Follow Friday: Twitter Contacts for Capital Business
Work in public relations? Updating your media relations list? Interested in Washington, DC business news? Here are contacts from the Washington Post’s Capital Business.
Danielle Douglas @DaniDougPost I cover local retail, hospitality and banking for WAPO CAP BIZ
Marjorie Censer @CommonCenser I cover government and defense contracting for The Washington Post’s Capital Business.
I am a reporter at The Washington Post, writing about how people build businesses.
Renae Merle @renaemerle Business reporter at The Washington Post, native Texan, Knight Bagehot fellow, Columbia MBA Class 2012
Jia Lynn Yang @jialynnyang I’m a business reporter for The Washington Post covering policy that affects corporate America.
Abha Bhattarai @abhabhattarai Reporter for The Washington Post’s Capital Business section. Email me: abha.bhattarai[at]washingtonpost.com
Steven Overly @StevenOverly Cover local business and technology for The Washington Post and Capital Business. Also write The Download, a weekly column. Reach me at overlys@washpost.com.
Jonathan O’Connell @OConnellPostbiz Commercial real estate reporter for the Washington Post and Capital Business. Petworth dad.
Capital Business @CapitalBiz Daily headlines, links and news from Capital Business, The Washington Post’s local business publication. We’re also on Facebook: http://wapo.st/fbcapbiz
Follow Friday: Twitter List of WAMU-FM Contacts
Here are WAMU-FM Twitter contacts for your media list from my public Twitter list.
Patrick Madden @Patrick_Madden D.C. Reporter, WAMU 88.5 FM
Matt Bush @MattBushMD Maryland reporter for WAMU-FM in Washington DC. A follow is not an endorsement…but you prob already knew that
Tom Sherwood @tomsherwood Reporter – NBC4 Washington DC; Analyst – WAMU-FM 88.5 Kojo Nnamdi Politics Hour; Columnist – Current Newspapers
Margo Kelly WAMU-FM @MargoKelly1 
The Diane Rehm Show @drshow The Diane Rehm Show from NPR and WAMU 88.5 – American University Radio
WAMU’s Front Desk @frontdeskamy 
WAMU 88.5 @wamu885 WAMU 88.5 – American University Radio. Home of @drshow, @kojoshow, @wamumetro, @wamu885news, and @wamubluegrass.
The Kojo Nnamdi Show @kojoshow The Kojo Nnamdi Show from WAMU 88.5 – American University Radio
WAMU 88.5 News @wamu885news Local news from WAMU 88.5 – American University Radio in Washington, D.C.
Press Release Pointers
Pity the poor publicist!
The publicist’s bread and butter used to be the press release. We wrote them, we mailed them, we faxed them, and for a while, we emailed them. Then we pitched the ink out of them. Now with shrinking news rooms, online media, and 24-7 news cycles, so much of how public relations professionals approach press releases has changed.
I’m going to be honest with you: I don’t write a lot of press releases these days. I can probably count on two hands all the ones I’ve written in the past six years. But I have a pro bono client who needs a whole lot of press releases so I had to bone up.
What I am finding is that press releases are still relevant and have an important place in most organizations’ public relations plans. What are some of the best ways to use a press release? Perhaps we should talk about how NOT to use them. Most publicists I have talked to concur that sending press releases without preamble to massive contact lists of reporters, then following up with pitch calls, is no longer the way to go. Reporters say they are inundated with email. Those messages just get lost. So, how can you leverage your next press release?
How To Use a Press Release to Get Results
- Publicists are sending highly targeted, time-sensitive media alerts and press releases to their carefully cultivated media contacts, but on a very selective basis. Then they are placing them online, with social sharing features.
- Remember to carefully research editorial calendars and reporter beats before approaching a reporter (with or without a press release) about a potential story.
- Send press releases to a reporter who in the course of conversation, requests more information, or specifically asks for a press release. In a sense, you are bringing the press release later into the dialogue, instead of beginning with it.
- There are always a few reporters who still swear by, and say they want to receive press releases, by email.
- Upload press releases to the website’s online news room, and repurpose them as blog posts and email newsletter articles.
- Press releases aren’t just for reporters! Send press releases to partner organizations, trade associations, chambers of commerce, legislative assistants, and think tanks (depending on topic, of course).
- Use press releases as background information when booking guests on podcasts, radio shows, and broadcast news programs.
- Be sure to include your organization’s social media links (Facebook Page, Twitter account, YouTube Channel, etc.) in the press release.
Press Release Resources
- Read 4 tips for writing effective press release headlines.
- Learn the science behind timing the distribution of your press release.
- Send the press release by news wire. You can now send press releases directly from your WordPress blog via PR Newswire for $89 per release.
- Check out PR Newswire’s Nonprofit Tool Kit, which includes press release templates and samples.
