Newsletter Archive
Welcome,
July 2005 WWPR E-Newsletter
Letter From the President
I wanted to take this opportunity and personally
thank you for your support of Washington Women in Public Relations,
and I also wanted to provide you with a snapshot of our accomplishments
so far this year.
- We held the first-ever WWPR Board Retreat
in January to map out the coming year, to learn about Board responsibilities
and to welcome new and returning Board members.
- We continue to see a moderate growth in our
membership, and have even been approached by peer-competitor organizations
to partner with them in promoting events.
- We are in the final stages of choosing our
new pro bono client, while at the same time ensuring a smooth
transition from our current client Safe Shores.
- We have three new Board Members who bring to
our mix new ideas and talents: Stephanie Block, marketing and
communications chair, Melinda Sigal, membership chair, and Averyl
Bailey, professional development committee co-chair. We welcome
them and are delighted to have them on the Board.
- We introduced a new logo to mark our 25th Anniversary.
- We have implemented a variety of new Standard
Operating Procedures to ensure smooth operations and fiscal oversight.
In order to comply with federal and local regulations for non-profits,
we've hired an attorney and a CPA to assist with filing our non
profit documents with government agencies so that we can maintain
our non-profit status.
- Thanks to the dedication and patience of Katherine
Clinesmith-Trupp, Web site support, we have created a new, more
contemporary Web site that provides users with more resources.
The new WWPR Web site will offer a career oppotunities page, provide
public access to the newsletter, be more user friendly and display
the new colors of WWPR. Kathy brings an artist's eye to WWPR's
graphic and image needs. The Web site will launch soon.
During my acceptance speech last February, I encouraged
all of you to get more involved in WWPR committees and activities,
and I want to reiterate that here. Without the participation of
our members and supporters, WWPR wouldn't be the successful organization
it is today.
The year isn't over yet! And Woman of the Year,
our biggest event, is just around the corner in November. You still
have plenty of time to give of your time and dedication to Washington
Women in Public Relations. Again, we thank you for your membership
and support.
Best Regards,
Tourang Nazari, WWPR president
In this Issue:
- Eleanor Clift to speak at
the 2005 Woman of the Year Award luncheon
- June professional development
luncheon
- Career Corner -
positions available
Eleanor Clift to speak at the 2005
Woman of the Year Award luncheon
 Eleanor
Clift has graciously accepted our invitation to be the headliner
at this year's Woman of the Year luncheon to be held Wednesday,
November 16 at the historic Mayflower hotel.
Ms. Clift began her career as a secretary at Newsweek
and worked her way up to contributing editor for Newsweek. She is
a mother of three, and has been lauded as one of the most accurate
predictors among the pundits on the political talk shows.
Ms.Clift regularly reports on the White House,
Congress, and diverse personalities who make up the Washington power
structure. She is also a regular panelist on the nationally syndicated
show "The McLaughlin Group;" a political analyst for the
Fox News Network; and appears on many national television shows,
including: ABC's "Nightline," "Good Morning America,"
and CNN's "Crossfire." A Washington icon in her own right,
she has also appeared in several films, including "Independence
Day," "Murder at 1600 Pennsylvania," and "Dave,"
as well as the CBS series, "Murphy Brown."
Ms. Clift and her late husband, Tom Brazaitis,
Washington columnist for the (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, co-authored
the book "Madam President: Shattering the Last Glass Ceiling,"
which tracks the rise of women in politics and looks ahead to the
day when there will be a woman on the national ticket. Her latest
book, "Founding Sisters," is a narrative of the 72-year
struggle to win women the vote.
WWPR looks forward to meeting Ms. Clift, and hearing
her fresh, entertaining, and informative perspectives on what's
happening in the nation's capital. She will also speak about her
accomplishments as a woman in the field of journalism, and an author
and pundit. We hope that you will join us for what is shaping up
to be a great event.
For more information about attending or
sponsoring this event, please contact Woman of the Year Co- Chairs,
Lisa Kelley at lisak@career.org
or
Gwen Haynes at GHaynes@PointsofLight.org.
June professional development
luncheon
At the Arts Club of Washington, on June
15, award- winning communications specialist Carmie McCook, executive
communication coach with The Communication Center, moderated a discussion
of select media professionals, which included: Beverly Kirk, newscaster
for PBS/NPR Newsbriefs; Garrett Graft, blogger with Fishbowl, DC,
covering journalism and the media industry in DC; Beth Hunt, editor
of Washington Business Journal; and Robin Wood, associate producer
for CBS "Early Show". They gave WWPR members advice on
everything from how to pitch the media to industry trends. Below
are some highlights of the discussion:
Top things that grab a journalist's attention
when pitching a story:
- A good story/character(s).
- A pitch tailored to a specific beat/journalist.
