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Three Tips to Master Newsjacking

By March 27, 2018May 31st, 2018No Comments

Recently the Durée & Company Dynamos had a chance to learn more about newsjacking from marketing expert David Meerman Scott. Newsjacking refers to the practice of finding timely content and relating it to your brand. This is an essential tool for public relations professionals and a great way to catch the eye of a journalist by providing a different angle. Our firm has been successful with newsjacking for our clients when appropriate, most recently pitching and securing our law client as an expert in a story about a significant class-action lawsuit. Newsjacking occurs between the time the news is breaking and when journalists are scrambling for info. Here are three tips to put this practice into action.

  1. Stay Relevant:

Time is of the essence and monitoring both local and national news sources and social media can keep you abreast of developing news stories to connect with your brand. Keep your news sources varied for a complete look at what’s going on in the world. In between stories, reporters are looking for angles and other newsworthy stories on sources like Twitter moments, local newspapers and Google News. Newsgathering happens in real time and it can encompass anyone who steps forward quickly with credible input. The life span of a story can’t always be measured and therefore it’s best to respond expediently to have a higher chance of connecting to the story.

  1. Choose Wisely:

Not every story will have an angle for your clients. While expediency is the best way to get featured, do not sacrifice your brand for the sake of timeliness. Know the story as best as you can and trust your gut. Stories can develop and more facts can come out that could hurt your brand. It’s not about connecting with every story – but rather about finding the right story. There are specific rules of thumb when it comes to choosing a story, such as avoiding political and religious stories. Give yourself ample time to understand the story before responding.

  1. Add Value:

We’ve all been a witness to Newsjacking that has gone awry for the parties involved. Learn from those mistakes and remember that your insight and commentary should add value and not sell. This tool in public relations can serve to connect your brand to a new audience and even shed a positive light. It’s about awareness rather than sales. There is immense value in being a thought leader in today’s market – use newsjacking as an opportunity to expand your brand by relating it to a story your audience is engaging with.

Now it’s your turn! Share with us your favorite examples of newsjacking on Twitter @DureeCoPR!

About Durée & Company

Durée & Company, Inc. is an award-winning full-service public relations, marketing and special events firm with offices in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Aspen, Colorado. The firm serves the corporate, agency and non-profit arenas for local, national and international clients focusing on public relations for real estate, public relations for restaurants, public relations for law firms, public relations for charities, public relations for healthcare, and many more. Durée & Company services include Public Relations, Social Media, Marketing, Advertising, Special Events, and Radio Promotions and Outreach.

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Five Things That Need to be in Your Resume or Cover Letter

To paraphrase Jerry Maguire, help us help you. As we sift through the paperwork, here’s what we are looking for:

1. What you love to do and why.

In PR, you may love writing, editing, interviewing, pitching the media, researching, coordinating events, networking, posting to social media … whew! While we would love it if you had a passion for it all, we’d never believe you if you said as much.

What part of this zany, crazy, whirlwind, yet meticulous, tedious, detail-oriented, profession calls to you and why? Help us make the connection as to how PR is really for you, and call it your Professional Summary.

2. Something you did that changed something or someone else.

If you never showed up to your last job, what wouldn’t have happened? That’s right. Erase yourself. Now which clients disappeared with you? Which articles just fade away? What press releases cease to exist? How much social media did NOT get liked?

We are just meeting you. So take a moment to spell out your impact, and it will be easier for us to see what you can do for the clients of Durée & Company. Share this under your Job Responsibilities.

3. Anything you created.

Feeling humble? Well, stop it. This is the part where you brag. If you craft a delightful blog, master a mind-blowing website, shoot crazy video or direct wonderful events, show us.

Then tell us a bit of how you did it, so we trust that it was your brilliance and not the intern’s. Let’s dub this Your Portfolio.

4. An indication of why you belong here.

At PR firm Durée & Company, we have a culture. Really, all companies do. To learn about ours, do some legwork. At this point, if you’re on our blog, you are in the right spot to begin learning. Hate pink? Not good with women? Live in Kansas? Low energy? Then you might want to reconsider applying. However, if we resemble a group that you’d like to hang out with, share why. You can do that in the Cover Letter.

5. Correctly spelled words – all of them.

Do more than hit spell check. Know how to spell or ask someone to proofread. Correctly spelled words work everywhere, all the time. Consider them the Little Black Dresses of resumes.

So consider these five tips – we’ve just given you a “cheat sheet” about what we’re watching out for. Even if our position may not be for you, feel free to use our advice for another – it may just get you the job!