Don't let the wrong PR pitch sour reporters.

Before launching my first agency in 2002, I “hired and fired” PR firms while slogging in corporate. And before that, I weeded out the good and bad ones while cutting my teeth as a reporter and listening to their pitches. (Note: Don’t send a pie along with a press kit to get attention. Reporters will gobble up the pie, spill meringue over your glossy brochure and then dump the mess in the trash. Yeah, that really happened. Apologies to the well-meaning PR firm.)

So what does work? Here are my suggestions on some of the best ways to select your next PR partner:

• Assess your needs — PR is such a catch-all term. Before beginning your selection process, determine what you really want to accomplish by working with a PR professional. Do you want a stellar copywriter who can whip up website content as well as news releases? Do you need a media relations pro who will put you on the evening news? Are you looking for someone to cultivate content for your blog? Do you need need to garner attention among bloggers and want to start a blogger relations program? Are you entering a new market space or launching a product? Will financial PR be used as part of your investor relations program? What is your brand position within your industry? Depending on your goals, you might need to work with a few consultants or agencies.
• Seek referrals — Ask industry colleagues for recommendations. Trade associations can be valuable referral sources. Professional service providers, such as attorneys, CPAs, investment bankers and VCs, can provide good tips as well.
• Develop a long list — Your initial agency assessment should span six to 12 agencies and include a range of independent professionals as well as boutique house and midsize-to-large firms. Understand how each agency presents itself. Some agencies favor working with start-up entities while others take on established companies only. Some prefer a project-by-project basis and others will insist on a retained relationship.
• Set evaluation metrics — Determine measurement criteria before conducting agency reviews. Consider factors such as industry experience, ability to grasp your industry, creativity and responsiveness.
• Select finalists — Request that your “long list” of agency candidates complete a telephone interview or respond to a written request for proposal. Select three or four agencies to meet with in-person.
• Interview the finalists — Invite the finalists to present to you their capabilities as well as their PR program recommendations.This should be a highly interactive meeting during which you can assess each candidate’s ability to mesh with your team.
• Feel a spark — The old adage rings true here: People do business with other people, not companies. Perform a gut check: “Do I want to work with these people? Do I even like her?”
• Interview other clients — Past and current clients can give you insight into what you can expect from the relationship. See what others have to say about me on my LinkedIn profile.
• Meet your team — Some agencies will send their top executives and business development managers to meet with you and get your business. Often, these individuals will have no to little activity on your account. Always ask to meet with the professionals who will service your account before signing a contract. This is one of the chief advantages of working with a senior PR consultant or boutique firm.
• Let the process work — We all want to see immediate results, yet PR is a cumulative activity that blends near-term wins with long-term strategy. Allow your new agency at least three months to perform.

Now, it’s your turn. What advice have you followed to find your PR dream team? Share in the comments so we can create a learning community.

New Year-New Habit No. 11: Write an Op-Ed Piece

Here are tips and strategies to consider in developing an op-ed piece:

• The byline (“written by” designation) of your op-ed should be one of your top-ranking executives or board members. Newspapers prefer op-eds to be penned by someone cited as an authority and based locally.
• The essay should not be more than 750 words in length, depending on the newspaper’s editorial guidelines.
• Newspapers will not print an op-ed that appears to be self-serving; don’t promote your company in it. The best-written op-ed pieces balance facts and figures with persuasion and positioning.
• Consider offering your op-ed as an exclusive to one newspaper and ascertain if that paper is interested. If not, contact another newspaper, and another, until you have secured placement.
• Once published, leverage your good press by alerting employees, customers, industry associations, sales channels, local governmental officials, the trade media, analysts and social media communities. This could be done simply through an e-mail broadcast. You also should include a reprint of the op-ed in your company’s press kit.

Let me know how you’ve used op-ed pieces. I’ll feature you in future case studies. And while you’re at it, let me know what other PR and social media habits you’d like to develop this year.

New Year-New Habit No. 10: Maximize PR Budgets

Compare Wire Services
Talk with your PR agency or local wire service representative about the best distribution circuit for your news release. Some releases require the shotgun blast of national distribution, while others need the rifle shot of a specialty circuit. Plus, local circuits can reduce costs while providing exposure to local media and financial outlets.

