online business. Something that allows you to be your own boss, work from anywhere, and help people with over the long term.

For a long time, I’ve dreamed of organizing a conference in conjunction with the program. Something that would take everything we have online and bring it to life. I want to bring our students, other travel bloggers, and industry experts together to learn, network, connect, and, overall, have a ton of fun! I love the web, but in-person events are 10x better for learning and networking. This is where you can make the most lasting connections and relationships.

When I went to my first conference, I had no clue what to expect. I had this blog I’d been working on for a year and I wasn’t even sure if anyone cared what I was writing. There, at my first conference, I got to meet the fledgling travel community members in real life (back in 2008, it was a small community). Over a weekend, we formed business relationships and friendships. These connections have helped me countless times over the years as I turned my hobby blog into a full-time business. Their insight and support proved to be necessary in an industry that most people outside find difficult to understand. To this day, I count some of the people I met there as some of my closest friends.

I go to between 7-10 conferences each year to meet people, improve my website, and learn new skills. While I love the web, there is a real power in connecting in person. There’s something about meeting another person that bonds you so much more than if you’re constantly following their lives on social media or via their blog posts. I’ve met some of my best friends, co-workers, and mentors at conferences. I don’t think my blog would be nearly as big as it is today had I not stepped away from my computer and attended conferences and events in real life.

There are already some (very good) existing travel blogging conferences but I want to do something different. I want a conference that is less about “getting free trips to travel the world” and more about quality writing, branding, entrepreneurship, SEO, marketing, video production, and product creation — the things that help create a lasting business that delivers value to people and stands the test of time. I haven’t found one travel conference that really digs deep and makes all of this happen.

Enter TravelCon.

TravelCon is a three-day conference in Austin, Texas from September 20th to 22nd, 2018. It will feature keynote speakers, workshops, networking events, writing sessions, photography walks, and opportunities to pitch yourself to brands and tourism boards. This is a conference for people who want more than free stuff. This is the conference for people who are looking to get serious about turning their blog into a business.

With beginner and advanced sessions, we have tracks and tips for people at all levels of success. At this conference, you’ll learn what is currently working right now and what you can do over the long term to create the career you desire. I believe the best conferences have people of varying skill levels so everyone can interact and learn from each other. For too long, travel media conferences have been only geared toward newbies. This conference is really about leveling up, no matter where you are in your blogging journey.

After months of preparation, it’s time to open up the event! We’ve lined up some amazing speakers to lead our workshops, breakout sessions, keynotes, and panels! We’re bringing the best people in the industry to one place. I’ve taken so much care in selecting the speakers for this conference. There’s something special about each one. And they will be sharing their skills and what they’ve learned with you (Note: As we get closer to the event, this speaker list will grow and change):

