https://www.agilitypr.com/pr-news/public-relations/public-relations-say-asked/ “So, what do you do?” I hear the question nearly every day. I recite scripted answers such as “I get your name in the paper” or “I create and destroy reputations for a living” before elaborating, if invited. I miss an opportunity nearly every time because I lack a concise follow-up. It’s a travesty because everyone asking that question is a potential new customer. After consulting numerous public relations pros, it turns out that I stand in good company. Many of them best describe PR in association to its two sisters, advertising and marketing. “Mostly everyone knows what advertising is and most people have a basic understanding of marketing, but PR seems to fall short of general knowledge,” Alex Belanger with seoplus+ says. “They might know it relates to marketing, but that’s about it. I even get asked more often than you’d imagine if it’s the same as HR.” Advertising Advertising ranges from the massive digital screens in New York City’s Times Square and the Super Bowl to the classifieds for lawn care service in the weekly Deer Creek Pilot in Rolling Fork, Miss. The advantage with advertising lies in the control factor, for which businesses pay dearly depending upon the placement. It enables them to choose the forum, the design and when it appears. The advantage with public relations is that sharing a company’s message with reporters, producers and social media influencers builds credibility under an impartial third-party banner. The other major difference is that such exposure is not for sale—legally or ethically—at any price, although that is starting to change with social. Or more succinctly, as the old bromide goes, “Advertising is what you pay for, public relations is what you pray for.” Marketing Marketing shares with advertising the primary process of exchanging money to place a product or service before a targeted audience to generate immediate revenue. The contrast between marketing and public relations is that instead of forking over money, PRs engage a disinterested medium to share a narrative that sticks in the minds of consumers. “The classic definition that we use at Lion & Orb is that marketing is telling your story, PR is getting someone else to tell your story,” Deidre Woollard says. “You can publish your story on your blog and people will read it, but if you want people to remember it, it needs to be in the news.” Freelance marketer Hillary Hafke adds that the potential yield from public relations—as opposed to marketing—is much greater. However, it is a gamble with a longer timeframe. She compares it to an episode of the hit show Storage Wars on A&E. “Would you rather pay $5,000 for a unit with a guaranteed $5,000 worth of scrap metal or pay $5,000 for a 1-in-3 shot at a unit with an antique worth $25,000 (which will accrue value over time)?” Hafke asks hypothetically. “Note also that the odds of winning big increase with the skill of your PR pro.” Public Relations If advertising tells consumers why a company’s products are good, and marketing is placing the right products in front of the right people—for a price and immediate dividend—then PR is the art and science of giftwrapping that content for consumers. It’s sort of like buying a car. A polished Mercedes featured in a reputable dealership showroom looks much more valuable than the precise same make, model and year sitting at the side of a dirt road in front of an abandoned house. Which One Would You Buy? True PR builds upon a solid foundation of relationships with editors, producers and social influencers, Zlata Faerman of ZlataPR observes. Such a structure becomes the showroom in which the message appears. “In advertising, be it print or digital, you are paying for the eyes that see your product(s)/service(s),” Faerman says. “PR creates a story for the product(s)/service(s) and tries to find a home for that story in media outlets. Being smart, timely and creative in how you pitch is key, but the most important differentiating factor a PR professional has is their relationships with the media. You can’t buy that.” Author Sylvia H. Simmons summarizes the differences between all three this way: “If a young man tells his date how handsome, smart and successful he is—that’s advertising. If the young man tells his date she’s intelligent, looks lovely, and is a great conversationalist, he’s saying the right things to the right person and that’s marketing. If someone else tells the young woman how handsome, smart and successful her date is—that’s PR.” Dave Yonkman is president of the public relations firm DYS Media, former Capitol Hill communications director and former Washington correspondent for Newsmax Media.

