SnappConner PR

PR Pros: Flack Attack or a Story Only a Reporter Could Love?

Webmaster — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:00:35 +0000

Cruising the Internet one night I ended up on Stephen Wildstrom’s Web page. He’s been the Technology & You columnist for years at BusinessWeek. On his “For PR Folks” page, Steve provides all the pointers he wants PR people to abide by when pitching and contacting him.

In it he says, “I guess they teach you in flack school to begin every conversation by asking, ‘Is this a good time?’ or ‘Are you on deadline?’ It’s just annoying.”

He said FLACK School!

I’ve always hated the term flack, but that’s what a lot of PR people have become—flack that journalists must fly through to survive. Why is that? I suspect it’s two things:

• First, I believe there is too much emphasis on getting through a media list in a call down. Journalists literally drown in a sea of emails, voicemails, and phone calls each day from a crew of cold calling sales people posing as PR professionals.

If we were to look at the email inboxes of journalists we would literally see hundreds of pitches—most of them lame! Flack! Nearly all are dumped in the trash, including the handful of great pitches they should read.

• Second, a lot of PR people have never been a journalist. You can see it in the way they pitch, in the way they talk to the press, in the way they write. I’m convinced in most cases you cannot be a good PR pro unless you’ve been on a desk, covered a beat on deadline, and been pitched by PR people. You have to do it! You can’t pitch good stories unless you know what a good story is and how that story should be given to a journalist.

What’s the solution? Go be a journalist. Freelance as an unpaid journalist for a community newspaper. Write for the newsletter at your church or favorite non-profit organization. Get a job as a journalist. Take journalism classes in college seriously. Write everything in inverted pyramid following the AP Style guide. Get an AP style guide.

Most importantly, don’t just go through a media list. Find the top 10 most influential reporters for the story you’re pitching and craft your pitch directly to them. Consider their audience first, the reporter’s interest second (but don’t tell the reporter that). If you pitch items of interest to the audience, the reporter will be interested. Have news, have an angle, and have experts ready to speak. Prepare the story as if you are the reporter. If you do, your relationships with reporters will grow. When you get a reporter on the phone, get to the point quickly.

Back to Wildstrom. I’ve been pitching Steve for 14 years now. He will answer my emails and take my calls. The reason? I always have a story for him that is worth his time to look at. If I don’t, I don’t call. He knows that too. More times than not we end up in his office for a demonstration and interview following a simple, good pitch.

Don’t be a PR flack. Be a PR pro—a reporter. As a reporter you will influence a reporter.

A. Cory Maloy, Senior Account Director

Snapp Conner PR Announces New Headquarters; Appoints PR Veteran Cory Maloy As Senior Director

Don Osmond — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:00:05 +0000

–Custom-Built Headquarters Will Serve as Region’s Premier Location for Technology and Life Science PR–

SALT LAKE CITY—Oct. 22, 2008—Snapp Conner PR today announced its expansion to new headquarters, and appointed veteran PR professional A. Cory Maloy to the position of Senior Account Director as a key element of its ongoing strategic growth.

Managing Partner Cheryl Snapp Conner said the agency finalized plans to purchase space that will become the agency’s new headquarters at the Jordan Professional Plaza, 1258 W. 104th S. Snapp Conner PR plans to move into its new location approximately Dec. 1.

The appointment of Maloy brings nearly 20 years of PR experience to Snapp Conner PR. He has served in both agency and corporate capacities for global companies including Dayna Communications, Iomega Corporation, Plantronics, Maxtor, Cobalt Networks (Sun), silex technology, Travelers, ArtStamps, Podfitness, and others. Most recently, he served as Senior Director of Public Relations/Corporate Communications for MediConnect Global. Prior to MediConnect, Maloy served for two years as Senior VP for PR and ad firm Adams & Knight in CT. http://tinyurl.com/6rllzg

In addition to serving as a senior strategist for Snapp Conner’s growing roster of clients, Maloy will play a lead role in the business development efforts that will be essential for the agency’s next phase of growth.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome Cory to our senior executive team,” said Conner. “I have had the great opportunity to work directly with Cory and also to collaborate with him during many of his prior roles. I know the extent of his experience and background first hand, and I know that our clients will benefit greatly from the strategy and knowledge he brings. Our whole team looks forward to working with him.”

