Pitching PR

In this episode I chat with Abby Van Den Broek founder of AVDB PR, and we discuss the public relations opportunities for the cannabis industry. We chat about doing PR pre and post legalization, what it is like to work with such a heavily regulated clients who might have high expectations, dope editorial calendars and working in this budding industry - so many puns so little time.

Relevant Links:

www.abigailv.ca

In this episode of the podcast I wanted to explore the idea of brand archetypes and how we can apply them to the work we do as PR agencies – specifically using them when we are pitching new business and after we win that business, using them to pitch media and engage influencers and how these archetypes can help you better define your agency.

Relevant Links:

• Iconic Fox - The Ultimate Guide To Brand Archetypes: Hack the Mind of Your Customers

In this episode, we chat with Susan Jacobson from Jacobson Strategic Communications about how and why she implements a "flex-work" model at her agency. Flex work is exactly what it sounds like, but what is remarkable is how Susan has really turned the agency model and all of the traditional agency systems completely upside down and reshaped them to benefit her clients and team. She changed how she structures her teams, where they work, how they meet, their titles, time management, how she bills her clients and even how she compensates her team. Every system was looked at critically and strategically and was reshaped to benefit the employee and untimely make for a better work environment. She made the agency work for her team, they don't work for the agency.

RELEVANT LINKS:

• Jacobson Strategic Communications
• Susan's Forbes Article

In this episode, we chat with Andrea Clarke about her new book #FutureFit which is about how to "future proof" your career and the need to upgrade our own capability in ways we may not have considered because she believes the future of work is about talent, not technology.

I think this topic is so important for PR Professionals who are working in a constantly changing landscape – media is shifting, marketing is shifting, the whole industry is shifting – and While the fault-line is clear, so is the opportunity as long as we are willing to take our "human skills" to the next level.

Relevant Links:

• Future Fit on Amazon
• Andrea Clarke

In this episode of the Pitching PR Podcast, I share insights from CoCo Con 2019 and a panel discussion with Vanessa Craft - Editor-In-Chief of Elle Canada. She shared her thoughts on the shifting media landscape, building relationships with media and the EXACT best time of day to pitch an Editor.

Relevant Links:

• Co Co Con Events
• Elle Canada
• Vanessa Craft

"If you want to get the results that other people don't have, you have to do the work that other people won't do." - Vanessa Craft

Continuing from where we left off last month, Justine and I discuss how to take a vacation from your business without losing any business. Justine Clay is a speaker and business coach for creative entrepreneurs and freelancers.

Topics:

• How Justine helps clients create healthy boundaries.
• Setting expectations and planning for a break.
• The importance of reminding clients that you will be taking a break.

This podcast is courtesy of Pitch Graphic Design, a Toronto based firm, whose goal is to provide quality graphic designs for Public Relations. If you would like to get in touch with Pitch, please fill out the contact form.

Quotes:

"All of business owners know and feel like our businesses are extensions of ourselves." -Justine Clay

Resources:

Justine's Website

Justine's Email List

Pitch Graphic Design on Instagram

It's the time of year when everyone sets resolutions. In this episode Justine Clay and I discuss how everyone can set attainable business resolutions for the coming year. Justine Clay is a speaker and business coach for creative entrepreneurs and freelancers. Tune in to hear her thoughts on improving your business the seven steps for sustained success in 2019.

Topics:

• Justine's winding career path.
• The importance of setting goals.
• Why January is a great time for goal-setting.
• Knowing why you want to change.
• Assessing your habits.
• Why your ego is a problem
• Ways to take action.

This podcast is courtesy of Pitch Graphic Design, a Toronto based firm, whose goal is to provide quality graphic designs for Public Relations. If you would like to get in touch with Pitch, please fill out the contact form.

Quotes:

"In order to grow you have to look in the dark spaces." -Justine Clay

Resources:

Justine's Website

Justine's Email List

Pitch Graphic Design on Instagram

It's "Christmas in July" and December and honestly kinda feels like all year long. So today, we discuss with Erinn Stewart, a Toronto-based content creator and freelance journalist, the in's and out's of creating Holiday gift guides and the best practices for pitching one to busy media and influencers.

Topics:

• How Erinn's journalism career got started and which topics are on her beat.
• Understanding the business culture of publications and how to use this to pitch efficiently.
• We review the Holiday editorial calendar and when is the best time to follow up with writers.
• The importance of in-person meetings vs. being phone-friends
• Tips for making your gift guides stand out in a crowded media landscape
• The secret is out, Erinn reveals her best and worst gift guide pitches.

This podcast is courtesy of Pitch Graphic Design, a Toronto based firm, whose goal is to provide quality graphic designs for Public Relations. If you would like to get in touch with Pitch, please fill out the contact form.

Quotes:

"The Editor is the gatekeeper. I could submit twenty great items for a gift guide and then my Editor could cut three of them because they didn't think they were a fit." -Erinn Stewart

"Sometimes those coffee meetings aren't always revolving around a new launch or a new product, sometimes they're just kind of a get to know you and that is sometimes even more valuable." Erinn Stewart

"If the product is really awesome, that is really half the battle. So be honest with your Client's and manage their expectations." -Erinn Stewart

Resources:

Erinn on Twitter

Pitch Graphic Design on Instagram

Today on the podcast we are asking the question: Is the press release dead? And the three worst rookie mistakes you can make when writing one.

To help us decide if press releases still have a pulse is Alistair Clay - an award-winning former national journalist with 20 years' experience working in the media and PR.

He is the founder of Class:PR, the online PR training school, which has helped 100s of startups and small businesses around the world land major media coverage.

Topics:

• Allistar's move from Journalism to PR and how class PR got its start.
• Is the Press Release as we know it dead?
• Tips for writing a catchy headline or subject line.
• How the press release has evolved from old school to new school.
• Teaching Clients to think like a Journalist.
• Top three Rookie mistakes

This podcast is courtesy of Pitch Graphic Design, a Toronto based design agency that exclusively works with PR Agencies; helping them create award-winning campaigns and win new clients. If you are looking to secure new clients and with Lesley at Pitch, please fill out the contact form.

Quotes:

"If you can't encapsulate your news in fewer than twenty-five words it isn't news." -Alistair Clay

Resources:

Class PR

Pitch Graphic Design on Instagram

On this episode of Pitching PR, I get to speak with Natalie Petozzi. She explains what it's like working at film festivals, particularly managing press junkets and dealing with unexpected bumps in the road.

Natalie worked as an assistant at Alliant Films before joining Entertainment One's PR/Promotions department. Now, she manages their PR team. Every year, she also works the Toronto International Film Festival. Listen in as Natalie describes her career path and what it's like managing press junkets at film festivals.

Topics:

• How Natalie promotes films for festivals
• The festival process
• Booking press events
• Managing variables
• Preparing for TIFF
• Anticipating inappropriate questions from the press
• Using social media
• Natalie's biggest "uh-oh" moment

This podcast is courtesy of Pitch Graphic Design, a Toronto based firm, whose goal is to provide quality graphic designs for Public Relations. If you would like to get in touch with Pitch, please fill out the contact form.

Resources:

Entertainment One

TIFF

Natalie's Instagram

Natalie's Twitter

Quotes:

"The biggest thing that I've learned over the years is to build buffer time into your schedule." -Natalie Petozzi

"Remember that you're dealing with people and they have their own quirks." -Natalie Petozzi

"Everything will work out…you just have to adapt and do your best…Never assume that a schedule is finalized." -Natalie Potosi