https://www.prnewsonline.com/tips-from-pr-pros-for-writing-great-press-releases/ The press release is fighting for its life in a world of spammed inboxes and 140-character tweets. Meanwhile the debate about the press release’s viability continues. Syracuse University professor Michael Meath argues, “The traditional press release is dead…many of us still use them, but if the intent is to gain the passionate interest of reporters and editors, we are going to be disappointed.” The press release still has diehard supporters, however. Najeeullah Khan of InterloperInc.com says press releases “worked before the internet and they work just as well now.” The odds, it seems, are stacked decidedly against releases, but they still serve as lures in the tackle box of PR pros and as such demand a deft approach. Below are tips for crafting compelling and effective releases. Answer why anyone should care Or, why is this news? The first line of the release should answer concisely the who, what, why, where, when and how. “If journalists are ignoring your press releases, there’s a good chance it’s because you’ve buried your top line or lead – i.e. the most important part of the story – right at the bottom of your press release,” journalist Janet Murray says. “Get your [lead] in the first line of your press release and you'll have a much better chance of getting a journalist interested in your story.” Tony Panaccio, a partner with Wilson Media, likens the press release to a dental appointment.  As such, he urges you to abandon the standard format and try to make the experience as painless as possible. PR pros and reporters “hate press releases like poison…if you MUST send out a press release, make it an enjoyable read,” he says. “To hell with format – give [reporters] a lead they’ll want to read.” He relates a story about a press release he wrote years ago about actor George Peppard starring in a stage adaptation of The Lion in Winter, a period piece about King Richard. In the play, the actors donned accurate period costumes, which meant nobody wore underwear. “My lead? ‘George Peppard isn't wearing any underwear. Honest.’ The show sold out its entire run in Miami.” Include quotes from relevant personalities Quotes provide the press release with color and a human element. Against all odds, Samantha Waranch, senior publicist with JAG Entertainment, booked a memorable performance by Corey Feldman on the Today show. It was a coup. Waranch says she kept her press release succinct. In addition, to make it stand out, she inserted album art, linked to Feldman’s official music video Ascension Millennium and, most important, included a quote from him to personalize the release. “In regards to the scope of his upcoming album, Feldman states, ‘Angelic 2 the Core is my 1st-ever double album. I’m excited for people to experience this musical journey. I feel it’s a rare album and there is truly something for everyone as the album covers all fields of the music spectrum: part Pop, part Rock, part EDM, part Hip Hop, and all soul.’” Another tip: Never quote someone asserting shallow expressions such as “delighted,” “thrilled” or “excited.” More often than not journalists discard such quotes. Show, don’t tell why your news matters Elucidate your news with character limits in mind, but don’t discard important material such as verifiable facts and figures (provide links) that support the narrative. Acronyms can save space, but avoid using them. Ditto for industry jargon. Acronyms and jargon make releases less relatable. Brittany Larsen, PR director at The Summit Group, says it’s important to “paint the picture for journalists. This can include referencing industry trends and how the news is relevant to a larger audience.” Sally Kane of PaperStreet stresses the need to include keywords and phrases that resonate with the targeted audience. Tools like Uber Suggest can help to identify the best words and phrasing. “Weave the keywords into the press release in the most natural way possible,” Kane says. “You don’t want it to appear forced or spammy. Also, don’t overstuff the content with keyword phrases. Using the phrase once in the headline and once in the body is plenty.” Dave Yonkman is president of the public relations firm DYS Media and is the former Washington correspondent for Newsmax Media.

https://grbj.com/news/inside-track-captivated-by-the-written-word/ From an early age, Dave Yonkman was an ambitious entrepreneur, and he has continued to demonstrate success throughout his business endeavors. Yonkman is the founder of DYS Media, a public relations firm in Holland. His firm works with companies in investor relations, manufacturing, energy, health care, technology and construction industries. He started his firm in 2013. However, he started his first business at the age of 15 when he created his own magazine called Ill Times. It was focused on long-form music and entertainment stories. Yonkman has always had a knack for writing. So, when he decided to attend Grand Valley State University, he knew he would pursue a career in journalism. He was the editor of the school’s paper, the Grand Valley Lanthorn. “I always had a fascination with the written word,” he said. “I always learned by reading. (I liked) to read the words and internalize them. If you