- Read this post by Jonathan Rick on how to make your press release more appealing to journalists.
- Learn some new tricks for adding visual appeal to your press releases to make them more shareable.
- On a tight budget? Try Free Press Release.com
Ideas for Press Release Topics
All content should be timely, relevant, interesting, useful, and informative. Think about the benefits of the information to the user, and frame the information in that context. Remember, photos and video help tell the story, and garner three times more reads than releases without visual media. Here are just a few ideas for your next press release.
- Any topic related to the news of the day that adds another angle to the story.
- A new and innovative product or service line.
- Compelling results of research: studies, surveys and polls.
- Helpful, timely (and seasonal, when appropriate) tips.
- Educational events and seminars.
- How to avoid scams and fraud associated with your industry.
- Work with interns, students, or community service.
What tips or press release topics would you add?
Related articles
- How to Write an Excellent Press Release (noobpreneur.com)
- Online Press Releases Dramatically Help Build Brand Awareness (epiphanysolutions.co.uk)
- Media Relations Gone Wrong: How Not to Pitch a Journalist (Video) (adamsherk.com)
- Burning Up in Press Release Hell (ereleases.com)
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May Network-and-Lunch Report
Connie Rhind, David Hyson, Susan Rink, and Robert Udowitz
We had another fun monthly network-and-lunch event yesterday, this time at Pilin Thai in Falls Church, Virginia.
Attending were David Hyson, Mary Fletcher Jones, Susan Rink, Robert Udowitz, and Connie Rhind. Heathere Evans-Keenan made a quick stop to say hello.
As usual, the conversation revolved around public relations and communications projects. We discussed best practices for handling pro bono work, as well as the merits of wireless press release services. Susan was excited to introduce Connie Rhind to the independent practitioners group, IPRA. Susan is doing some very interesting internal communications work for one of her clients, Wal-Mart. Robert is launching a new blog for his company, RFP Associates, and gave us a quick preview of the art for the blog. David shared about the 508 compliance design work he is doing for Deloitte and CSC, and explained how 508 compliance is becoming a requirement for certain federal government projects.
The setting was perfect for discussion and the meal was delicious and a real lunchtime bargain. Fletcher Prince organizes monthly network-and-lunch events all over the Washington, DC area. The next netw0rk-and-lunch event will take place at Spice Xing in Rockville, Maryland, on Tuesday, June 12. Please register and join us!
New work: website and blog for PRofessional Solutions
We recently completed the new website/blog for our client, PRofessional Solutions. If you are interested in public relations, be sure to subscribe!
Follow Friday Twitter List of the Week: Washington Business Journal
Work in public relations? Building your media contact list? Follow my public Twitter list of Washington Business Journal contacts.
Book of Lists @WBJBookofLists Weekly top 25 lists ranking everyone and everything there is in Washington business.
Michael Neibauer @NeibsWBJ Regional economic development, government reporter with the Washington Business Journal.
Missy Frederick @TopShelfWBJ Top Shelf is my column for WBJ about restaurants and retail in the Washington, DC region.
JenConner @JenConner Business Reporter. Recovering TV Producer. Media Geek. Mom.
Dan Sernovitz @wbjdan Washington Business Journal commercial real estate reporter.
jnconner @jnconner Working out workplaces for the Washington Business Journal
Alex Orfinger @AlexOrfinger Publisher/Washington Business Journal. Looking for local biz tips. And ways to help local biz grow and prosper
WBJonline @WBJonline Washington Business Journal keeps you in the loop on what’s happening in the Greater Washington business community.
Missy Frederick @bylinemjf Reporter by day, theatre critic by night. This is my personal account; for restaurant and retail news, head to @TopShelfWBJ.
Roger Hughlett @WBJ_Newsroom Your source for local business news in Greater Washington.
Ben Fischer @fischer_biz I cover health care and legal industry news for the Washington Business Journal.
William Flook @BillFlook Tech/Biotech/VC reporter for Washington Business Journal
Jill R. Aitoro @jaitoroWBJ I’m senior reporter with WBJ, covering the local contractor community.
WBJ Events @WBJEvents The latest Washington Business Journal events. Celebrating the Greater Washington, D.C. business community.
To live tweet, or not live tweet: that is the question
Just put away the smartphone!
Joan Stewart posted a great opinion article on her blog, The Publicity Hound, last week on live tweeting. Joan made the points that live tweeting during a presentation takes away from the experience, as a participant. For example, while live tweeting, an attendee can miss points made during the presentation.
