One of the neatest things about technology advances is how it lets news organizations connect with sources and experts more quickly. With Skype, Zoom, Google Hangouts and other video calling tools, news networks like CNN and MSNBC can get an expert on the air in a matter of minutes. And, right now, TV stations may have no other choice when trying to air interviews with experts. While we’ve all gotten much more comfortable with video-conferencing tools recently, a video interview via Skype or Zoom is more like a traditional studio interview. There are some extra things to keep in mind though. When we’re coordinating Skype interviews …
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Read MoreIs it possible for a month to go by fast and slow all at the same time? April had that vibe for sure, but we were still able to collect some stellar Plays of the Month across the agency. We’re still hard at work on COVID-19 and other crisis-related work, but a few other initiatives help round out this month’s list. Content Marketing We’re long-time partners of Virginia’s Community Colleges, and as higher education has pivoted towards serving students in a safer way, Casey helped strategize and launch CollegeAnywhereVA.org to help students explore over 10,000 courses offered online across the …
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Read MoreIt’s been painful to sit ringside to so much hurt around us. Not just the coronavirus patients and their families. Not only the government leaders struggling with no-win decisions and confronting unprecedented and agonizing budgetary choices in the months ahead. But all those experiencing the brute-force whammy on the economic front. Layoffs. Furloughs. Businesses shuttering, perhaps for good. What makes so much of it especially heartbreaking is our sense of guilt that, so far (knock on wood), our agency has felt little impact from the pandemic. Of course, we are all working remotely, and our morning staff meetings are now …
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Read MoreDuring the COVID-19 pandemic we’ve been helping several clients secure interviews through Zoom or Skype. More and more TV journalists are connecting with subjects utilizing videoconferencing software, and we wanted to share tips to make your next interview a success. Zoom or Skype? Journalists are using a lot of different platforms for interviews (for example, a reporter suggested using Facebook Messenger video last week). If you’re coordinating an interview for an expert and have the choice, I prefer Zoom. Ask the journalist for a meeting link that your expert can access when it’s time for the interview. In my experience, …
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Read MoreWe’re in unchartered territory. Or so they say. For those of us who toil in the trenches of media relations – and who are old enough to painfully remember that there was a short-lived “Friends” spinoff called “Joey” – this moment in our nation’s history has an eerie déjà vu quality to it. I’m referring to the weeks if not months following 9-11 when pitching your client’s story to the media was not only seen as tone deaf but enough of a transgression to get your media relations hall pass confiscated for good. News outlets, including their business desks, were …
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Read MoreWhat do superheroes, LeVar Burton, superb American Single Malt whisky, historic cemeteries, Ram Nation and Richmond’s mayor all have in common? The Hodges Partnership’s epic leap day adventures. Leap day was a busy day for a few Hodgers, including myself, when I started the day celebrating history in the making with the Enrichmond Foundation at Evergreen Cemetery, followed by celebrity sightseeing at the Greater Richmond Convention Center, where I delivered whisky to the actor who taught millennials to read. To top it all off, one of our resident Hodgers-in-training made moves at halftime during a VCU basketball game. From our expert …
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Read MoreYou know the phrase singing from the same song sheet? If I could sum up in one sentence why the leadership team at most organizations could benefit from media training, that’s the essence of it. It gets everyone on the same page and using the same language in a way that few other exercises can. Let me take a step back. A few members of our team conducted a media training earlier this week for a company that was preparing for a big upcoming trade show. We spent a full day with the team, focused on finessing key messages, sharing …
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Read MoreAs newspaper readership continues to decline, so too will the size of newsrooms. Considering these numbers already have decreased by 25% since 2008, the future of media relations is a scary prospect for many operating in the public relations field. With smaller and leaner newsrooms, it’s more important than ever to forge relationships with reporters and editors. If you ask a group of public relations practitioners how they’ve found success in the realm of media relations, it’s not likely you’ll get two of the same responses. This is because at its core, there is no exact science to media relations …
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Read MoreThe team here at Hodges knows media relations in Virginia. From the Eastern Shore to Bedford and beyond, there is a level of nuance and finesse needed to navigate the ins and outs of Virginia’s various media outlets, which differ in shape and size. On the surface, media relations may seem like a lot of copy and pasting the same email without much rhyme or reason. But the reality is, there’s a significant amount of planning and strategizing before we click “Send.” We surveyed the office to get some thoughts about everything from planning and timing to writing and sending …
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Read MoreWhen our clients announce new products, one of the best ways we can help spread the word is to get samples in the hands of influencers and media. It’s a fun part of media relations. Why sampling is good: Samples are a natural, cost-effective touchpoint and a great way to keep a brand top of mind with important contacts within the industry. When you see products in magazines or on broadcast segments, sampling is often where it all started. The goal is two-fold: first, to get key contacts to try or experience whatever the product is, leading them to cover …
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