- Understanding an outlet's audience.
Biggest mistakes when pitching
the media:
- Coming on too strong.
- Pitching at the wrong time of day.
- Using the wrong method to pitch (phone, fax
or e- mail).
- Sending items through the postal mail that
are no longer newsworthy.
- Using the same pitch for different forms of
media.
- Using catchy language and adjectives.
- Being too persistent.
Best way to catch a journalist's attention:
- Use the subject line of an e-mail as the way
to get a journalist to want to open your e-mail.
Best way to build relationships
with journalists:
- Journalists love insider news, even if it's
not your own.
- Stay in touch, even if you don't have something
to pitch.
- Face to face meetings.
Best way to make old news "fresh:"
- Virtually impossible, as news by its very
nature is new.
Top tips about blogging:
A recent study says only 23 percent of Americans
trust TV, and business magazine readership is down. However, radio
listenership is up. Top reasons for this trend:
- After 9/11, more Americans want an international
perspective.
- People are spending more time in their cars.
- People are turning to concentrated sources
for information.
A recent survey said a majority of journalists
are losing ground because of "increased bottom-line pressure".
Where is this pressure is coming from:
- Many investigative journalists are getting
cut.
- Journalist credibility is questioned more
than ever.
- There used to be a clear distinction between
opinion journalism and streamlined journalism - there is often
a blur between news and commentary.
A recent survey said 75% of all stories quote
males. Top reasons journalists pick certain stories:
- Many journalists spend time looking for female
sources, but whomever returns a journalist's call first gets the
interview.
- Female sources are more scarce.
- PR practitioners should offer as many alternatives
as possible.
Differences between "off the
record" and "on background":
- The meanings differ for each journalist.
- Negotiate the terms before the interview.
- Always assume everything said is on the record
unless stated so prior to interview.
Best ways to avoid having e-mails trashed as
spam (particularly when pitching prescription drugs):
- Touch base with journalists individually to
alert them to the e-mail.
- Send a follow-up e-mail before or after with
different subject heading.
Top 10 Tips:
- Most journalists find e-mail the best pitching
method.
- Steady, consistent sources are the best journalism
sources.
- Friendly follow-up calls can help due to the
fact that journalists are so busy and occasionally need reminders.
- Good media training is invaluable; over-training
can be harmful.
- There is no "media" - all outlets
are different and should be considered as such.
- Best way to follow-up with journalists after
initial pitch is via e-mail.
- Paid spokespersons aren't news.
- Exclusives are highly valued.
- Get to the point.
- Be honest.
If you benefited from any of the above information,
please go to www.wwpr.org to find
out about our next professional development event scheduled for
August. We look forward to seeing you at the next professional development
event!
~Lindsay Keller, WWPR Secretary
Career Corner - positions available
Account Manager
Travaille Executive Search
DEPARTMENT: Corporate Group
REPORTS TO: VP Corporate Branding and
Marketing Communications
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Account Manager is responsible for corporate and marketing public
relations programs, including business/financial media and telco,
cable and enterprise networking trade media across North America.
This person's responsibilities include planning, budgeting, execution
and measurement of media relations activities companywide, as well
as the delivery of corporate messages via interviews with the press,
media tours, placement of articles with trade publications, participation
in industry conferences and press releases. Serving as client's
spokesperson with the media to ensure that the clients' messages
are being understood and communicated clearly. Will work closely
with domestic and international marketing teams, investor relations,
analyst relations, sales and senior management at clients' HQ and
Regions.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Develop and implement the overall media relations
plan.
- Manage and supervise junior account team members.
- Manage the budgets.
- Coordinate and ensure that the pipeline in
the trade/business press is filled with related topics.
- Develop and manage the pitching of stories
to the trade/business press ensuring that all clients' corporate
messages are presented to the marketplace.
- Coordinate ongoing public relations conferences
with trade analysts/trade pubs.
- Coordinate and conduct media interviews at
all major tradeshows and other times as necessary.
- Write and manage press releases.
- Performs other editorial duties as requested/assigned.
SKILLS:
- Strong verbal and written skills.
- Strong organizational skills and management
skills.
- Understanding of telecommunications/and or
high technology industry.
DESIRED CHARACTERISTICS:
- Works well with others.
- Takes the initiative.
- High energy.
- Little supervision required.
EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE:
- Bachelor's degree in Journalism or Public Relations
or relevant experience.
- Minimum 4-5+ years experience working with
the media, conducting interviews and placement of articles for
publication.
- Proven track record of writing, editing and
pitching news stories.
- Proven track record of implementing a media
plan.
CONTACT:
Benjamin H. Long
President
Travaille Executive Search
202-463-6342 benlong@travaille.com
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:: stephanieblock1@hotmail.com
:: http://www.wwpr.org
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