Don't Lock Your Brand In A Box

WE ARE CHANGING THINGS UP AROUND HERE:

1. We will no longer run this "Carved Out Thoughts" newsletter, which focuses on sustainable PR tips and tricks and creative inspiration, on LinkedIn. If you'd like to keep receiving it, sign up to have it sent directly to your email inbox!
2. We just launched our LinkedIn-exclusive newsletter, "How'd You Get That Hit?" It analyzes the behind-the-scenes of a specific piece of media coverage and digs deeper?with breakdowns of a winning pitch, a Q&A with our Carver expert, and more. Our first edition is all about local coverage. Subscribe now!

Partly cloudy + 84 degrees, Tuesday, June 4, 2024

Hello,

It's fair to ask a PR agency if they've had experience in a specific industry. If I worked in auto, I'd ask my potential agencies if they knew the auto world.

But I wouldn't use that information to weed partners out.

Here's why: I'd already be the auto expert. I'd already be surrounded by auto experts. I'd know about OEMs and EVs.?

I'd need help with the communications part — how to build a narrative around my EV offerings or what to say to the media when there's a recall.

After 25+ years in the PR industry, there isn't a vertical or industry I haven't represented. That's a good thing — not just for my career but also for my team and our clients.??

You don't have to lock your brand into a box. It matters less who agencies have worked with than how they approach their work. Let me expand on some ways to scope that out. (Side note: You also want to know that potential partners are good people who get results.)

Look outside of "the box." One of the benefits of a generalist agency is that they're surrounded by industries that have seemingly nothing to do with each other. So, instead of being surrounded by talk of other auto companies, they’d be surrounded by talk of toys, SaaS, L&D, and others daily. Guess what this means? Less industry copycatting.?

?Ask the agency: Tell me about a time you applied learnings or inspiration from one industry to another.

Prioritize adjacent vs. specific experience. If you're a real estate tech company, you don't need the agency to have real estate tech experience, but they should have worked with other disruptors. The agency should understand how to tell a story about why the new way is necessary and help communicate a vision for the future. They should talk less about specific products and features and more about why they matter.

?Ask the agency: What are some common threads across your client base?

Understand what agencies believe about media relations. The last thing you want to hear is that the agency spends a lot of time spitting out lists on Cision or other similar tools; instead, make sure they have a personalized media approach. Don't get too caught up in specific reporter names. Opportunities lie not so much in who you know but in how you target, attract, and drive a reporter to action.

?Ask the agency: What media relations hills is your agency willing to die on?

Get a good sense of proactivity. It is easy for an agency to sit back and say: "The client hasn't given us any news to work with." You want a partner who knows how to make opportunities, regardless of the industry. Look for signs that they're creative, in sync with the speed of news, strong writers, and strategic pitchers. Also, look for ideas that came to fruition. That means the client liked the approach, gave the go-ahead, and shows?a strong agency-client relationship.

?Ask the agency: When did they create something out of nothing? What were the results?

Get a sense of how they learn. They may not have to know the ins and outs of your industry, but the agency better be able to learn… quickly. They should have a methodical onboarding process in place. We like to talk to as many senior-level, cross-functional execs as possible in the first month to get different perspectives to shape our strategy.?

?Ask the agency: How do you handle ghostwriting for experts? I hope these ideas help you find expert communicators to complement your industry expertise. That’s a powerful pairing.

Thanks for reading,

- DB

SO YOU SENT THE PERFECT PITCH. NOW WHAT?

Even with the perfect media pitch, there are plenty of reasons why you may not get a response. Still, you also don’t want to bombard reporters with follow-ups and get yourself in the spam folder. Carver Matt Burkey broke down five ways to bring your pitch back to life if it didn’t land with the reporter right off the bat.

How to Pitch Reporters

HOW TO WRITE A MEDIA BRIEF

When your perfect pitch does land an interview – what comes next? Time to start crafting a media brief. Your spokesperson needs something detailed yet digestible to set them up for media interview success. From the logistics to potential questions, Carver Rylie Miller shares a guide to writing a media brief that gets the job done.

Media Brief Masterclass

TABLETOP GAMING REPORTERS TO KNOW

Getting to play games for your job? Say less. The world of tabletop gaming may seem simple, but between tabletops, co-ops, role-playing, pocket, and trading card games – it’s more intricate than you think. With plenty of reporters and publications dedicating their time to playing the best of the best, Carver Nicole Brief shared six tabletop gaming reporters to keep on your radar, along with some pitching tips!

Game On!

CARVE IN PR NEWS: PARENTHOOD AND PR

PR parents – we see you during this busy time of year on the brink of summer vacation. Your 9-to-5 is surrounded by a 24/7 that is keeping your household afloat. PR and parenthood have a lot more in common than you may think; Carver (and mother) Gabby Wright shared some of those.

PR & Motherhood

MORE...

• If you're a great generalist you're also probably a great skill stacker...and you didn't even know it. (via Fast Company)?
• These high-signal, candidate interview questions?aren't tied to potential agencies but we like how they inspire others that could be. Here's one that stood out: "Tell me about a time you've been in a challenging or highly ambiguous situation, and how you navigated that ambiguity."?(via Lenny's Newsletter)
• There's probably an element of luck involved in most of our jobs. But the real success lies in identifying what's repeatable about our jobs and understanding that you "can't ever rely on those forces repeating themselves exactly as they did in the past." (via Collab Fund)

Get to know Carve.

We believe in sustainable PR.

We believe in delivering results.

We believe in measuring the impact of our work.

We believe in experimenting where we see opportunity.

We believe in the team.

We believe in being a partner, not just another agency.