About Snapp Conner PR
Snapp Conner PR provides all aspects of strategic and tactical PR execution for companies in the technology, health and wellness and life sciences space. Snapp Conner PR assists organizations in creating and executing PR programs to achieve maximum possible business results. For more information about Snapp Conner PR please visit www.snappconner.com.

PR Contacts:
Cheryl Snapp Conner or Jeremy Kartchner
Snapp Conner PR
801 994-9625
cheryl@snappconner.com or Jeremy@snappconner.com

Snapp Conner PR Continues Record Growth In 2008 With Addition Of Ten New Accounts

Webmaster — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:00:48 +0000

– Wi5Connect, Klymit, Broadweave, Wendia North America, Corcoran Group, Lync.net, ProPay, DiskAgent, Kynetx and Fifty Studio make 26 companies to join Snapp Conner’s roster since the agency’s launch in 2007 —

SALT LAKE CITY—October 13, 2008—Snapp Conner PR, Utah’s most progressive PR agency, today announced the addition of ten new accounts: Wi5Connect, Klymit, Broadweave, Wendia North America, Corcoran Group, Lync.net, ProPay, DiskAgent, Kynetx and Fifty Studio.

These new clients play an important role in the rapid growth Snapp Conner PR has undergone since its inception in April 2007.

“With today’s economy companies are searching for new ways to differentiate themselves and gain a competitive advantage,” said Cheryl Snapp Conner, founder and Managing Partner of Snapp Conner PR. “We see companies turning to public relations to elevate their positions in the marketplace and we’re happy to be developing the PR strategies that help our clients grow and succeed even in a down economy.”

The agency’s new additions include:

• Wi5Connect is a pioneer in the integration of Learning Management System (LMS) technology into private social networks that reduce employee turnover, increase capabilities, and deliver proven return on companies’ investments in Web 2.0.

• Klymit is an insulation technology company based in Ogden, Utah. Klymit develops and licenses its noble-gas-based, adjustable insulation technology to companies in a variety of industries. Klymit has plans to introduce its technology in a number of products ranging from ski jackets and boots to military uniforms and camping equipment.

• Broadweave delivers its “Triple-Weave” suite of voice, video, and data services via the Company’s own FTTP networks. Their acquisition of the iProvo network makes it one of the country’s largest FTTP network operators. They also deliver data services, commercial telephony, and hosted Voice over IP (VOIP) communications services to small to mid-size businesses and enterprises.

• Wendia North America provides best-in-class ITIL-based service management solutions to hundreds of organizations worldwide. Wendia’s service management offerings provide a best-in-breed and easy-to-implement service management solution that is instantly compatible with all major systems and all major desktop management solutions.

• Corcoran Group is a Salt Lake City-based real estate team committed to helping its clients make the best and most well informed decisions when it comes to buying or selling a home, investing in a rental property, or expanding an existing real estate portfolio.

• Lync.NET manufactures computer software that helps investment management firms streamline the process of reporting to clients, interested third parties, brokers, custodians and government agencies.

• ProPay has led the market in providing simple, safe and affordable credit card processing and electronic payment services for merchants ranging from the small, home-based entrepreneur to multi-billion-dollar enterprises.

• DiskAgent puts enterprise-level data and hardware protection within reach of small businesses and individual users, without the need for IT support or expensive infrastructure.

• Kynetx provides online merchants with easy to use tools and services that give them the ability to merchandise in real-time to shoppers according to the shopper’s individual context without changing their existing ecommerce toolset. Shoppers get a better shopping experience without sacrificing their privacy.

• Fifty Studio delivers interactive websites utilizing flash, video, and the latest programming technology to deliver a website that wows your customers and meets your company’s goals.

