A media tour is a great way to deliver a message to a key group of targeted media outlets in a consistent and time-efficient fashion. Media tours often make the most sense when there is something new to talk about – whether it’s a new product, event or even a new employee within a company whom the media might be interested in learning more about. We recently assisted our client Virginia Distillery Company with the coordination of a media tour that was held on site…
Read MoreWe recently had the opportunity to assist Cabela’s with public relations efforts surrounding the opening of its Short Pump location – its second location in Virginia. One area where we were tasked to lend a hand was the media preview: which was an opportunity for local media to come out and get a sneak peek of the space, do interviews and get photos and videos prior to the official store opening. Here at Hodges, we assist a number of clients with media previews, especially as…
Read MoreDo you think your small brand is ready for the spotlight? If the answer is yes, there a few things you might want to consider before kicking off media relations efforts and emailing a TODAY producer to pitch your brand. By lining up a few key elements, you’ll make sure your small brand is ready for the attention it deserves: What it takes Consistent Branding. A strong brand identity sets your product or service apart from all others and helps build brand loyalty. Establish consistent branding across all…
Read MoreA press release can be an effective way to spread awareness of your brand. You can use it for any number of reasons, including to promote scheduled events, announce a new products or service, or generate a feature story. Sounds great, right? Before you get started, there are a few key things you need to remember when writing a press release: Headline—The headline should be larger than the rest of your content so that it pops. Make sure that it describes what your content is…
Read MoreToday, media relations is as challenging as ever, which makes the successes even more fun to celebrate. There are few things better than seeing a client on TODAY or being able to flip through a magazine in the grocery store and see your handiwork right before your eyes. We’ve shared a few “Behind The Hit” examples on our blog recently, which prove there is more than meets the eye with every placement you see—the coordination, the interview requests, the follow up, sending images and samples….
Read MoreJust a few weeks ago on July 1, The Hodges Partnership celebrated its 12th birthday. Celebrations ensued—the annual baseball outing—a Nats game this year—as well as lunch in D.C. and a visit to The Newseum. Celebrations aside, what better time than an anniversary to reflect on the past, the present and what’s next for Hodges? I sat down with founders Jon and Josh last week to chat with them about all of that: What are your proudest accomplishments for Hodges? Jon Newman: Lots of things….
Read MoreYou read that right, I’m defending selfies—and not because I’m a Millennial who takes them often. (In fact, if you go to my Instagram account, you’ll find just one.) Chances are, if you’ve scrolled through your newsfeed recently, you’ve happened upon a selfie. The Oxford Dictionary’s word of the year for 2013, a selfie is defined as a photograph taken of yourself, typically with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website. Kids these days, right? On that same newsfeed, you’ll likely…
Read MoreIt’s time to talk apples — and not the iPhone variety. Cider is one of my favorite beverages — but it’s also a good opportunity to take a look at an industry that is finding popularity from a whole new group of followers and rebranding itself along the way. A recent Time article reports that hard cider sales increased 85 percent in 2012 from the year before. From an outside perspective, the industry is doing everything right. So, what can communications practitioners learn from the ascendant…
Read MoreMost of my time at Hodges focuses on media relations, whether it’s pitching something new, following up, providing information for a request or just checking in with journalists. That means a lot of my time is spent connecting with the media, a group of people that we in public relations are often told how NOT to talk to. No long pitches, no bold font and stay away from exclamation points and smiley faces. And if you don’t use a relevant subject line, you might as…
Read MoreAs college graduations take place across the country, many eager applicants are searching for work. As someone who was in that position two years ago (in a new-to-me city with zero connections – might I add), I thought I’d pass along practices that helped me most when starting out my search. Get ahead of a company’s needs. Take the approach of being the person a company needs before they even know they need someone. You never know what’s happening internally at a company or how…
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