As the senior account supervisor, media relations for Martin Levy Public Relations (www.martinlevypr.com) running our San Diego office, I spend 99% percent of my day doing some form of press/analyst/blogger outreach.

To that end, we don't have the luxury of working with Microsoft, Google, Coca-Cola, etc. who get press coverage every day. I'm not saying that media relations professionals who work with these companies have it easy, but let's be honest -- if they call an editor with breaking news they barely have to get past the "CEO of XYZ corporation is interested in speaking with you about the acquisition of ABC company for 20 billion dollars" to schedule a briefing that leads to prime coverage.

We are fortunate at Martin Levy Public Relations (www.martinlevypr.com) that we get to work with innovative companies that are doing some very new and exciting things. Unfortunately, from an editor’s perspective they are not yet name brands, and as the saying goes, “prove it to me.”

So for all the rest of us not working for Coke, Pepsi and Tiger(!), that means it takes a little extree (to paraphrase Dizzy Dean), a bit more diligence and a bit more smarts to be successful.

With that in mind here are 5 tips for better media relations:

1. Build great press/blogger/analyst lists - Seems elementary Watson but you can’t just enter search terms on your Cision or Vocus media database, spit out a list, and then send mass emails. If you approach media relations this way you lose credibility because they just got spammed. Then next time, when you may even have a good story, well you’re the media relations “pro” that last time sent a bogus pitch! So spend the time and look at printed magazines at the store, visit them online and see for yourself who's writing what. Get smart on their hot buttons so when you pitch 'em you can separate yourself from the rest of the pack.

2. Know the product - This does not mean knowing the features and benefits that anyone can read off of a web site. Lazy PR folk do it that way. Instead, be specific by showing how you know how company XYZ used product ABC to streamline operations that led to an overall increase in productivity and saw ROI increase by 45%. Speak to your client’s customers so you can discuss and hear first-hand why this product is a "breakthrough." Also what are analysts saying about it the product or market? What are they saying about competitors? Real world knowledge about the product or service in question can go a long way toward helping you intelligently interact with the media.

3. Know the competition - Knowing who your client competes with by going to those sites and auditing them can really provide the proper insight and perspective on how they stack up against the rest of the industry and your client. Put together a competitive dossier. Use that content to make you and your client smarter. And this just in: check the press/news section at competitor sites - do you have those folks on your press list?

4. Know the pitch - This is part and parcel to the previous three tips. By fully grasping the product, "knowing" who your targets are and what separates your client from the competition, you’ll have a fighting chance of crafting a pitch that journalists may actually find compelling. Most times, no matter how good an emailed pitch is, you still have to call the editor/analyst/blogger. Be prepared -- having a story with "components" makes more sense then "did you get my release?"

5. Adjust or Die! - OK, so now you have a great press list, you are an industry expert; you know all the players and you have a spot-on pitch. You've gotten some stand-off-the-page press and your client is happy. So what's next? Don't remain stagnant. Regularly check and see what industry pundits are writing about. Do topical Google News searches. As products change so do the trends - a story pitched two months ago may no longer be relevant. What is the new angle, what is the fresh spin? New competition with a different mousetrap? Has an editor's beat changed? Has an analyst firm initiated coverage? I think by now you get the point -- don't just be smart, stay smart. Working with editors/analysts/bloggers is an ongoing process.

Following these tips will not only improve your media relations success, but also professionally it means you are truly engaged in what your clients do and how they do it; and you’ve put a stake in the ground that tells all the bloggers, journalists and analysts you work with that you are someone who knows their stuff, is reliable and has credible information, and is worth working with -- again and again and again.

Making the Case for Customer Success Studies

Charlie Schachter, principal, Scribe Communications (http://scribeco.com)

After nearly 15 years of writing stories about successful customers, I am more convinced than ever that case studies are one of the strongest forms of collateral for influencing technology purchasers.

Real-world customer evidence works because customers have more credibility than vendors. Prospects who view vendor claims with skepticism will more readily trust a customer who makes the same assertions.

Moreover, prospects can relate to customers because they are often trying to solve the same business or technical problems. They can easily imagine themselves in the customer’s shoes, making the same decisions and gaining similar benefits.

Writing case studies yields a valuable added bonus – customer intelligence. The process of interviewing the customer provides a perfect opportunity to learn what they really think about your company and its products/services. You can discover what issues they have with your company and what they really value about your offerings.

Some of my clients make the critical mistake of not listening to their customers during the case study process. These companies typically have a narrow messaging framework; if the customer’s answers don’t match preconceived expectations, the vendor tries to shoe-horn the customer into its marketing agenda.

Instead, I recommend that clients open their ears and minds and use what customers say to shape marketing messages.

Ninety-nine percent of case studies follow the structure of problem/solution/benefits. I rarely deviate from this approach since readers are most familiar with it. Case studies can be short, say, 500 to 1000 words. Or they can be more lengthy and in-depth, if perhaps your customer is an OEM, a partner was involved, and you also want to include end users.

Let’s say your company develops retail sales software applications, your customer sells a point-of-sale (POS) device, and the end user is a major retail chain. With a 1500 to 2000-word case study, you have more room to explain the business model and quote everyone.

Most case studies also have a quick at-a-glance sidebar with a summary of the problem/solution/benefits, customer profile, list of products and/or services used, and other pertinent information.

Here’s a brief rundown on the basic steps required to get a case study written:

1. Find leads. This is one of the hardest parts of the process. Salespeople are a common source for leads, but tradeshows, conferences, user groups, and PR agencies can all yield interesting customer stories.
2. Secure permission. Someone in your organization needs to secure written legal permission from the customer company to participate in the case study. Get a signature from the highest level person possible to avoid problems later.
3. Research and interview. Create a detailed questionnaire of all the questions you plan to ask and send it to the customer in advance so there are no surprises during the interview and they have time to think about what they will say. Make sure the interview questions to follow the structure of your case study. This best practice will make it easier to write afterwards.
4. Write the case study, or engage an experienced freelance writer with domain expertise. One advantage of using an outside writer is that customers may speak their minds more freely. Getting the case study written quickly is another major benefit of hiring a writer.
5. Review internally and then send to the customer for comments and approval. Always give them a deadline of five to ten business days to respond.
6. Don’t forget to send a final document back to your customer with a note of thanks.

Use customer case studies on your website, as printed collateral, and as fodder for public relations campaigns. Editors and reporters want to talk to end users and customers, not vendors.  Case studies are a great way to put your best customers in front of them.

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Charlie Schachter (http://scribeco.com) is a freelance writer with nearly 20 years of experience in the technology industry. He has successfully written more than 100 customer case studies, and has been the lead customer evidence writer for Microsoft Windows Embedded since 2005. Contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 973-539-2204.