Blog
Hello,
Our very own Trisha McGuire was fortunate enough to sit down with Sarah Crosland last week for a bit of a role reversal, who told her she enjoyed being on the other end of an interview for a change!
Sarah is executive editor of The Charlotte Observer‘s magazine division, which includes numerous regional lifestyle publications – SouthPark Magazine, Lake Norman Magazine and Carolina Bride – as well as special sections in The Charlotte Observer. Additionally, Sarah covers Charlotte as a Forbes Travel Guide correspondent, a Virgin Atlantic contributor, and on a freelance basis for various other national publications. Most recently, she has ventured into television, hosting weekly segments on Fox46 Carolinas highlighting Charlotte’s growing culinary scene.
Take a look at what Sarah had to say…
Q: What is your source of story ideas?
Oh, that’s a great question – there are so many places. I do receive pitches from public relations professionals and freelancers. Other sources are networking, communicating via social media, consuming other media and immersing myself in the community. I feel like, especially for regional publications like ours, it is critical to get involved in the community and actually go out and meet with the very individuals for whom I’m writing.
Q: How can communications professionals stand out and catch your attention?
There are two key things with me. (1) Understand my products because I can use the ideas; I do accept pitches and I am always looking for ideas. But, they do have to fit within the purview of my products in some way. I had several people tell me that I should do some sort of story on the local supermarket wars but I wasn’t quite sure how to fit that in the magazines. So, I reached out to another department at The Charlotte Observer and found vintage photos of the supermarkets and I was able to cover the story in that manner. That was definitely a result of someone bringing me an idea. (2) Persistence. I get so many emails. It may take more than one email for me to take note of a pitch and have it stand out in my inbox. If I’ve met someone face-to-face before, I will say that helps their email rise to the top.
Q: How are you evolving as a publication? What do you think is in store for the future?
We’re always looking for the next ‘thing’ that will attract readers, as well as new ways to present the information. For example, home design and the luxury home market rose to the top as interests that are trending with readers. While our products do offer some focus on those topics, we felt we needed a publication dedicated entirely to them. So, we decided to launch a new real estate publication in May that will appear in the Saturday paper.
Of course, digital is, and has to be, part of our long-term plan. We are continually evolving our web and social media presence. But, we don’t see print going away. Instead, we continue to develop print products that are even more user-friendly. In other words, we are doing things like decreasing the word count in many cases and offering readers more bite-sized pieces of information. And, we are more visual than we were in the past; we have found some amazing local photographers that have really taken us to the next level with their work and amped up the visual beauty of our products.
Q: How has social media impacted how you work?
It’s definitely a source of story ideas. Also, it’s great to have those contacts in the community and know what’s going on. And, we of course promote our products via social media.
Q: How do you feel like you and your team make your products stand out from the rest?
First – visually. We have evolved the products to have some beautiful photographs. Also, just having the right stories. That goes back to my belief in really being involved and connected in the community and having a pulse on what interests our readers. Lastly, having stories that really stand out as different. I’ve always believed in the saying from the journalism world that stories should ‘surprise and delight’ readers. I believe in that expression and I strive for it in all our publications.
Blog
Hi folks,
I had the opportunity to meet with WCCB news director Angela Robbins and she was nice enough to share some of her thoughts on the Charlotte media landscape and relationship between PR and media professionals. Check it out!
Q: How are you evolving as a TV news station and what can we look for in the future?
A: Finding ways to integrate the new digital technology into the news gathering process. Even with some inherent technical challenges, IP delivered video seems to be the future for broadcast news operations. We see more user generated video sources and social media platforms providing material to our newsroom. Our personnel will continue to master the new techniques and combine with the existing traditional technology to produce a more immediate and personal product for the viewers.
Q: What’s your biggest challenge at WCCB?
A: There is no “one” biggest challenge, but our industry is facing such fragmentation that accurate ratings measurement has become more and more complicated. With audiences using so many new devices and streams to capture television programming, calibrating an aggregate total of viewers is difficult to achieve. Audiences can now receive us over the air, through cable, satellite, DVR, Hulu, Netflix, YouTube, Game boxes just to name a few. Advertisers look for audience reach and if a station can be received in so many different ways, we must have a way to receive credit for a “total audience” figure.
Q: Why should people watch or pitch to WCCB over other news stations?