“I’ve worked with a number of PR agencies over the course of my career and I’ve never had such a great agency experience as I’ve had with Snapp Conner PR,” said Matt Bowman, Vice President of Marketing at Wi5Connect. “What sets Snapp Conner PR apart from other agencies I’ve worked with is the depth of their relationships with key media, their ability to stay in front of industry trends, integration of technology and social networking tools and their overall dedication to my company’s success.”

In addition to his role at the helm of Wi5 Connect, Matt Bowman is a leading author, speaker and industry source in the areas of sales, marketing and social media.

“I am also extremely impressed with SCPR’s strong work ethic,” Bowman continued. “From 6:00 a.m. to 1:30 at night—when I ask a question, I get an immediate response from the members of my Snapp Conner PR team.”

Snapp Conner PR is also the agency of record for the Accend Group, AxisPointe, Broadcast International, Celio, Cemaphore, ContentWatch, CompletexRM, DirectPointe, Footnote.com, Finicity, InteliSum, Timpanogos Technologies, Grow Utah Ventures, and the Utah Technology Council (UTC).

For more information about Snapp Conner PR please visit www.snappconner.com.

About Snapp Conner PR
Born out of 23 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, health and wellness, and life sciences space. Snapp Conner PR assists organizations ranging from start-ups and growth companies to established ventures and public companies in creating and executing PR programs to achieve maximum possible business results. For more information about Snapp Conner PR please visit the Web site at www.snappconner.com.

PR Contacts:
Cheryl Snapp Conner or Jeremy Kartchner
Snapp Conner PR
801 994-9625
cheryl@snappconner.com or jeremy@snappconner.com

The Art of Professionalism

Don Osmond — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 18:29:09 +0000

Every so often we come across some great articles that embody everything we believe in as PR professionals. Below is one such article we found in our backyard – The Utah Valley Business Blog. Cary Snowden was kind enough to let us reprint the entire article, but if you want to locate the original source click here.

So, without further adieu… The Art of Professionalism

It may have been said about catching flies, but did you know that honey is more effective than vinegar at catching business? I’m occasionally surprised at the way professional adults sometimes conduct themselves when confronted with a challenging situation. The art of professionalism is a hard one to get, even for the best of us, and can be particularly troublesome when circumstances make tactful respect a hard pill to swallow.

We are all too busy. We have planners and iPhones with jam-packed schedules, wireless gadgets attached to our heads, and too many emails to reasonably read in one day. We have collectively grown to think that anything beeping at us requires immediate attention. With so many distractions, we have more to deal with than we should, and often our nerves at their wit’s end. The results can sometimes be a snap at the wrong person; a mistreated customer or colleague, or ineffective communications that get you nowhere.

Here are a few simple tips to help you maintain a ‘nicest guy on the business block’ reputation while maintaining your professionalism and business goals…

Don’t send an email to ask the recipient to call you. Pick up the phone yourself. We all have too many phone calls to return and too many emails to check. If you need to talk to someone, seek them out.

Be specific in email subject lines. A simple two-to-five word answer is ideal: “Need to reschedule”, “new marketing project plans”, or “details on Friday’s lunch meeting”. Don’t type your entire message in the subject line, but give enough that a quick glance gives the basic details. If your readers have to scroll to see the whole thing, it’s too long and will never be read.

Unless you work in an industry where your timing can be life-saving or life-threatening, don’t answer your phone during a meeting with a vendor/client/employee/boss/… or anyone. It’s a quick way to make the person you are meeting with feel less important and appreciated. Always give your full attention to the person in front of you.

Want your voice mail returned? Leave details in your message about why you called, and provide enough detail that a response can be made without your involvement. You will be surprised at how many answers you get when there is an answer to be given. Voice mail that leaves only a simple request for a call back will always be placed at the bottom of the pile; ‘This is Bob with ABC Inc., call me back’ will usually not receive a response. Good voice mail is courteous, and effective.

Don’t string anyone along. It doesn’t matter if your answer is ‘yes’, ‘no’, or ‘please don’t ever call me again’. Be upfront (respectfully, of course) about your intentions. Everyone else’s time is just as important as yours. Don’t waste it.