Ditch the Printed Press Kit
Really? Are you still printing it? A printed press kit may feel good in your hands but it will end up in the trash if you send it to a reporter. Invest instead in developing a searchable and easy-to-access online press kit.

Free Speech Pays
Every PR program should include a speakers bureau and contributed article program. Take advantage of opportunities to speak (for free) at trade shows, conventions, industry associations, professional associations and community-service groups.

Write It Down
Dovetail your public speaking effort by writing articles that summarize your talks. Then submit these articles for publication in industry journals and trade outlets. And create a blog series out of your most enduring talk tracks.

Size Up Trade Show Opportunities
Limit the number of trade shows where you exhibit. In many instances, reserving a hospitality suite can be just as effective. Use the time to schedule and meet with industry analysts and editors one-on-one.

Cultivate Expert Status
One of the surest ways to generate press is to cultivate thought leadership through the development of an expert platform. In addition to speaking and writing, introduce key company executives to the media as expert sources. You also can rely on listing services such as  PR Newswire’s ProfNet. And be sure to sign up to receive free, daily updates from Help a Reporter Out (HARO). You’ll be connected to reporters searching for qualified sources.

Spread the Good News
Make sure your employees, board of directors, investors, channel and technology partners, and customers know about your media successes. When you earn coverage or issue news releases, send out a simple e-mail notification with a link to your news or develop a formal company e-newsletter to communicate your progress.

What other tips do you have to cut your PR budget? While your commenting below, also let me know what other PR and social media habits you’d like to develop this year.

The idea behind cause marketing and nonprofit sponsorships is that companies win by promoting their brands and building sales, while nonprofits win by raising funds and building corporate partnerships. Here are 10 tips on cause marketing:

New Year-New Habit No. 9: Make Cause Marketing Work

1. Be careful about what you promote
Your company should align itself only with a cause that reflects the ideals of the company and meets the needs of the charity.

2. Define the benefits
Only partner with charitable causes that will derive real benefits, such as in-kind or monetary donations or employee volunteers.

3. Think size appropriate
Although larger companies can conduct grand-scale cause-related marketing campaigns, such as donating a portion of monthly service fees to a non-profit, even small companies can have big impacts by conducting a grass-roots campaign for a local charity.

4. Target based on demographics
Cause-related marketing should be targeted at groups that share the same values as your company, ensuring demographic similarity between the types of donors to that charity and buyers or users of your product or service.

5. Don’t exploit your good deed
Although cause-related marketing isn’t completely altruistic – you should seek some positive exposure for your involvement – publicity should be conducted with respect to both the corporate and non-profit entities.

6. Think long term
You should strive to create programs that yield long-term value for the non-profit, not short-term hype for you.

7. Look beyond the trends
Look beyond the philanthropic trends to identify charities that truly need your assistance, not merely have current name recognition.

8. Commit resources
Before agreeing to a cause, ensure that your organization can handle its request.

9. Do due diligence
Look at their operations as you would any strategic partner. Talk with the executive director, the development director and members of the board to get an idea of financial situation, resources, management, etc.

10. Maximize the PR value
Explore how you can be included in their marketing vehicles to help promote your company and build a tie in with their organization.

What cause marketing programs have worked for your company? Share your tips — and warning about pitfalls — below.

During unstable economic times, it’s natural to want to “duck and cover.” Some executives figure that no communication with employees is better than a steady stream of bad news. However, a thoughtful corporate communications program can increase employee retention, improve productivity and squelch damaging rumor mills.

New Year-New Habit No. 8: Talk to Employees

These days, especially, every word counts. Inconsistent or even contradictory employee communications breeds mistrust. When the economy improves, companies that invest in employee communications programs will have an easier time recruiting and keeping employees. Here are five tips on building an employee communications program that will result in increased productivity and better informed employees:

Market to them
Think of your employees as a target market. What do you know about them? Before communicating any piece of information to employees, ask the question, “What’s in it for them?” Too many companies churn out information to employees without considering how it will be perceived or what value it holds. Just as you would write a customer newsletter article with your targets in mind, craft your internal communications program with your most-important assets in mind: your employees and their needs.

If You're Not Loyal to Employees, Employees Won't Be Loyal to You

Communicate regularly
In these tumultuous times, employees want to receive clear and easy-to-understand information. Establish a regular communication schedule that is tailored to your company — and stick with it. Let employees know how and when they will receive information. For example, large companies could commit to producing a weekly employee e-newsletter, a monthly conference call with management, and quarterly all-hands meetings with the CEO or other top executive. Small companies could commit to having weekly “hallway” updates in person and frequent email updates on company progress.

