Press releases are a communication tool that have been used (and abused) for years.  At Bailey Gardiner we are extremely selective about when we write and send out a press release. And while they aren’t as common as they once were, they aren’t going away any time soon. The following are my five tips for writing an effective press release.

1. Don’t bury the lead. Key information of a story is often placed somewhere in the body of the release – put it first.

2. For quotes sake. Quotes should only be included in the release if it adds value. Some companies and clients will insist on quoting the CEO, but unless it’s saying something you can’t otherwise state in the release, skip it.

3. Just the facts. Press releases are a place for news and facts, not fluff and sales language. Sales materials exist for a reason and absolutely serve a purpose, but the excessive use of adjectives and fancy copy doesn’t belong in a news release. It will immediately turn off media and discredit the company.

4. What’s the news? Be sure what you really should be writing is a release and not a pitch, media alert or business brief. A press release is used for a variety of reasons, but should not be the ‘catch all’. Evaluate the information and newsworthiness and guide your client or company appropriately. Sometimes people simply aren’t aware there are other options.

5. Get to the point. I am a big believer in short succinct releases. One page is great, two pages maximum. If there is a lot of background, analysis or data that needs to be shared a great way is to hyperlink in the release to the company’s website where this information can live. It’s a terrific way to drive traffic to the website and it doesn’t bog down the release at the risk of losing the media’s interest.

Trust your PR instincts and if you don’t find the news your sharing interesting, it’s likely the media won’t either.

*This post is part of Bailey Gardiner’s Public Relations Tactics series, which highlights tools and best practices to ensure a successful public relations campaign. The series will run weekly.

As one of San Diego’s top public relations firms we are lucky to book a lot of TV for clients. Whether it’s bridal segments for Tiffany & Co., Busker Festival segments for Seaport Village, or live coverage from every station in town for Opening Day of the Del Mar Racetrack, the topics vary but the preparation is the same.

Live TV segments shot on location take extra preparation since they vary greatly from live in-studio segments. The biggest difference is control. When taking the segment to the streets, you can only control so much as there are numerous factors that come into play. Here are just a few to consider in advance and have a plan for:

Live Signal - This is an issue I’ve seen sneak up on many people. If it’s your first time having live TV at your venue or for your client make sure the station can get a signal. This may seem like a no-brainer, but there are often pockets where the trucks can’t bounce their signal to one of the mountains or satellites. Ask the station if they have shot live from your location before, or better yet, see if they will do a test run prior to the segment to ensure success.

Weather – While San Diego averages a lovely 72 degrees throughout the year, there are times when Mother Nature doesn’t quite participate. If you’re doing an outdoor segment have a back-up plan for rain. Consider an indoor venue you can move to if necessary, a tented area, or bring umbrellas.

Wind – This could fall under weather, but I list separately because wind can occur throughout the year. If your location is prone to wind take into consideration and try to do the segment in an area that is blocked as much as possible. Nothing ruins a segment quite like wind whipping through the microphone.

Onlookers or Crashers- There’s no way to be prepared for everything, especially when it comes to people on a mission.  Years ago I had the great pleasure of a homeless man in his underwear walk through a live segment with a former real estate developer client downtown. We managed to work through it and all got a chuckle. Truth be told, none of us were shocked by the incident, we were in an urban parking at 6 a.m., after all.  We knew what to expect in our surroundings, which is the key takeaway. Try to prepare yourself and client for the environment in which the interview will take place. Sometimes the best advice is to be prepared to just go with the flow.

Speaking of Flow – Be sure to do your homework prior to the live segment (if possible) to ensure a smooth flow and transition if there are multiple hit times. Make sure all parties are clear on when and where they should be and what is expected from them. We find down to the minute timelines work best. If the timing will be cut close (say one spokesperson jumping from station to station) warn the reporter so they don’t get nervous, and have a back-up spokesperson if possible.