Kristin Addis

Be My Travel Muse

Gloria Atanmo

The Blog Abroad

Alex Baackes

Alex in Wanderland

Glory Ali

Muslim Travel Rocks

Derek Baron

Wandering Earl

Nathan Barry

ConvertKit

Carol Cain

Gone Girl Travel

Liz Carlson

Young Adventuress

Chris Christenson

Amatuer Traveler Podcast

Jason Cochran

Frommers

Dave & Deb

The Planet D

Brian Dean

Backlinko

Jodi Ettenberg

Legal Nomads

Rachel Frieldman

Freelance Writer

Brenda Gahan

Epic Signal

Adam Groffman

Travels With Adam

Pete & Dalene

Hecktic Travels

Dani Heinrich

Globetrotter Girls

Ryan Holiday

Writer, Ego is the Enemy

Steve Kamb

Nerd Fitness

Cory Lee

Curb Free with Cory Lee

Jaume Marin

Costa Brava Tourism

Liam Martin

Staff.com

Neville Medhora

KopywritingKourse

Angkur Nagpal

Teachable

Elena Nikolova

Muslim Travel Girl

Laurence Norah

Finding the Universe

Dan & Audrey

Uncornered Market

Cailin O’Neil

TravelYourself

Angie Orth

Angie Away

Sam Parr

The Hustle

Chris Richardson

Nomadic Matt

Annette Richmond

From Annette

Kristen Sarah

Hopscotch The Globe

Nadine Sykora

Hey Nadine

Brent Underwood

Brass Check

Ryan Whaley

Greendoor Media

Ernest White II

Fly Brother

Big conferences can often seem impersonal, which is why we’re focusing on small discussions, panels, workshops, and mentor sessions. We want you to walk away with actionable advice. We want you to think, “Wow! I learned so much!” We’re going to have writing, tech, video, and photography workshops were people will edit your work, solve your tech issues, and help you improve your photos and videos. We don’t want people to feel lost in the crowd.

TravelCon will be held at the JW Marriott in downtown Austin. The early, early bird ticket price is only $249 USD. Your ticket includes lunch each day of the event, coffee and tea, all keynote speeches, networking events, workshops, breakout panels, evening parties, and whatever other cool activities we add later!

You can get your ticket and reserve your spot by clicking here.

Our space is limited to 500 people so if you’re interested, secure your spot today (don’t worry, if your plans change, you can get a refund!). The early bird ticket pricing will last until February 28th, 2018.

You should come to this if you are interested in learning how to succeed in the travel industry, improve your craft, learn new skills, meet amazing people, brands, and tourism boards, and just have some an awesome time!

I’m really excited about TravelCon! I really feel this is the space to bring the best blogging minds together and create a conference that can draw in very experienced bloggers and speakers with advanced-level content while helping beginners learn from and interact with them. Plus, it’s going to be a ton of fun to meet and talk to everyone in real life. (We’re focusing a lot more on real-life events this year!)

There’s plenty of room in the travel sphere for an event where media professionals and bloggers can go to learn and share the nuts and bolts of the business — the real, nitty-gritty stuff that separates people from the pack and allows them to build sustainable, profitable, and impactful online travel businesses.

So let’s do this!

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Matt

P.S. – If you have questions, email me at matt@nomadicmatt.com

P.P.S. – Here’s the link to getting a ticket again! Can’t wait to see you there!

The post Announcing TravelCon: The World’s Premier Travel Event appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

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Meet the Real Estate Tech Founder: Andrew Sasson from Corporate+Club

In our latest real estate tech entrepreneur interview, we’re speaking with co-founder and CEO of Corporate+Club, Andrew Sasson. I met Andrew at Inman Connect last week, and was immediately a fan of concept. Look no further than his first answer that mentions “face-to-face interactions and community building” to know why I was drawn to their company and concept (see Horizon’s focus on community).

Without further ado…

What do you do?

Hi, I’m Andrew Sasson, CEO and Co-Founder of Corporate Plus Club. We specialize in face-to-face interactions and community building.

What problem does your product/service solve?

How many times do you meet someone with the potential of doing business together and you forget about each other in less than 2 weeks? Business professionals are constantly meeting people and throwing away potential relationships by not leaving them with a reason to get in contact later. Corporate Plus Club solves that issue by designing a Client Loyalty program right in your business card!

Tim meets Stacy. Instead of a business card, Tim gives her one of his Corporate+Club cards. That membership number on the back of Tim’s card gets Stacy free and full access to the Corporate Plus Club mobile app. In it, Stacy finds all the businesses offering her a discount just for meeting Tim! Tim can gather as many offers as he wants around his community, thereby establishing multiple relationships with business owners and cementing himself as a community leader.

What are you most excited about right now?

Watching our customers around North America adding their own vendors to their club and establishing meaningful relationships is really exciting. I love hearing the stories of relationships made just by ice-breaking with a Corporate+Club card rather than a business card. Our product is changing the way people meet each other and it’s awesome.

What’s next for you?

We’re scaling and automating our operations so we can focus on growth.

What’s a cause you’re passionate about and why?

We have supported and continue to support a number of charities on their fundraising efforts, including The United Way. What’s amazing to us is how many of our business professional customers run their own community, fundraising, and awareness events of all kind. We actually just helped one yesterday create an affiliate page in her Corporate+Club account for a donation link to a local Sick Children’s Hospital. People are awesome!