Tell the truth
It’s true: Employees today are more skeptical of management than ever before. Don’t add fuel to the fire by using your employee communication program to spin half-truths or puff up expectations. Your employees deserve to hear the news, good or bad. Don’t dodge tough issues or sugar-coat challenging business decisions. By communicating with your employees regularly, fairly and respectfully, you can squash rumors and foster trust.

Ask their opinions
Establish a mechanism for finding out what employees want to know and then giving it to them. The key is to cultivate an open environment in which employees feel like they can ask questions and probe for information. You can do this by training all of your managers to solicit employees’ opinions regularly and answering their questions honestly.

Recognize often
Results-generating employee communication programs include well-defined employee recognition and reward elements. Call out employees for surpassing expectations. You can achieve this by including them in your publicity or advertising campaigns, recognizing them with awards or simply acknowledging a job well done publicly. Use your established communication vehicles to identify employees who deserve it.

How do you communicate with employees? Share your tips here. For more information about employee communications, check out the IABC Employee Communication Commons blog.

And let me know what other public relations or social media habits you want to build this year.

A sales letter is one of the most common forms of direct marketing. However, writing an effective one isn’t easy. Many companies hire direct-marketing professionals to create their mailings, but you can write your own by following these tips.

Do Your Sales Letters Sizzle or Fizzle?

1. Copywriting
You have about 2.5 seconds to make your reader want to read your promotion. Capture their attention by addressing an problem, issue or trend they may be facing. An effective sales letter often begins with a question or statement that addresses their needs directly. Once you have their attention, you can tell them how your company can solve their problems with your products or services.

2. Headlines
Most recipients will scan your letter rather than read it word for word. Cater to this reading style by using bold headlines throughout the copy. These statements should have an emotional impact that addresses the prospects near-term goals, fears or questions.

3. Call to Action
Once you have their attention, you need to prompt them to take action. A good direct-mail letter has multiple calls to action and ways to contact your company. Although you can wait until the end of your letter in a printed promotion, you should pepper an online promotion with calls to action early and often. Your goal is to qualify leads and generate interest. One effective strategy is to implement the “law of reciprocity.” Give them something of value, such as knowledge in the form of a white paper or discounts in the form of a price offer, in return for their responses.

What are your secrets for writing sales letters that produce results? Let me know below — and tell me what public relations and social media habits you’d like to develop this year.

New Year-New Habit No. 6: Use Customer Testimonials

Here are the top 10 ways to use customer testimonials effectively:

1. Sales collateral
The most traditional use of a case study or testimonial is to include it among your company’s sales collateral given to prospective customers. It could be a stand-alone piece or incorporated into a brochure.

What Do Your Customers Say about You?

2. New business solicitation
Go one step further in your sales solicitations by mailing or e-mailing prospective customers directly with testimonials. This often is perceived as a “softer” sales approach, as a customer testimonial is viewed more objectively than a company’s own marketing pitch.

3. Corporate positioning
Many companies, wishing to be viewed as customer-centric, use customer testimonials as the basis of their ad campaigns.

4. Website content
Make use of your corporate website by including a section on customer testimonials. It adds examples of real-world applications that site visitors will appreciate.

5. Customer recognition
You can reward your most important customers by soliciting feedback from them about your products and services — and then use the testimonial to promote your company and theirs.

6. Press or analyst references
The media and analysts scramble for objective, third-party views of your company. Although business and financial reporters and financial and industry analysts won’t use a case study provided word for word, they often will use it as springboard for covering your company or follow up with the customer for an interview.

7. Employee communications
Employees crave good-news stories about the success of their company — especially early wins for startups. Company leaders should send customer testimonials to all employees and recognize the employees who were instrumental in gaining the customer’s favorable response.

8. Speeches
You can weave testimonials into speeches to show how end users have used you product or service successfully.

9. Trade shows
There are multiple uses for testimonials at trade shows. Companies can include testimonials in their presentations, speeches, marketing collateral and even booth graphics. Many also include customers in their in-booth demonstrations.

10. Bylined articles
Some trade publications will publish case studies with a byline from either a company or customer representative.

