SNAPP CONNER PR EXPANDS GROWING PUBLIC RELATIONS TEAM WITH TWO ADDITIONAL PR PROFESSIONALS

– New Hires Will Be Instrumental to Growing Client Base–

August 6, 2007, Salt Lake City – Snapp Conner PR, the region's leading specialized PR agency, today announced the addition of two PR professionals to their fast growing team: Don Osmond and Matt Stubbs.

“We are excited to welcome Don and Matt to our growing team," said Cheryl Snapp Conner, Managing partner at Snapp Conner PR. “Their combined experience and knowledge will be a great additional benefit to the clients we serve."

Osmond joins Snapp Conner from GCI Group in New York where he worked as an account executive specializing in technology. At GCI, Osmond served as a key member of the Dell and Capgemini accounts focusing on media relations and executive positioning. Prior experience also includes work as a public relations associate for SNG PR working with clients such as Senforce, Corda Technologies and Silex Biometrics. Osmond has successfully directed accounts through product launches, IPOs, corporate re-brands and crisis management. Osmond brings with him an exceptional portfolio including various press releases, case studies and contributed articles.

Stubbs comes from a background of broadcast media spanning both television and radio. He has worked as a television camera operator, news producer and technical director. His career in radio has taken him from local reporting to a high profile internship in New York City with the nation's number 1 all news radio station. Most recently Stubbs worked at KSL Radio as the Executive Producer of The Nightside Project. Under his direction the show moved to a number 1 slot at night and is now nationally syndicated in Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Seattle and Washington DC.

The new Snapp Conner PR team members will be responsible for developing and implementing strategic public relations programs for existing and new clients. Additional responsibilities include developing new business opportunities and helping the agency grow and meet key strategic goals.

About Snapp Conner PR

Born out of 22 years of specialized experience in the technology industry, Snapp Conner PR provides all aspects of strategic and tactical PR execution for companies in the technology space. We assist organizations ranging from start-ups and growth companies to established technology ventures in creating and executing PR programs to achieve maximum possible business results.

Is it the relationship or the message? Here’s the headline: It’s both.

So what's the secret to getting the media's attention? Is it a carefully crafted message? Or is it really just a function of who you know? Here's the lowdown: It's both.

 

For more than twenty years, the field of public relations and the media itself has seen some astounding changes. However the age-old argument between who you know and what you know remains strong. Is success a matter of providing the best and most targeted pitch to the most carefully targeted reporter? Or is it a pure and simple matter of being able to call who you know? (a.k.a. the “black book" approach to PR.)

 

 

It's interesting to tap the opinions of current experts. As much as we'd like to claim the biggest factor is the ability to pitch a targeted story based on research, leading technology editors acknowledge that first and foremost, they continue to give their best responses to the people they know.

 

Here's some interesting information from leading editors Paul Gillin and David Strom. Paul is founding editor of TechTarget and former editor-in-chief and executive editor of Computerworld. David Strom is former editor-in-chief at both Tom’s Hardware.com and Network Computing magazine, and now a podcaster, blogger, public speaker and freelance writer for a number of technology publications, the New York Times, and a long list of websites in the technology sector. Combined, they have been the recipients of thousands of media pitches over the past 20 years.

 

In a recent podcast on Tech PR War Stories, David and Paul shared their insights on what currently works. And the verdict?

 

According to David, “The majority of the time, it's still who I know. The pitches that work best are based on a relationship I've had with the PR person; someone who I've had trusted interactions with over the years, who knows me, knows what I write about, and is respectful of my time."

 

Even more surprisingly, Paul Gillin agrees: “There is no substitute for familiarity. I can probably count on the fingers of two hands the people I always respond to, and it's the result of relationships that have developed over a number of years."

 

So what are the secrets to pitching an editor you don't know? Is it a lost cause? No, it isn't.

 

The second most critical factor, according to David and Paul, is preparation.

 

Says Paul: “Knowledge about a reporter's interest is paramount. There's no excuse for not having that knowledge. Do a Google search. Check Linked In. Who are my contacts, and do you know any of those? In this day of technology, there's no excuse not to be armed with some information about that person and some of the things they're interested in."

 

 

David also recommends diligent follow up and follow through:

 

“If I ask a question and get an immediate response or a response within the business day, you will have my attention," he says. “I recently accepted a pitch and wrote a full review on a product that was pitched by a PR representative I didn't know, simply based on the fact that when I asked a question, he knew his stuff and he followed through."

 

So successful media relations is based on both what you know and who you know. Let's put that knowledge to work.

 

Cheryl Snapp Conner

Managing Partner