These are just a handful of tips for live TV shot on location. Have any points you’d like to share? Or perhaps your own PR war story in regards to live TV?

We are entering our fifth year of working with Seaport Village, a favorite seaside destination for San Diego locals and visitors, and Bailey Gardiner is lucky to manage all of Seaport’s marketing efforts – public relations, advertising, special events and social media.

In preparation for a presentation to the tenants of Seaport, we wanted to compile a highlight reel of all the great work that went on throughout 2009. It’s a fun way to bring to life the advertisements, collateral pieces, events, public relations hits, social media, and onsite signage the Bailey Gardiner teams created. And it’s definitely more entertaining than me standing at the front of the room rattling them all off! So we gathered all the necessary pieces and enlisted Rich, our fantastic copywriter and jack of many trades, to put together our video (some of you may recall his great work on the BG Holiday Video and outtakes). Our client and the tenants enjoyed it and we hope you do to.

Who owns social media? Jon addressed this question just a few weeks ago, and it is a topic that continues to come up. My question back is, does it really matter who “owns” it? What we should be asking and establishing is who is going to be accountable for social media.

I attended the PRSA International Conference in San Diego a few weeks ago and sat in on a session titled PR (R)evolution where Brian Solis commented on this exact question. He said that no one owns social media, it’s in the hands of consumers so therefore we all play a role.

OK, nothing too earth shattering there. But what rang very true for me was what Brian brought up next. That while no one department or type of agency owns social media, someone has to be accountable for it. There it was, the word people don’t use enough – accountability. If there is a crisis, issue, or question who will the C-suite, sales team, customer service, and marketing team turn to? They’ll turn to public relations. They’ll turn to the team who manages and monitors the brand’s messaging and communications strategy.

As an integrated agency, I know and believe that great ideas and creative implementation can come from anyone in any department. However, what is critical to a successful social media presence and its programs is that someone is accountable. Someone or a team needs to be tracking what is being said, have a plan for when issues arise, and have control of the correct key messages for the brand or company. Which is why public relations agencies, public relations practitioners and public relations departments have to stand up and be accountable.

Today is a bittersweet day for BG. Today Jamie Ortiz, our PR Account Supervisor, leaves us to take on the position of Director of Marketing and Communications at San Diego Coastkeeper. I like to think BG was Jamie’s dream job for the past five years and SD Coast Keepers is her current and future dream job. She is following her passion and they are lucky to have her.

Jamie has been a tremendous asset to the company, our clients and our employees. Her presence and wit will be missed at BG, but we aren’t saying good-bye to her. Between Twitter, Facebook, blogs, LinkedIn, YouTube, Flickr, email, text and good ol fashion in-person communication, we’re sure to stay in constant contact with her.

So to toast Jamie, I thought I’d share some pictures through the years. And what better place than the BG blog she helped build.

Bailey Gardiner is looking for a summer public relations intern to support the Del Mar Racetrack account – one of San Diego’s longest running entertainment establishments (not to mention one of the most fun!).

We’re looking for:

• A college junior or senior working on a communications, journalism or English major. Recent college grads are good too.
• Ability to work at least 30-40 hours/week
• Outstanding communications skills (verbal and written)
• Thrive in a fast-paced, energetic, highly creative setting
• Previous PR/media experience is highly preferred
• An enthusiasm for social media – beyond your facebook account – we’re looking for someone who gets it from a marketing perspective and really, really loves it.
• Someone who can blow our creative minds with enthusiasm, ambition and previous PR skills.
• Start ASAP

Here’s what you’ll get hands-on experience doing:

• Direct media pitching with a focus on local and regional outlets
• Writing media releases and alerts
• Blog and social media correspondence
• Brainstorming
• Research
• Creating and updating media lists
• General account support

And working for us isn’t so bad either. While we can’t compensate you with pay, the experience is invaluable. We’ll take the time to teach, support, provide you with responsibility and have some fun.

If you fit the bill, please send your resume, cover letter and references to lizzie@baileygardiner.com or call (619) 295-8232.