Tell me how you’ve used customer testimonials — and let me know what public relations or social media habits you’d like to develop this year.

Instead of accepting mediocre media relations results this year, vow to get into the habit of earning exceptional press. Here are five ways CEOs can become headline-worthy.

New Year-New Habit No. 5: Be Headline-Worthy

CEOs today must wear many hats: visionary, fundraiser, strategist and more. Now they can hang another title on the executive hat rack: business storyteller.

To carve out a prominent place among the media, chief executives must master the art of storytelling. No one is more believable than the CEO when presenting a company’s vision to the media. Yet a dull and drab interview can kill even the most newsworthy story.

Here are five characteristics of business storytelling that every CEO must master.

Do you feel like the Mad Hatter during media interviews?

Futurist
In this media role, CEOs define the future direction of the company. The media seeks knowledge on where the company is headed and how it will get there. It’s the CEO’s perspective that makes headlines.

Historian
Just as the media wants to know where a company is headed, they also want to know where the company has been. Especially with a product-driven company, the CEO can humanize a business story by creating strong messaging around the company’s origins.

Ambassador
The media views CEOs as the “face” of a company. It’s vital to portray an image during media interviews and other public relations events that is congruent with the company’s overall brand. Headline-grabbing CEOs are personable, conversational and charismatic, even when delivering bad news.

Analyst
CEOs must be industry forecasters and well-versed on the trends, opportunities and problems that their industries might face. In any public forum and with the media, they must be ready to answer the question, “Where do you see your industry going over the next year, and what challenges do you anticipate?”

Contrarian
The media loves a good dogfight, and quotable CEOs know how to jump into the fray and come out a winner. Take a look at industry issues, economic climates and general business forecasts. Now analyze your opinions on each. Do you agree or disagree? The media needs to present both sides of a story to be impartial. If you disagree with a prevailing thought, let the media know.

What public relations or social media habit would you like to develop this year? Leave a reply below and let me know.

New Year-New Habit No. 4: Get a Professional Headshot

One of our marketing partners, David Moyle (@davidmoyle), suggested today’s habit to master:

“In today’s rapidly changing, technology-driven business environment, it is important that you have a great head shot of yourself for your web site and online social media profiles. Your personal head shot is becoming synonymous with your personal brand. Your head shot is your first impression in the modern world of business. How many times have you seen a bad, (or outdated) head shot of someone on a social media site that causes you to make a determination about that person’s professionalism without ever having met him or her? Or, worse yet, when you meet them, you could swear they are not the same person.”

No bait and switch. Get a headshot. And update it at least every two years (or more frequently if you have gained/lost a lot of weight or changed your hairstyle dramatically).

What public relations or social media habit would you like to develop this year? Let me know in the reply below.

New Year-New Habit No. 3: Use Social Media Productivity Tools

If you think that there is not enough time in the day to manage your social media presence, you’ll like this tip. Check out the abundant social media productivity tools available to you — often free — and use one that fits your busy schedule. I’ve been a fan of HootSuite for approximately two years and use it to manage client social media campaigns but there are new services that are worth a look.

First, take a look at BundlePost, a social content management system. If you’re at a loss at what content to share, you might like this solution. BundlePost collects relevant content for all of your social media audiences. You can schedule, hashtag and post this content from BundlePost to any social media platform. If you use BundlePost, leave a comment about your impressions.

My next suggestion is Nimble, pointed out by Remarx Media client SuiteSearch (@suitesearch). I like Nimble’s clean platform, which offers a series of productivity applications for social media monitoring and engagement. From the online interface, you can track and connect all of your contacts, calendars and conversations in one place. To find out more about how Nimble works, watch this short company video. Are you a Nimble user? Let me know how you like it.

Finally, consider Ifttt. It’s a funny name for a serious system that you have test to fully appreciate. Here’s how the company describes it: “Put the internet to work for you by creating tasks that fit this simple structure: if this then that. Think of all the things you could do if you were able to define any task as: when something happens (this) then do something else (that).”  For example, you can post all photos you share via Twitter to Flickr or send a tweet to Pinterest. Have you tried Ifttt yet? Let me know what if-then recipes you’ve concocted.

Now get ready to share: Tell me what new social media productivity tools you’re testing — or feel free to rave about your go-to favorites.

And please comment on the PR or social media habit would you like to develop this year. Leave a reply and let me know!