tell me something, I am not going to internalize it as much as I can with the written word. Just the stories that you can create with the written word is just always fascinating. “My hands were always stuck with newsprint since I was born. I started reading The Muskegon Chronicle. I was always taking them home and my parents would get pissed because I would cut the stories out that I would like to read and memorize. I wanted to figure out: What is news? What is this person writing? Why is it newsworthy? Why does this person get an opinion page? What is this page? An op-ed, an editorial page? Why is this here and not there? I was just fascinated by this whole thing, and that is what brings (me) here today.” While at GVSU, he interned at the Holland Sentinel. After graduation, he later worked as a journalist at the publication, covering city, county and state politics. He worked at the Sentinel for four years while publishing content in his Ill Times magazine with a few staff. Afterward, he moved on to an unexpected career path. Yonkman was offered the opportunity by a former congressman who represented Michigan’s 2nd congressional district to become his press secretary. He accepted the opportunity and packed his things and headed east to Washington, D.C., to work on Capitol Hill in 2003. After getting adjusted to life in Washington, his boss joined the House Intelligence Committee, just after 9/11 when the committee was tasked with implementing the 9/11 Commission Report. “I just went from (talking to reporters for) the Holland Sentinel, the Grand Rapids Press and the Ludington Daily News to working with House leadership, working with the majority leader’s office, the House Republican Conference, the speaker’s office, and I was responsible for creating all the messaging that went into passing the bill,” he said. “I am on the phone with the intelligence reporter from Time Magazine. The New York Times is calling and the Wall Street Journal. It was a different world and my learning curve just went from zero to (100). I still didn’t know everything that I was doing, but we passed the bill. I am not going to say that I am responsible for it because you have speakers and a president and other people in charge, but we played a big role in getting that legislation passed. That was probably my biggest accomplishment on the Hill.” Along with messaging on the national level, including the intelligence authorization bills, Yonkman said another famous incident to which he had to respond to a flurry of questions was the underwear bomber who targeted Detroit on Christmas Day. Yonkman spent 10 years working on Capitol Hill, where he took on numerous titles ranging from the district press secretary to becoming the director of communications with a lot of responsibilities on the committee, the congressional district job and other efforts for a re-election campaign, which he said was done off-hours. “I thought college was overwhelming, but with three jobs; the re-elect, the committee and the congressional district,” he said. “It took about 18 months for everything to get cleared on the committee, so it was intense. It was 24/7. I couldn’t see daylight. We came into work at 7 a.m. and we didn’t leave until whenever the member came back from votes. It could be as late as 10-11 p.m. or we didn’t see him until 1 a.m. in the morning and we are back at our desk at 8 a.m. in the morning, and it didn’t matter if I had to work through the night. “Sometimes, I’d get a call at 7 p.m. saying, ‘Hey, can we get an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times tomorrow? Can you write something and get it to me by 8 a.m.?’ I would work through the night to get it by 8 a.m., and still, I had to be in the office. I don’t know how I did it for 10 years.” Yonkman said the average staffer’s stay in Washington is about two to three years. He left Capitol Hill in 2013 and started DYS Media in Washington, D.C. While working at the Capitol, Yonkman said he built up a national security portfolio, which led him to work in crisis communications for a private maritime security firm that defended ships traversing the Horn of Africa against Somali pirates. However, he decided to leave his job. With his daughter on the way, he decided he wanted to be with his family. He returned to D.C. and later to Holland, where his wife is from. “I wasn’t setting myself up to be a successful father and husband if I am not giving enough of myself to support (my family),” he said. “I made the decision to return home. All I heard in Washington, and I heard this a lot, members would talk about what their biggest regret is, ‘I didn’t get to see my kids grow up,’ and that was the most depressing thing I have ever heard in my life, and I swore that was never going to happen to me.” He established his business, DYS Media, in Holland in 2017. He worked out of his home for a few months until he found an office space and hired his first employee. Two years later, he expanded his staff and relocated his firm to a larger office space. Yonkman said he is looking to expand his firm’s footprint to Grand Rapids, where the majority of his clients are located. Dave Yonkman is president of the public relations firm DYS Media and is the former Washington correspondent for Newsmax Media.