A: Viewers trust WCCB to deliver the big stories of the day. We see that every day and especially during major news events. Our audience composition contains the key demographics that advertisers covet. Our team of journalists is committed to top-quality newscasts from our state of the art Studio A – one of the most glamorous studios in the region. WCCB News Rising is a fresh alternative in the mornings. We’ve got the news, weather and traffic covered by an ensemble cast that is high on personality and fun. Check out the “Snark Report with Derek James” and “Wilson’s World.” At 10pm Morgan Fogarty leads our team with the news of the day and thoughtful franchises like “Defend Charlotte” and “The Get with Morgan Fogarty.”
Q: How can communication professional stand out from the crowd and make sure their news is being covered? Any tips, do’s or don’ts?
A: Getting to the decision makers is the key. In our newsroom, it’s our assignment editor and the managing editor. They receive hundreds of requests each day. If you’ve emailed and touched base by phone – you’ve covered all the bases. We appreciate it when people give us a little room and refrain from repeated calls and emails.
Now a couple questions for you: What are your thoughts on Angela’s responses? Are you pitching WCCB now? Will you be doing anything differently after reading this Q&A? We’d love to hear from you!
Blog
I recently joined the board of directors for the Charlotte American Marketing Association, so I wanted to invite you to marketCHARLOTTE 2014.
Jessica Cobbs, professor and Global Brand Director at UPS and Jeffrey Rohrs, author and VP of Marketing insights at ExactTarget will share their thoughts on the evolution of marketing and how to digitally engage with your audience.
The first 50 registrants will receive Jeffrey’s new book: Audience: Marketing in the Age of Subscribers, Fans and Followers as well as an exclusive pre-event VIP reception with our speakers.
Let me know if you attend and you’re more than welcome to sit at the Pivot PR table. Early bird pricing ends April 1st, purchase your tickets today!
Blog
I hope you’re doing well! Continuing our discussion of the latest trends and tactics in PR, I wanted to get your take on media lists. While speaking with others I noticed that many don’t have contact information for local, regional and national outlets that are interested in covering their news. The fact is that the media landscape is changing quickly, so if you don’t have the relationships or you’re not subscribing to a media database, it’s hard to keep track.
Do you have a media list? Is it up-to-date? I’d love to hear your take on this matter, and if you’d like to schedule an appointment with me to help you create your own customized list of journalists, reporters and bloggers please click on the “Create Media List” button below.
Blog
I want to take this opportunity to talk about the basics of PR. I understand, you want positive coverage in a national media outlet, win a prestigious award and to be the keynote speaker at the biggest event of the year. All good things, but have you done everything you need to do to put yourself in a position to succeed?
Here are the 5 necessities to your PR toolbox:
- Executive bios and headshots
- Company mission statement, description and history
- Quality photos and video
- Press releases, whitepapers, case studies, testimonials
- Presentable website, active social media channels and blog
This is not going above and beyond, but only the foundation to a simple media kit and PR strategy. You see, if you do not have these things you risk losing credibility and make it difficult for media to work with you. I challenge you to take an honest look at your corporation and see if you have your bases covered. Then and only then can you execute a successful PR plan.
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PIVOT PR LAUNCHES IN CHARLOTTE, NC
A STRATEGIC PUBLIC RELATIONS AGENCY
CHARLOTTE, N.C., November 25, 2013- President & CEO, Drew Porcello has launched Pivot PR, a full-service public relations agency located in Charlotte, NC. With nearly a decade of industry experience, Porcello and his staff will take a consultative approach to help client’s effectively communicate their message in order to meet business objectives.
Pivot PR will focus primarily on small and mid-size business that need assistance in crafting and executing a strategic marketing plan. Services include strategic planning, media relations, social media, content creation (video, whitepapers, cases studies, articles, testimonial’s), crisis planning, graphic design, event promotion, brand reputation, awards, speaking opportunities, email marketing, website and mobile app development.
“Today’s marketing demands are greater now than they’ve ever been. We understand our client’s needs and help them better communicate their message, this is why I created Pivot PR,” said Drew Porcello.
“We’d also like to be a resource to the c-suite and marketing professionals of Charlotte, keeping them up-to-date on the latest PR tactics, trends, and ever-changing media landscape.”
SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT:
Blog- https://pivot-pr.com
LinkedIn- http://www.linkedin.com/company/pivotpr
Twitter- http://twitter.com/pivot_pr
ABOUT PIVOT PR:
Pivot PR (https://pivot-pr.com), is a full-service strategic public relations agency located in Charlotte, NC. Focusing on marketing and communication services, Pivot understands the business needs of their clients and creates and implements quantifiable strategic marketing solutions.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Drew Porcello
(704) 774-9271
drew@pivotpublicrelations.com
Hello,