Live Tweeting Can Throw Off a Presenter
You know, giving a presentation is not easy! It takes a lot of focus and nerve. That’s the reason why I request that people not take photos during my presentations (although they usually do, anyway). But live tweeting is worse. When I’m up there in front of an audience, it is slightly unnerving to see people bent over their Blackberrys and iPhones. I don’t know if they’re live tweeting, or bored and checking their email, or what. As a speaker, you need nonverbal cues and facial feedback from your participants — are you losing your audience? Should you pick up the pace? Did they get that last point, or do they seem to need clarification? So I think paying attention and being in the moment is respectful to the speaker.
Live Tweets Lack Perspective of the Presentation as a Whole
In my experience, looking at the live tweets that have posted after my talk, I have also found that people who live tweet my presentations often focus on superficial details, and I can see where they’re missing points mid-stream. They are basically missing the forest for the trees by focusing on the micro, instead of processing the whole. Live tweeting can get a little “high school.” It’s the digital equivalent of passing notes in class. I’ve had people live tweet about my appearance (in a complimentary way, still, it’s beside the point of my talk), or about the kinds of pictures I use in my slides.
I see other drawbacks with live tweets, in addition to the ones you mentioned. Some people approach live tweeting like court reporting, recording every point, and I think that’s a mistake. Once, I reiterated a point, and someone made a snarky tweet that I was repeating myself — but he was tweeting almost every statement I made! But in presentations, repeating main points is important.
Live Tweets Are Not Effective Communication
I also think live tweeting can be a disservice to your Twitter followers. Your followers may appreciate your insights from a presentation they can’t attend, but when that report is coming across the stream in disjointed bits and pieces, interrupted by other tweets — well, that’s just not effective communication. (This is the same reason why I don’t like Twitter chats.)
Live Tweets Do Not Help Your Personal Brand
When I think about activities that enhance your image and raise awareness of your personal brand online, live tweeting is not one strategy that comes to mind. That’s because Tweets have such a short life span, and almost no search engine results value at all. That’s a lot of effort that could be diverted into blogging. How much better would it be to take a few notes, snap a photo afterwards (with permission), and then write a blog post about your takeaways, which would elevate both you and the speaker (and wouldn’t evaporate from search engine results, the way tweets do). Then you could tweet the link to your blog post.
Live Tweeting May Make You Less Social
To be sure, live tweeting can be distancing. One thing I’ve noticed: live tweeters rarely come up to me and introduce themselves, before or after a presentation. But bloggers almost invariably do. It could be just my personal experience, but in a way, I think live tweeting can make you less social.
Live Tweeting is Probably Here to Stay
As a speaker, I can’t really do anything to discourage live tweeting. It’s something people are going to want to do, and I don’t think collecting phones (some do!) or asking people not to live tweet is practical. But I may think of ways to give preference to bloggers who connect with me, such as recognition, preferential seating, good quality photos, and special attention.
What are your thoughts on live tweeting? Do you feel it adds to the experience, or takes away from it?
Related articles
- 5 reasons I don’t tweet during conferences anymore (publicityhound.net)
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New Email Marketing Newsletter for PRofessional Solutions
David and I were pleased to work on PRofessional Solutions‘ latest marketing project, a new email marketing campaign. The inaugural edition of the monthly newsletter, Smart Solutions, is packed with public relations tips for annual meetings, conferences, and Capitol Hill Days.
Thanks for checking it out and sharing it with your colleagues you think would enjoy it. And please contact us if we can help you with your email marketing plans.
Our May Newsletter is packed with event info and social media tips
Do you subscribe to our email newsletter? You can check out the May issue right here. We send it to our contact list every month.
It’s important to us to provide useful and valuable content to our colleagues and professional contacts. A couple of articles we include every month: upcoming PR and social media events for communicators, and monthly ideas for your blog, Twitter, and Facebook updates. We also include a short and informative video.
Email marketing is an important part of our marketing mix, and we hope you are also using it to its full advantage. The Direct Marketing Association reports that email marketing has the highest ROI of all techniques. We’d be happy to talk to you more about that, including our Constant Contact partnership program that offers you many free benefits as a participant.
If you have ideas or events we can share in our June newsletter, please email me and let me know. Enjoy!
Follow Friday Twitter List of the Week: WTOP-FM Radio Accounts
WTOP-FM (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Work in public relations in Washington, DC? Need to build your media contact list? Follow my public Twitter List of WTOP-FM Radio reporters and announcers.
List members
Jack Taylor @Taylormade322 Reporting on the @##$@ traffic on WTOP-FM in Washington DC now, 10a-1p ! LOL Join me for the fun
Melvin Chase Jr. @MelvinChase DC Native. News Junkie. Mentor to young journalists. Public Affairs Director/News Administrator at DC’s Trusted News Source @WTOP News.
Jamie Forzato @jamieforzato Born in Philly. Trained in DC. @WTOP Assistant Editor/Reporter. @WMUCSports Promotions Director. My views are my own. News tip? Email me: JForzato@gmail.com Read the rest of this entry