https://www.mediafrenzyglobal.com/51032-2/ Legacy media such as newspapers, radio and television neared their end in 1999 because of their limited column inches and only 24 hours available in a day. The internet would soon replace them because it offered unlimited space and time and therefore eliminated such antiquated 20th Century constraints, or so conventional wisdom taught us. Nearly 20 years later, core messages become worthless if they don’t fit into 140 (now 280) characters. Rarely does anyone have the time for a 3,000-word article or an hour-long broadcast when the American attention has dwindled from 12 seconds in 2000 to only eight seconds today. So is the world finally ready to toss the final traditional media holdouts into history’s recycling center? Not quite, public relations professionals say. Social Reinforces Traditional Traditional storytelling will always exist. It has simply transitioned onto the web where consumers share it with one another. The more reputable and credible the news source, the more readers will trust it and return for more. The less reputable and credible sources – or #FakeNews – will last only so long as it takes someone to expose them. Top social offerings such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn amplify the most meaningful content. “We constantly analyze our social media efforts to determine which posts generate the most bang for the buck,” says Scott Baradell, CEO of Idea Grove in Dallas. “Do you know which posts are always the most effective? Those posts that link to client coverage in reputable news outlets. There’s no substitute for that, and I don’t think that there ever will be.” ‘Earned’ vs. ‘Shared’ Earned media falls into the category of age-old outreach, such as investing the time into developing relationships with producers and reporters through learning their interests. Shared media – social – turns earned media into an electronic icebreaker. It provides brands with conversation starters to engage consumers in their targeted markets. “PR gives you something interesting to talk about in your social channels,” says Stephen Gibson, founder of Vyteo.com. “Got featured in The New York Times? Now you have an update to share that people will get excited about.” Social is the New Normal Katie Kern with Media Frenzy Global, LLC offers an alternative view. “In many ways, social media has a greater impact on traditional PR methods when reaching the masses for self-promotion,” Kern says. “Consumers crave personalized interactive experiences that social media provides and traditional PR practices may fall short.” Case in point, she says, live streaming. “We live in an always-on world where people anticipate events, stories and experiences to unfold in real-time. FaceBook Live and Instagram stories allow PR pros to create immersive and highly engaging content that viewers can be a part of. In return, PR professionals are building a loyal and hyper-targeted following that relies on their insight.” Influencer Outreach Teana McDonald with 3E Connections in Coral Springs, Fla. said that the advent of social opened an entirely new world for her to creatively interact with the press. “When I started in the business it was all about ‘how’ you pitch the media,” McDonald says. “Certain editors like a full release, others like a teaser and some just like bullets answering the who, what, when, where & why. When social media hit the scene it became a playing field that I could get used to. In addition to the traditional press release I can now follow and interact directly with individuals in the media (game changer!).” She adds that when establishment media lack interest in a pitch to bypass them and head straight to the bloggers and influencers with significant followings to spread the word. PR + Social = Powerful Messaging Public relations coupled with an equally aggressive social plan generates a formidable force. “In the absence of traditional storytelling, clients are left to curate content or create content solely for social media, which is a big investment with only half the return and only a portion of the audience reached,” Amy La Sala with Off Madison Ave says. “People still read newspapers or digital news content, they listen to terrestrial and satellite radio during drive times and yes, some still watch TV. All of which is garnered through media outreach.” She said that she often educates clients on how to foster coverage and engage journalists through social to produced desired results. “PR and social media – when aligned and working in concert – can be the most efficient, targeted and impactful effort of a client’s overarching marketing communications strategy,” La Sala concludes. Dave Yonkman is president of the health care public relations firm DYS Media and is the former Washington correspondent for Newsmax Media.

https://www.agilitypr.com/pr-news/public-relations/media-mentoring-who-really-decides-on-coverage-in-newsrooms/ Who really decides which stories receive play in the media? Technically, executive producers (broadcast) and editors-in-chief (print and online) reserve final judgement. Realistically and more complex, anyone with authority in a newsroom can accept or kill a pitch at any time. “It’s really a collaborative effort depending upon the pull and influence of each individual member of the team,” says Julie Zann, former producer with CNN who now runs the television production company, Zann Media. “Good ideas can come from anywhere, including interns, production assistants or executive producers themselves.” With such a nebulous constellation of players engaged in oscillating office politics, how do PR hacks seeking coverage for their clients determine whom to approach at news organizations? Desk Pop The fundamentals remain the same for pitching most anyone at news outlets. Track the news cycle for opportunities to newsjack, watch a show or follow a journalist online for weeks and months and write a thoroughly researched pitch. If that’s impossible due to time restraints or a lack of available information, the situation becomes sort of like Will Ferrell in The Other Guys when he fires his first “desk pop.” Don’t think, start dialing through the list of contacts at a media organization until someone picks up their phone. “Go for it,” Zann says. “I don’t care if I don’t know you. I want to know who you are pitching. Keep plowing through the list of contacts at a program. Everyone does it.” Staffing The calculus changes somewhat with smaller production teams, says Chad Wilkinson, who served as executive producer for several