Readers of Bailey Gardiner’s Don’t Drink the Koolaid blog are invited to attend a special in-store event at the San Diego Tiffany & Co. store on June 9th. The celebratory evening will be filled with indulgences. Please RSVP to attend.

Sometimes waiting for a PR placement can be like watching grass grow. You tend to it, check on it, try new things, but you don’t see the immediate results you crave. But then one day, as if out of nowhere, the placement (or growth) finally happens. At times it only takes a few months, and other times it takes years. Which is why the PR process is a long-term investment and something that doesn’t just happen over night.

To illustrate my point, here are a few examples on just how long a great hit can take.

For Beauty Encounter the team worked with a freelance writer last spring on a story about discontinued beauty products. Since Beauty Encounter offers one of the deepest selections online, this was a great angle for us to take with the writer. The article just came out in ShopSmart Magazine and the editor went on CBS The Early Show to talk about the story and mentioned Beauty Encounter.

In January 2008 the Vet-Stem team at BG started pitching a reporter at the Orange County Register. The team followed up numerous times, and the reporter finally responded she was interested. After many more months of trying to fit in the story and checking in with the reporter every month for almost a year, the story on stem cell therapy placed. It was mentioned on the front page, top of the fold and then ran front page of the Life section with a jump to another half page. Full color photos, links to Vet-Stem’s website and the vet involved. SO worth the wait.

Another Vet-Stem example is with a recent placement in the Chicago Tribune. The team started pitching in January 2008, then repitched many more times. Finally a pitch in February 2009 got a response. The story took another month before it ran, but after a year of constant monitoring and pitching the story finally resonated with the reporter. The story was picked up as a syndicated story and eventually ran in more than 30 newspapers across the country.

So if you work with an agency, or are an agency, be patient and stick with it. Because when the placements finally happen they are well worth the wait!

Some things are just funny. And they manage to be passed around by email to thousands and/or millions of people. But sometimes you’re left wondering: who’s behind this anyways?

This is the blessing, and curse, of viral marketing. Your message, application, widget, video or website has made the cyber space rounds, but no one knows who’s behind it. If this is the case, have you succeeded?

In light of the holiday season, the hilarious and successful Elf Yourself is making the rounds again. And it’s been evident people are still a bit confused on who’s behind it by the numerous tweets (there we go referencing twitter again – are you on yet???) in the past few days about people linking to Elf Yourself and posing the question. The answer is Office Max. And due to the success of the promotional viral video site, perhaps OfficeMax should have brought it to life in its stores for some PR or incorporated dancing elves into its ads. Really tie it together so the millions of people who have and will forward their Elf’d selves know they are able to do so courtesy of OfficeMax.

And since I couldn’t resist, a little something for your viewing pleasure: Carrie the dancing Elf

As you’ve read here before, we are thrilled to be handling the PR for Setai San Diego, the new 184-room premier luxury hotel located in downtown San Diego’s financial district, which opens next month (Dec. 2008). As Setai San Diego nears completion, the hundreds of design, art and custom-made features are being installed and really bringing the property to life. It is definitely unlike anything San Diego has ever seen and we think it will blow people away.

More pictures to come, but this gives you an idea of a standard room.

Setai San Diego has also just announced its dining and bar partner is Suite & Tender Bar, Lounge and Restaurant.  It will feature the cuisine of James Beard Award-winning Chef Christopher Lee, and will be a softer, more sophisticated take on the typical steakhouse. Suite & Tender is based on a gastro-tourism concept where diners have the chance to create an experience that is completely their own and will focus on choices, not rules. In addition to table-side cocktail service, it will offer a wine selection that gets this Napa Valley native very excited: guests will be able to sample various wines from a distinguished American-focused wine list, and create their own flights, deciding between a sip, a taste or a bottomless glass. Take a guess at which option I’ll be choosing from when dining or hanging in the Lounge…