Thanks to Andrew for sharing his story. If you’d like to connect, find him on LinkedIn here.

We’re constantly looking for great real estate tech entrepreneurs to feature. If that’s you, please read this post — then drop me a line (drew @ geekestatelabs dot com).

The post Meet the Real Estate Tech Founder: Andrew Sasson from Corporate+Club appeared first on GeekEstate Blog.

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How can PR and marketing collaborate to amplify ROI?

Public relations doesn’t operate like it used to.

Companies are trading boring news releases in traditional newspapers for educational articles in online publications. Audiences value authenticity over promotion, and they now see more content in a day than they can read in a year.

It falls to PR pros to convince consumers that their content is worth consuming, and now PR departments are turning to marketing techniques for answers.

A recent study from The Holmes Report details how this partnership has evolved and what companies should do to navigate the changing landscape.

The future of PR

According to the report, almost 90 percent of PR executives believe the term “public relations” will not accurately characterize the job they will be doing in 5 years’ time.

With change coming so quickly, what will modern PR look like—and how can companies prepare to meet evolving audience needs?

This same study also found that 47 percent of PR professionals and 61 percent of marketers believe PR will “become more closely aligned” with marketing over the same period.

[RELATED: Learn new strategies to beat data overload and boost reach, results and ROI.]

These trends don’t mean marketing will absorb PR, or that it will disappear; they simply suggest that PR professionals must re-evaluate how they engage audiences and boost brand image.

They can do this by starting with the narratives they share and the tactics they use to do it.

Why change now?

Audience demand for authenticity is changing everything. In an online world overflowing with content, audiences are now adept at recognizing material which doesn’t serve them.

Journalists, editors and other media professionals have honed this skill to match their audience’s demands. Many media contacts who published press releases (or promotional articles based on them) in the past no longer want to do so—because their audience does not want to read them.

The demand for true value and authenticity has also contributed to the rise in content marketing. The audience wants a relationship with brands they trust and whose values align with theirs.

Content is a powerful tool for building those relationships—and as marketing and PR begin to align, modern PR tactics will need to work alongside classic content marketing techniques to create the kind of material helpful to your brand and your audience.

How PR and marketing can work together

Just throwing PR and marketing teams into a room together is not the solution and will probably lead to more arguments about the Oxford comma than meaningful results.

These teams should work together—not just next to one another. They share similar goals of building the brand and engaging audiences, and their complementary skills allow them to collaborate on rich, engaging content that drives results.

Here are two things to remember as you prepare to merge your marketing and PR teams into one powerhouse department:

1. Adopt a value-driven content strategy.

Content marketing is an effective, easily scalable and measurable strategy for reaching audiences and providing value to them.

Consumers today do not trust brands which stay in the shadows, keeping their insights and ideas to themselves, therefore content marketers must focus on creating strong, high-quality content.

PR pros can then take that content further by getting it in front of the audiences of niche publications and establishing company leaders as industry experts. PR reaches new audiences and builds company credibility through third-party validation, while content marketing keeps those audiences engaged with the brand through consistent content.

2. Rely on relational—not transactional—tactics.

This value-driven approach means PR professionals do not need to pitch promotional press releases to media outlets to put their brands in the spotlight.

Instead, PR pros should identify the niche influencers, journalists, publication editors, thought leaders, reporters and online contributors who speak to their target audiences—and then form relationships with them.

This alignment of public relations and marketing will not happen overnight, but change is already underway. By putting audiences first and cultivating valuable relationships with the right media contacts, PR pros and marketers can create dream teams that are greater than the sum of their parts.

Jessica Canfield is the director of public relations at Influence & Co., a content marketing firm that specializes in helping companies showcase their expertise through thought leadership. A version of this article first appeared on the Spin Sucks blog.

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Facebook defends drop in users, predicts rising revenue

Facebook is defending its first ever drop in usership.

The news that people are leaving the platform can spook investors and other business partners, calling into question the longevity of the platform.

