Earlier this month I had the pleasure of interviewing Andy Donovan of Donovan Group Inc. about how media relations and the role of the press release has evolved in the past few years. Andy’s insights underscore the important of using all the marketing tools available to you, but updating them for the way in which we communicate, namely online!
Q: What’s the word on press releases… are they still relevant to small businesses?
In a word – absolutely…in fact, in my estimation they are crucial to a small business’ ability to maximize the reach and impact of their key messages. The key is to use them strategically and only when you think there is a news angle to it…simply flooding the “wire” with announcements that are considered fluff pieces only hurts your reputation whereas providing timely, relevant and news-worthy information helps to build a rapport between you and the media – and in the end – the direct consumer.
When done right – you enhance your dialogue between the message you have and those you wish to hear it. It should work seamlessly with other aspects of your communication strategy and focus on providing the media with the details they need to assess whether this is of interest to their audience. Especially if being used during a crisis management situation – the press release can be a great “life-line” for you.
Q: How are press releases today different from the ones we used to send just five years ago?
Difference between what we send now and what we sent 5 years ago is all in the level of interactivity that we’ve introduced to them in order to enhance the details of the release and its message. The same rules apply however regardless the age…as above it has to be timely, relevant and newsworthy otherwise all the bells and whistles in the word won’t help your release.
When I first began in the “wire” business in 2002 at one of Canada’s leading newswire services the bulk of releases we distributed were simply print with maybe a photo link, URL or two forwarding interested reporters (and direct consumers) to a website with additional information. Even then – the message from the media contacts was – if your release wasn’t newsworthy no one would be clicking on the link. Understanding this, we now incorporate streaming video, audio, photos, links, logos, pdf’s along with Social Networking links to Twitter, Facebook and so on in order to help not only appeal to the traditional media but also to the online “media” such as bloggers, etc.
Now, like then, you still need to establish a relationship with those whom you are trying to connect – a simple press release or multimedia platformed release won’t do it on it’s own…picking up the phone and ensuring that the media have received your release not only helps you assess overall interest it also helps in formulating and adjusting your strategy for next time.
Q: In your opinion, what is the best way for a small business owner to combine the content of a press release with the reach of social media tools?
Best way to combine content of a press release with the reach of social media tools – simply put – Social Media Release. This combines the traditional news release with the ability to incorporate video, audio and online assets in a way only dreamed of a few short years ago. It allows the small business to tell more of its story to a broader audience in the hopes that they incorporate and share the message to an even larger audience – taking it viral today is the name of the game.
I’ve coordinated several successful distributions of this type for clients such as AMP Energy, TD Bank Financial Group and the Nature Conservancy of Canada to name a few that have incorporate all of these assets with the ability to directly communicate to the author of the release (via comments section) as well as share it to an online community hungry for information (via Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, etc.)
The key to combining the traditional release with these assets is ensuring that they are of a quality worthy of being reprinted by both traditional to online media…high quality video that is no more than 2-3 minutes, hi-res downloadable photos, PDF links and so on can go a long way in reinforcing the key messages of the print release and of course enhance the credibility of the organization distributing them.
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Andy Donovan, founder and president of Donovan Group Inc., is a logistical and planning specialist, providing a wealth of experience in media services, promotion, marketing, audio-visual production and distribution as well as event and corporate strategic planning. Some of Donovan Group’s clients include the CN Tower, Agnico-Eagle Mines, Praxis Public Relations, Tina Gladstone Productions Inc., the Ontario Dental Association and the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
With a communications career that spans more than a decade - Andy is a husband and father of two year old triplets. In addition to his business interests he is also a strong supporter of the charitable sector having served many organizations in the Ottawa and Toronto markets at various levels including donor, fundraiser, Board Member, event volunteer and most recently as the Carleton University Alumni Association’s Toronto Chapter President. You can follow Andy on Twitter at @ajdonovan.