When we neglect to give others the consideration they deserve, we position ourselves in the most unflattering light imaginable. No one can imagine willingly turning away business, but we risk offending, or at the very least annoying, potential clients and other business associates when we lack professionalism.

Do everything you can to obey the golden rule and start enjoying the fierce loyalty and respect you will receive from everyone you encounter when your approach is professional and respectful.

by Allison Yeager

The Days for Blast Pitch is Long Gone

Don Osmond — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 19:28:11 +0000

While diving through several pitches this past week, I was reading a very interesting blog that I thought could benefit all PR professionals. For the link, click here.

Basically, bloggers like all media, should be treated the same. Read their previous posts, make sure you have some thing of relevance to share with them, and overall be friendly and professional. The days of the nameless blast emails are long gone. In today’s Web 2.0 World, connection is still key. No one likes junk mail or spam. Everyone likes an email or pitch that has their name on it and why the pitch is important to them.

As PR professionals we should have a sense of excitement in what we’re pitching, a sense of urgency, and most importantly, a sense of professionalism.

By Josh Berndt

Pleasantly Persistent : The bylaw of effective business (and of effective PR)

Cheryl Snapp Conner — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 22:40:41 +0000

Unbidden, the same description has come up for our agency’s style of public relations again and again. The editors we work with call us “pleasantly persistent.” That’s persistent as in tenacious, assertive, and maybe even dangerously close to over the top in our eagerness to sell a story or to strike a great PR deal. Our consultants aren’t obnoxious – never rude or threatening – but we’re the persistent people who are full of good ideas and who just aren’t going away.

It’s a valuable principle.

How many great stories went unpublished and great deals went unsold because someone was too hesitant to step up and ask? Or stopped asking after floating the first gentle request?

A great personal growth coach, Pamela Maier, once stated, “You’ll never know what someone might be willing to do if you don’t ask.” She was right.

Many of the greatest PR wins we’ve accomplished were won for that very reason: We were bold enough to ask. Politely, of course. There’s much more to a great PR pitch than just asking, but none of those skills will matter to a person who isn’t bold enough to step up to the plate.

This principle applies to our strongest clients as well. Here’s a great case in point: Mike Proper, CEO of DirectPointe, has led that company from its inception to its current level of growth and presence in 29 countries and all 50 states. In fact, DirectPointe has been named the top Managed Service Provider (MSP) in the world, ranking number one on the MSPMentor 100 list for 2008.

Mike wanted to meet MSPMentor’s Managing Editor, Joe Panettieri, in person at the recent CompTIA Breakaway event in Orlando. Did they connect? Indeed, they did. You can read all about it in Joe’s blog this week, Meet America’s Most Progressive MSP. Here’s what Joe had to say:

“He called me and text messaged me more than a dozen times during CompTIA Breakaway. He runs a fast-growing managed service provider. And he isn’t using traditional technologies to do so. Who is this guy, and why does he want to talk to MSPmentor?

“…I’m glad Mike tracked me down. And when I describe him as ‘aggressive,’ I mean that as a positive rather than a negative. Whether it’s his pursuit of a face-to-face meeting or a sale, the guy doesn’t quit.”

You can read Joe’s entire article on MSPmentor.

The moral of the story is clear. In PR and in business, the ability to be “pleasantly persistent” can clearly pay off.

Cheryl Snapp Conner, Managing Partner

Snapp Conner PR Continues Growth With Internal Promotion; Two New Hires

Don Osmond — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 22:33:18 +0000

-Agency Promotes Matt Stubbs to Sr. Associate; Appoints Josh Berndt to PR Associate and Appoints Vic Conner Director of Finance-

SALT LAKE CITY—August 11, 2008—In a move that underscores a record growth year for Snapp Conner PR, Utah’s most progressive PR agency, the company today announced the promotion of Matt Stubbs to Sr. PR Associate. In addition, the company welcomes Josh Berndt as PR Associate, and has appointed co-founder Vic Conner as the company’s new Director of Finance.