Officials at Facebook contend that the decline in use is a healthy sign for the company, spinning their efforts to change the network for the better.

TechCrunch wrote:

In Facebook’s Q4 2017 earnings report today CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that “Already last quarter, we made changes to show fewer viral videos to make sure people’s time is well spent. In total, we made changes that reduced time spent on Facebook by roughly 50 million hours every day.”

That’s a reduction of roughly 2.14 minutes per day per user, given that Facebook has 1.4 billion users now. Zuckerberg later said that’s a reduction of total time spent on Facebook by 5 percent.

Zuckerberg sold his vision of a Facebook that is good for the “well-being” of its users in a post to his account:

Our focus in 2018 is making sure Facebook isn't just fun, but also good for people's well-being and for society. We're doing this by encouraging meaningful connections between people rather than passive consumption of content. Already last quarter, we made changes to show fewer viral videos to make sure people's time is well spent. In total, we made changes that reduced time spent on Facebook by roughly 50 million hours every day. By focusing on meaningful connections, our community and business will be stronger over the long term.

The company is facing scrutiny over how it tries to retain users, with some calling their practices overly aggressive.

The Independent wrote:

People who are logging into Facebook less often — but aren’t fully disconnected — are noticing more and more frequent prompts to come back, sometimes multiple times a day, via emails or text messages reminding them what they’re missing out on, according to screenshots and reports from users around the world.

[…] Even with regular users, Facebook has become thirstier for posts. The social network’s reminder boxes at the top of the news feed, which often show memories or anniversaries of friendship with close pals, have recently become real estate for more trivial milestones — like being tagged in 10 photos with someone or getting 100 heart reactions.

Others point to this news and say that this trend was the motivation for all the changes that have been announced on Facebook in the last couple of months.

TNW wrote:

The drop in users could also help explain Facebook’s recent moves to fix its machinery – it’s promised to surface more content from your contacts instead of from brands and publishers, it’s trying to crowdsource help to identify trusted media outlets, it’s working to bring you more local news so you’re better connected to your community, it’s blocking cryptocurrency ads that may be misleading, and it says that it’s showing fewer viral videos, which has caused time spent on the site to drop by 50 million hours a day – all in an effort to make people’s time spent on the social network more meaningful.

Although Zuckerberg may have hoped that the changes—and his prediction that usership would drop because of them—would prepare investors for the Q4 reports, the changes come too late to explain the loss of users.

Recode writes:

In early January, Zuckerberg warned people that a decline was coming as a result of changes Facebook was making to its News Feed algorithm, a decision by Facebook to show users more posts from friends and family, and fewer posts from publishers.

But those changes came after Facebook’s Q4 was in the books. Which means they can’t be used to explain the 5 percent decline Facebook reported Wednesday.

Other Facebook officials were less forthcoming in discussing the losses.

Recode continued:

It’s still not entirely clear what caused the decline. CFO Dave Wehner attributed it to “product quality changes,” and when asked to elaborate later on the call, Wehner declined.

But Facebook still soothed concerns about the decline with investors. Wehner clarified that the decline wasn’t even a million users — 700,000 in total, he said — before adding that he “don’t see this as an ongoing trend.”

Forecasts for rising revenue were music to investors’ ears, and Facebook’s stock ended the day up by almost 2 percent.

[RELATED: Learn how to boost buzz, build brand recognition and engage employees on the hottest social media platforms.]

Reuters reported:

Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg told analysts that recent changes to reduce disinformation on Facebook could create “more monetization opportunities.”

Sandberg said she was optimistic about potential revenue from ads on “stories” on Facebook and Instagram, while [CFO Wehner] said the average price per ad increased 43 percent in quarter.

See Mark Zuckerberg’s full statement here:

On Twitter, many pointed to the size of Facebook, questioning whether the blip in user numbers was really news.

