Paradox Public Relations Shares 7 Tips on Mastering Media Messaging.

Tyler Patel is an Account Executive with Paradox Public Relations who joined the firm earlier this year after studying emerging technology and social impact at NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study. He gained hands-on experience in the blockchain industry through overseeing media campaigns for Paradox’s work with Crystal Blockchain.  

Paradox Public Relations has also worked with Elementus, a blockchain forensics company, securing 43 stories including the front page of the Wall Street Journal in 36 weeks.

Here are some tips he has learned for effective media messaging and strategic communication.

          1.  Use targeted communications

           There are thousands of reporters in the country all writing about wildly diverse topics. A reporter is far more                   likely to pick up a story that relates to their recent reporting. Be sure to read their articles and highlight some                   aspects you like within the piece and tie it to the message which you are trying to communicate. This is                               something that we called individualized outreach

          2.  Keep your connections hot

After you establish contact with a reporter, even if they are not interested in writing a piece for you at the current moment in time it is a good practice to continue feeding them information about news regarding your company weekly. This helps to make the reporter feel like a priority to your company and increases the likelihood of a story further down the line.

3.   Newsjacking

This is a common tactic used in PR and one that is crucial for Paradox Public Relations where you tie your company’s messaging to a current byline in the news. This can be effective for getting your company to provide insights regarding your industry as a whole on a specific topic which will in turn lend credibility to your company as thought leaders.

4.  Monitor other companies social media and press releases

Keeping an eye on other companies activities within your industry can help you gain insight as to what strategies may be more effective for your company. Make a habit of checking in on your competition every week to see what is working for them and see if there is anything you can incorporate into your own messaging.

5.  Develop a crisis communications plan

It is best to have a plan of how you will deal with a crisis before it takes place. Before your company announces a new product or service, try to create a list of possible adverse reactions the public may have. This will help in the long run so that you can control the messaging during a crisis instead of having to just react. It is highly important to protect the reputation of your company that you have worked so hard to build.

6.  Develop relationships with the media

Whenever you do get a media hit, be sure to thank them for their work and always consider them first for future pieces. Encourage them to join the world you are creating and invite them to events you are hosting or showcases of new products. You will soon find that you have a close circle of media contacts who regularly engage with your company which in turn keeps you in the news.

7.  Track your results

Now that you have spent all this time building your PR strategy and chasing media hits, you will want to know how effective it is. A great way to start is by monitoring your socials after your media hits and see how much traffic you have earned through specific placements. This will help guide you going forward as to what media strategies work for your company and which are less effective. You want to make sure that the right topic is connecting with the right audience.