“2008 has been a banner year for our agency,” said Cheryl Snapp Conner, founder and Managing Partner for Snapp Conner PR. “Our client base has grown rapidly in response to the cutting-edge programs we’re delivering. As a component of that progress, we’re pleased to announce the promotion of Matt Stubbs to our Sr. Associate team, as well as the addition of Josh Berndt, new PR Associate, and Vic Conner, as our new Director of Finance.”

Prior to joining Snapp Conner PR in July of 2007, Stubbs worked in broadcast media. His experience spans both television and radio. He has worked as a television camera operator, a news producer and technical director. His career in radio progressed from local reporting to a high profile internship in New York City with the nation’s number 1 all news radio station. Stubbs also 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 in the Salt Lake Market.

Berndt, joining Snapp Conner PR as a PR Associate, is a former member of the media himself, working as a sports and news anchor, a co-host on a morning radio show, calling play-by-play for minor league baseball and as a beat reporter covering women’s basketball. He has won several awards for his work in the media, including Best Sports Talk Show and Best Play-By-Play. In addition, Berndt has worked in the PR departments for the Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, and Salt Lake Bees.

Conner, co-founder of Snapp Conner PR, now also joins the company’s day to day operations as Financial Director. Conner holds a bachelors’ degree in business finance. Prior to becoming Snapp Conner PR’s Financial Director, he served as an Investment Consultant for Everen Securities and as a Financial Advisor at Prudential Securities. Most recently, he served as a Financial Coach for True North Academy in American Fork.

For more information about Snapp Conner PR please visit www.snappconner.com.

About Snapp Conner PR
Born out of 23 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, health and wellness and life sciences space. Snapp Conner PR assists organizations ranging from start-ups and growth companies to established ventures and public companies in creating and executing PR programs to achieve maximum possible business results.

Disclosing Information; Without Disclosing Information

Clayton Blackham — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:37:41 +0000

This is a post I’ve been meaning to write for some time, and it’s slipped my mind until today, when I read an article in the local paper. The spokesperson, when asked about revenue, declined to comment on those numbers. The company is private, so they aren’t obligated to disclose the numbers. That said; all companies should be prepared to have some tangible answers for the media.

Instead of declining to comment on revenue, you can say something like, “The company’s revenue has increased XX% over the past XX years,” or “Our workforce has grown XX% over the past XX months.” Look for something tangible that will help the reporter.

Top 25 Under 5; Two Years Running

Matt Stubbs — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:35:05 +0000

To say it’s been a good year for Snapp Conner PR would be an understatement. Since our inception a little over a year ago we’ve been recognized twice (the second time just this week) by the Utah Valley Entrepreneurial Forum (UVEF) as one of the top new companies in Utah; being named to the organization’s annual Top 25 Under Five. Snapp Conner PR jumped to number 16, up from 21 last year, and was the only public relations agency recognized in the Top 25.

“The first time we received this recognition we had only been in business for one quarter,” said Cheryl Snapp Conner, Managing Partner and Founder of Snapp Conner PR. “We know we were up against stiff competition this year, and being recognized two years running is tremendous validation that our level of experience and specialization is truly helping our clients achieve greater success.”

Steve Grizzell, Chair for the Top 25 event, recognized the winners as people of vision adding that these 25 award-winning businesses are shaping the entrepreneurial future within Utah. He also noted that the combined revenues for the winning companies exceeded $225 million and more than 950 jobs had been created by these relatively young companies.

To everyone who has made this possible, thank you!

What I’m trying to say

Don Osmond — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:29:04 +0000

This is similar to a previous post, but there are some many applications for this simple reminder.

You know those conversations you have with a good friend or family member where they are telling a story and never quite get to the point; it’s detail over mind-numbing detail. You don’t want to be rude, but you’re dying to say, “…and your point is?”

As public relations professionals, we understand the importance of getting to the point. Working with the media, they are constantly under deadlines; they don’t have a half hour to “shoot the bull”. It doesn’t matter if you have the next biggest deal, or headline news. If you don’t get to the point, they won’t cover it.

This is important in nearly every situation when dealing with the media – press releases, interviews, pitching, etc.

So, my point is… get to the point.