Some took the long view of Facebook’s growth:

Facebook's monthly active users:

2017: 2.13 billion
2016: 1.9 billion
2015: 1.6 billion
2014: 1.4 billion
2013: 1.2 billion
2012: 1.1 billion
2011: 845 million
2010: 608 million
2009: 360 million
2008: 140 million
2007: 50 million
2006: 12 million
2005: 5 million
2004: 1 million

— Jon Erlichman (@JonErlichman) January 31, 2018

Others proclaimed their freedom from the site:

I’m not surprised Facebook is losing users — since jumping ship I’ve not once regretted it.

— David Scott O'Reilly (@dsoreilly) February 1, 2018

What do you think of Facebook’s spin on its Q4 losses, PR Daily readers?

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The Simplest Way to Send a Press Release

As a Content Services Manager in PR Newswire’s newsroom, every day I talk to overworked, under-resourced communications professionals with stories to tell. Each one needs an easy way to distribute his or her press release to current and new audiences to generate buzz and business for their company.

But sending a press release isn’t just a one-and-done business. Brands need audiences to find their news wherever they are — on the company website, on social media, in search engines, or even right in their email inbox.

Suddenly the communications pro’s to-do list is expanding. To cover all bases, the release needs to go to:

1. The wire, including traditional journalists and public websites/search engines.
2. Company website newsroom.
3. Social channels like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
4. An internal list of executives, board of directors, and/or employees.
5. A targeted email pitch list of journalists and influencers.
6. Investors and analysts.

That used to mean an entirely separate task for each audience — submitting the copy to their wire service, web developers, social media manager, internal communications manager, and PR agency rep. Not to mention coordinating last-minute changes and final timing with all of them.

The job of PR Newswire’s content specialists is to make our clients’ life easier. And lucky for both of us, that’s where the Cision Distribution by PR Newswire partnership comes in to play. Right within the same platform, communicators can send their release everywhere it needs to go.

To see it in action, let’s follow just a sampling of some communicators as they prepare and send their press releases.

Investor Relations Officer

Intended Audience: Disclosure points, analysts, investors and internal contacts

It’s that hectic time once a quarter when this IRO announces her company’s earnings. She must consider a variety of stakeholders, all with expectations about what this earnings release will do:

• investors expect to receive an easily accessible, full and honest report of the company’s performance.
• the executive team expects investors and analysts to react positively on their stock.
• the accounting team expects their tabular data to be rendered in full within the press release.
• the corporate communications team expects positive earned media coverage.
• the legal team expects conformance with compliance standards in distribution.

To accomplish each of those goals, our IRO needs to distribute the earnings press release to financial media, disclosure points and an email list comprised of major investors and board members — all at the exact same time.

That’s not as tall of an order as it sounds. She logs on to her Cision Communications Cloud® platform and navigates to the “Distribute” tab.

There, she selects a PR Newswire geographic wire distribution — which includes financial media, and which meets disclosure requirements. On the same upload page, she requests usage of the internal email list they keep on file. She’ll also request a proof copy to be sent prior to distribution, that she can share with the accounting team as a reassurance that their data has been rendered in full.

Then, upon her approval of that proof, the release is sent everywhere simultaneously by Cision Distribution — received by all stakeholders at the same moment. Everyone’s expectations are realized, and upon the close of market and after a few phone calls with prominent stakeholders, our IRO can escape to happy hour secure in the knowledge that her job is done.

Public Relations Associate

Intended Audience: Consumer and social media audience

A PR agency rep has a client with an exciting new product announcement. The company is counting on earned media coverage that will result in huge sales. In fact, they’re confident this new product will be on everyone’s must-have lists for the season. So, it’s on our agency rep to ensure the news hits a wide audience of consumers, via traditional media and of course social media, generating buzz that results in leads and sales.

The problem? How to coordinate all of that to ensure it’s timed just right and stays on-message. Rather than delegating the responsibility of targeting influencers, media and social to multiple parties, our superstar PR associate can do it all himself.

Stop me if you’ve heard it before — first, he logs in to the Cision Communications Cloud. There, he can compile a list of influencers in just the right specific spaces, whether geographic, industry-specific or by keyword, to generate interest in this product.