nationally syndicated radio programs such as Lars Larson and Lou Dobbs. Wilkinson, who now runs Liberty Media Strategies in Philadelphia, says that with Larson it was often only him, the host and a booker working a show with effectively six hours of content to fill. Due to the scarcity of time, he said that he scanned guest pitches for a maximum of 15 seconds before deciding whether or not to look into it more deeply. Should the pitch stand after a more thorough vetting, he sends it to the host for consideration. “Radio can be much more freewheeling and loosely organized” than print or TV, Wilkinson says. “Pitches do not go beyond three people, and possibly an intern.” Former StarMetro Calgary Senior Reporter Brodie Thomas — now with LiveWireCalgary —  is more generous with his time as he works in a better-staffed print and online environment. He scans a pitch for a full 20 seconds before deciding whether or not to move forward with it. He advises hacks to reach out to individual journalists before hitting up editors, who often only see articles at the morning meeting. “The pressure is on reporters to find stories,” Thomas adds. “Exclusives are even better, although offering it up too early smells of desperation.” Timing However few and far between, PR hacks can crash the gate with a few certainties, says Ken Hanner, a 26-year veteran at The Washington Times with the final 14 years spent as the national desk editor. Start with identifying the proper section of the paper to pitch and then send it before the morning meeting, Hanner says, where most newsrooms begin the day to determine coverage. Everyone wants to walk in with fresh and brilliant ideas, he adds. If they don’t, they walk out with an assignment to review the new Olive Garden in town. “Publicists need to plan accordingly,” Hanner says. “If you give reporters great stories, they will be very appreciative.” Sav McBride, senior account executive with GS&F, relates a random conversation with a journalist on drones, about which she was extremely interested. McBride said that he had nothing relevant to offer at the time of their discussion, but a year later he secured a drone client. He reached back to the reporter to pitch an off-site rooftop drone shoot. With no hard news to offer, McBride says, she said that she would find a way to fit it into the programming that day simply because she was so excited. Two days later the reporter droned live from his client’s rooftop. “While producers and assignment editors tend to be the decision-makers when it comes to broadcast interviews and coverage, if you pitch a reporter or anchor on something you know they’re particularly interested in, I’ve found that they’ll usually find a way to make the coverage happen,” McBride concludes. Dave Yonkman is president of the health care public relations firm DYS Media and is the former Washington correspondent for Newsmax Media.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/2020/03/20/opinion-get-your-coronavirus-message-into-news/2878327001/ By Dave Yonkman The local news industry is not immune from the coronavirus. As if market forces weren’t already shrinking newsrooms, reporters and producers are now working remotely. Their communication happens virtually over text, email and videoconference. They need relevant and accurate information more than ever as government closes private enterprise, and in turn their marketing departments. Reliability and truthfulness are critical as the Fourth Estate fights back against unreliable websites and sources. So how do we get our information through to media outlets without overburdening them? First, ensure that your data is not tainted by personal emotion and is firmly rooted in fact. Rumors and innuendo are always irresponsible and don’t help anyone. Passing on a story from a relative who posted an article from a questionable outlet on a social platform is not the same as referencing Johns Hopkins or the CDC. A lie circles the planet before the truth can even get out of bed. This adage becomes especially true in the age of Twitter, WhatsApp and LinkedIn. Double and triple check your sources before sharing your story. Third, get the “who, what, why, where and when” in the first paragraph. The longer it takes someone to read a message, the more likely they are to not finish it. That’s basic human nature. When delivering food to those in need, for example, tell your local paper or radio station the name of your organization, what you are doing, why you are doing it, where you will deliver the aid and on what day and time. Don’t wait until your event is happening or an hour away. Media outlets simply don’t have the resources to cover those stories at the drop of a hat. Understand that a reporter assigned to your feature story may be pulled at the last second to cover a breaking life and death development. If you are announcing something special, include a web and print-friendly logo or a photo to which you have legal rights. Images are required for web stories these days. Send a .jpg file that is high-resolution and 4x6 inches at a minimum. Ensure that it doesn’t become fuzzy or distorted at that size. Many online tutorials can help you to get it right. Fourth, follow the appropriate channels to deliver your message to media professionals. Most, if not all, offer a publicly available contact form, email address or phone number. The rules remain the same regarding breaking news and feature stories. If your announcement is urgent, call to follow up that day. If it’s a month out, wait a little longer. Finally, multiple social and digital platforms enable you to communicate your information, but don’t rely solely upon them to deliver it. You may have the best dedicated social media presence, but it will get lost when news breaks. People look to media organizations to curate information for them. Help them to amplify your announcement. Remember that journalism careers live and die based upon performance. People are more likely to trust them as a disinterested, third-party authority than they are a tweet. We will get through the coronavirus together despite the challenges, which include fine-tuning how you get your information to your reliable local outlet. In the meantime, let’s help and pray for those whose health and lives are affected by it. We’ll get through it much faster if we all try to make one another’s lives easier. Dave Yonkman is president of the health care public relations firm DYS Media and is the former Washington correspondent for Newsmax Media.

https://www.prweb.com/releases/2018/07/prweb15618574.htm