InsideLegal

Recently, we talked about the strategic components you might want to consider when orchestrating a PR initiative or campaign. While strategy (where are we going?) is the foundation for any effort, the tactics (how are we getting there?), and more importantly, the timely execution of these tactics, provide the framework and details that make any initiative unique and define its success.

Here’s a snapshot of what to look for on the tactical front:

• Press release creation and distribution: A well-crafted press release consisting of concise, straightforward (read jargon free), and accurate content, presented in an easy to read (or browse) format sets the foundation for your PR program.
• Media alerts and advisories: While the release announces a new product, feature set, partnership or corporate development, a media alert or advisory is more timely and geared toward promoting something immediate such as an event of interest to the media, an executive’s keynote speech, or a local or national event that might interest media.
• Success stories/testimonials: Clients can be the best champion of your products and services through thought leadership-focused articles and stories.  Also, editors appreciate contributions that have no sales-pitch quality and actually help their readership better understand and deal with every day technology challenges.
• Media tours: Depending on the scope of your new product announcement or initiative, you may want to plan a series of media stops designed to brief the editors on what’s going on. Of course, this can also be achieved when scheduled around major trade shows. Often times, publication editors provide media briefing opportunities to vendors on site.
• Speakers bureau development: Another effective way of espousing your expertise and thought leadership on a given technology topic is to conduct an internal audit of subject matter expertise and then make this "topical intelligence" available to editors and event management who might be interested in either using your experts as sources in future stories or offering up speaking slots at conferences that correspond with your expertise. However, always keep in mind that your ability to participate in these type of activities is a direct function of the quality (and uniqueness) of content you have to provide, and the ability of your subject matter experts to provide educational, factual and market-based content versus blatant or thinly-veiled sales pitches and advertorials.   

We routinely work with technology companies who realize that public relations can add tremendous value to ongoing marketing efforts, new product introductions, and even future initiatives. This is a good start but if you dig a little deeper and ask companies to tell you what they mean by PR, most folks we talk to define PR as press releases with the occasional feature article mixed in. They have obviously scratched the surface of an array of initiatives that make up a comprehensive PR program. With that said, an "anatomically correct" PR campaign consists of the right blend of strategic and tactical initiatives. Here’s a snapshot of what to consider on the strategic front:

Media relations: The foundation of an effective PR campaign is based on:

• Relationships:  The relationships you develop and hone with members of the media community – editors, reporters, freelancers, editorial assistants (often the gatekeepers), and publishers – are key.
• Messaging and Positioning: When communicating with the media, and indirectly with your target legal audience, what do you want them to remember and identify you with? What are your core messages, approaches, differentiators, and what value due you provide to the media and their readership?
• Goal Setting: Carefully define what you want to achieve with each PR effort with quantifiable goals and create a method of delivering on those goals and providing accountability for achievement.
• Audience ID and Targeting: Who do you want to reach with a campaign and how can you cut through the clutter of competitive messages and slogans? This translates to crafting the appropriate messages for the appropriate targets and, equally important, delivering this content via the right medium. For example,it makes little sense to promote a new technology/software program to an audience that is not tech-savvy, but more interested in the business and best practice aspects of law.
• Spokesperson Selection and Media Preparedness: While you are deciding what you want to tell the world and the best way to do it, do not forget to identify who will be your poster child. You can position different spokespeople for different initiatives. For example, you might have a corporate spokesperson (i.e., CEO or exec level), but also rely on a series of subject matter experts to represent your product set, expertise within the marketplace, understanding of market trends and developments, etc.

ABA LPM and Envision Agency hosted the first ABA TECHSHOW Legal Media Panel discussion and subsequent publication “Meet & Greet” last Wednesday, the eve of TECHSHOW. Per our post Thursday, the event was well attended and the feedback we have received has been overwhelmingly positive. There is definitely a need for more media-vendor education and communication of this sort. Take a look at our panelist take-away notes below…  Also, look for our publication profiles and editor contact information post tomorrow.

ABA’s Law Practice

• Know your target publication: Know who the readership is, what topics they cover, and how you can contribute something that fits.
• Don’t bother with vendor-authored bylines – while they are not published, law firm success stories and innovative examples of technological advancements are. Case studies focused on how something works, conceptually, are of interest as well. 

ILTA’s Peer to Peer

• Familiarize yourself with the editorial calendar so you know what topics both Peer to Peer and ILTA’s whitepaper series are focused on.
• Vendors are thought leaders too, and although ILTA member firms provide most of the newsletter and whitepaper content, legal technology companies can participate in educating the target audience with relevant, non-promotional or sales-focused contributions.

ALA’s Legal Management

• Email is the best way to reach out to editor John Delavan, be it sending relevant press releases or floating article pitch ideas his way.
• Vendors are an important part of the ALA/Legal Management community. Readers can turn to the "vendor perspectives" supplement (first introduced in LM’s 2007 June/July technology issue) to read about best practices and legal technology trends from the vendors point-of- view. Case studies, primarily focused on law firm success stories, are now also a mainstay within LM.

ABA Journal

• Send press releases to keep ABA Journal editors in the loop on new product announcements, corporate updates and significant partnerships that impact the readership.
• The ABA Journal has a team of reporters and journalists covering the legal space. While the staff handles all of the writing assignments themselves, vendors are able to offer up subject matter expertise and promote their clients’ expertise for future article consideration.  Keep in mind, if you pitch an article idea on a topic and the ABA Journal decides to proceed with the story, they may also include your competitors.

ABA’s Law Practice Today e-Zine

• Law Practice Today is designed to inform and provide current information and how-to’s on what’s important to LPM members. Editor Dan Pinnington is always looking for new angles and welcomes subject matter expertise, be it from firms or technology companies with a keen understanding of trends and applications.
• Press releases are not picked up or included in issues of LPT, but might serve as a starting point for content the readers can use.

If you have any questions on the event, please let us know.