Then in the same fell swoop, he can distribute to traditional media and even coordinate posting to Twitter and LinkedIn at the exact moment of distribution.

This way, there’s no danger that a tweet will go out too soon, or a major consumer outlet will be left out of the loop. Everyone receives news of this revolutionary new product at the same time, and our PR agency rep eagerly awaits the coverage report to show off to his client.

Corporate Communications Manager

Intended Audience: Business media and website newsroom

The Corporate Communications Manager for a private company just got word that her organization has hired a new Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion. She has just 24 hours to craft an announcement that introduces their new hire and lays out the company’s new initiative. She must also ensure a consistent message is posted simultaneously to all audiences, including media and their company websites. It’s imperative that nobody sees this news before anybody else, or they’ll be caught flat-footed with their response.

Our Corporate Communications Manager’s blood pressure is starting to rise. But then she remembers she has Cision Distribution by PR Newswire for both wire distribution and hosting her company’s online newsroom. They can do it all for her!

She uploads her finalized release on the PR Newswire portal, secure in the Content Services team’s ability to keep the confidential news under wraps (they do it every day). She double checks with the specialists that upon distribution, the news will post to the newsroom section of their website, and she is reassured that it will, seamlessly.

While confirming the details of her release, the Content Services team also reminds her that including an engaging headshot of the new VP might go a long way in personalizing, not to mention increasing visibility for, this announcement. She remembers she has a great shot of him interacting with front-line staff, so she uploads a high-resolution image on the same secure portal where she uploaded the release.

Now, the release remains on hold with PR Newswire until she finally gets the go-ahead to send. When that happens, she calls, reaches a specialist immediately, tells them to release their story and it’s out within moments to media and the company website, simultaneously.

As expected, the calls start flooding in, and she’s ready for the deluge.

PR Newswire’s Content Services team rests easy knowing we saved our clients at least some of the stress of these important announcements. So, start planning now to cut your to-do list down for the next time you have news to share.

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How Ragan can help you find your perfect professional match

Everybody wants to make a living doing what he or she loves.

Organizations seek employees who are passionate about their work.

At RaganJobs.com, you’re able to post or find communications jobs so jobseekers and employers can find their perfect match.

Here’s how it works:

In search of top-tier talent to join your organization? RaganJobs.com is the perfect place to:

• Post job openings that will be viewed by qualified candidates
• View résumés from talented communications professionals
• Include a detailed job description with relevant skills and work experience so you can find the perfect candidate

New to communications or looking to make a career move? RaganJobs.com is your opportunity to:

• Upload your résumé for employers to view at any time
• Search career opportunities posted by top organizations
• Discover what organizations are looking for in potential candidates

For nearly 50 years, Ragan has been a leader in corporate communications, public relations and leadership development. This is where communicators come to learn about the latest industry advancements, network with peers and reawaken their love of the communications profession.

Doesn’t that sound like the perfect place to find an amazing job or candidate?

In the future, we’ll be offering premium services that include listing your job post in the weekly PR Daily jobs article. Stay tuned.

Learn more about RaganJobs.com.

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How your PR agency should prepare to win your next client

As companies make PR decisions for the year, considering what to look for in an agency partner is a key commitment.

Some just do Google searches or scan PR rankings sites to research prospective firms, but that’s rarely enough to narrow the field. Many others, though, conduct interviews or seek capabilities presentations as they create a short list of likely contenders.

Here’s what savvy potential clients will look for—and what PR teams should offer:

A firm grasp of the client business and industry

From the beginning of any PR partnership, a client should feel that the team has thoroughly researched its industry and brand, competition and target audience. Prospects should feel confident that competing firms know the company and the assignment inside out. In particular, decision-makers should look for partners that are steeped in industry and brand language. This “shorthand” and the insights it implies usually offer a comfort level and typically bode well for a quick start to the relationship.

Strong communication skills

It sounds like a no-brainer, but the truth is that communications people aren’t always excellent communicators. Any materials prepared by the PR firm need to be topnotch—clear, well-written and persuasive—but communication prowess will also be evident in how astutely the team members question the potential client, how carefully they listen and how they bring answers and insights to their proposed work.

Demonstrable relevant experience

Those searching for a PR agency will usually have relevant experience as a pre-qualifier for firms under consideration. In certain circumstances, an agency’s experience might be spot-on with several case histories that prove it. Recent experience working in a specific industry and knowledge of the journalists, analysts and competitors in the area is only part of the equation.

The best fit may be with a team that has helped organizations overcome similar challenges—a dated image, a lack of visibility, or little or no innovation within their niche. We advise agencies to emphasize the kind of skills and experience that are most valuable and relevant.

[RELATED: Join us in Miami for the Do-It-All Communicator Conference.]

Personal dynamism and salesmanship

Some companies are so pressed for time that they’re content to choose a PR partner without meeting face to face, but both sides benefit from a chemistry test if possible. The presentation process provides an important opportunity to gauge the kind of communication skills a team has—not just for those in the room—but during an engagement where they will need to present and negotiate on the client’s behalf with journalists, potential partners and others. An in-person discussion at an agency’s offices also speaks volumes about its culture, teamwork and daily environment.

Creativity and imagination

To woo and wow a prospect, teams must banish anything that smacks of “off-the-shelf” effort. A presentation should offer creative concepts that are well thought out, fit the brand personality and appeal to journalists, assuming earned media is a goal. A good agency will be able to demonstrate, based on experience, how and why an initiative will succeed, but the gut-level response must be there. Most important, they should paint a picture of the concept simply and logically; otherwise it will be lost on all concerned.

Specific metrics for success

The most creative idea in the world is worth little if it can’t be justified. Smart firms present creative concepts that do more than just attract press coverage. The proposal must incorporate key performance indicators such as organic and social traffic, awareness, and intent to purchase. It’s best for a firm to present its initial assessment of KPIs but work with the client to hone and refine. As well, the PR partner should offer metrics to measure return on investment and present a budget that is tight, detailed and realistic.

Sharp listening skills

The smartest PR strategists know when to speak and when to listen. The team will impress the prospect and learn a great deal about its leadership, goals and expectations simply by being astute listeners. PR people inherently want to talk, but the decision-makers should look for PR pros who know the value of quiet listening and absorbing and inculcating what key company players have to say. That value can be assessed by a team’s smart questions and conversation following a good listening session.

Collaborative nature

The most successful PR engagements are true partnerships, and the best collaborations are achieved after gaining mutual trust. We look to work with clients to brainstorm story angles, content concepts and event ideas so that some inherent buy-in happens early on and it isn’t all about the agency “selling” an idea every time, but that kind of collaboration doesn’t happen overnight. Agency teams should prove themselves first and become true partners—serving the client’s best interests with their own expertise and knowledge of what works. These fertile collaborations produce the best outcomes, as well as the most successful partnerships.

Smart stewardship of budgets and resources

The PR partner who treats client funds and resources the way they would treat their own will win client confidence and pave the way toward a healthy PR relationship. Though there will be some clients who will find themselves in financial straits at some point and have to sever a relationship, the agencies that consistently demonstrate smart fiscal sense have a much better chance to maintain or re-up for future engagement.

Accountability

Many great PR partnerships are tested by a problem in the relationship. This can stem from a miscommunication or an outright mistake made by either party. Frequent, honest communication will help smooth most bumpy roads, and accountability is key. Both sides of the partnership will benefit from a culture of accountability, in which teams take ownership of tasks and keep open, proactive communication on status and results. Each side should also be honest when something ought to be improved or when they need more help or resources to achieve success. Ultimately, it’s up to each member of the team to take responsibility, report on progress and provide constructive criticism and feedback when necessary to keep things moving in the right direction.

Finally, PR firms should continually think about what’s next in their business and their clients’ industries. That means they offer fresh, innovative ideas to their partners. Those who only trot out the tried and true risk becoming stale and could lose out to an innovative rival firm.

A version of this post first appeared on the Crenshaw Communications blog.

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