Mia Taylor

You may groan when you read this, buuuuut trust: You need to write your holiday blogs now, not in November. If you have (or work for) a company that sells anything, especially more things around the holidays, get those blogs done now + pinned on Pinterest. You’ll thank me when that search volume ratchets up in Q3-4. It’s also exactly what I did when I wrote + pinned this blog: https://lnkd.in/gpmSRCGA. #contentwriting #holidaycontent #companyblog #holidayblog #organicsearch

4

For this podcast, the Confident Retirement, there's a twist: I was the one interviewed, not the one asking the questions. (I like it better the other way - but that was fun - thanks for inviting me on, Kristopher Flammang CRPC®AIF®BFA®) Oh - and I'm not retiring :) Some of the things we talked about: * My early journalism career change to being a juvenile probation office for three years; • Why and how the Business Observer has made a transtions to #digitalfirst — and why we keep the focus on that; and • The lessons I've learned from interviewing hundreds of entrepreneurs ands business owners Take a listen!

30

1 Comment

Communications executives need to understand reporter lingo and be capable of translating it for their C-suite and other spokespeople.   “A Reporter’s Glossary: Journalistic Terms of Art” helps fulfill that mission by revealing definitions for a cornucopia of insider journalistic expressions (link to full paper in Comments). The publication sheds light on such jargon as: · The distinctions among clarifications, corrections, and retractions · What to do with an IFB when participating in an SMT · How to accommodate TV reporters who say they need B-roll · Why media training needs to be a comprehensive series of events, not a one-off, check the box situation · The peculiarities of off the record, on background, and not for attribution   My hope is that this resource will make the job of communications and government relations executives just a bit easier. It’s yours for the taking. No subscriptions. No nags. All I ask: If you find it useful, share it with colleagues and support it with a 👉 Comment 👈 here on LinkedIn.   💭 Once you’ve taken a look, don’t be shy about suggesting additional terms of art that might make it into future revisions. #mediarelations #reporters #journalism

8

6 Comments

I recently edited a contributed article...and while so much of today's coverage is focused on contributions, a quick reminder: A client that wants you to pitch a blog post that contains numerous explicit references (to said client) might not fully understand what a contributed article is...and it ain't a promotional piece. A contributed article headline can be rewritten by an editor before it’s published. #PR #publicrelations #mediarelations #media

32

Editors take note! Here are the publications (in my experience) that are the most likely to respond, least likely to respond, and most likely to ghost. Essence wins for lack of response (they are notorious for not responding and have never responded to me) and The Guardian wins for ghosting (an editor said he’d mentor me then just stopped responding to pitches and texts). Most likely to respond: Cosmo (Erin Quinlan, head of features, is absolutely incredible), Teen Vogue, POPSUGAR, ELLE, Men’s Health (they are super responsive and Paul Kita is amazing). Least likely to respond: Essence, The New York Times, Marie Claire Most likely to ghost: The Guardian, Vogue, and Women’s Health #ghosting #responding #ignoring #journalism #editors #respect #freelance #freelancers #blacklinkedin #linkedin #journorequest

215

45 Comments

The communications/marketing hill I'll die on: I hate "giving days." Having been in the non-profit and education sectors for parts of my career, I understand why they exist. I don't fault organizations (especially smaller ones) for doing them, and I certainly don't fault those who give on these particular days to support causes they're passionate about. They can work...if they're done right. From a marketing standpoint, though, so many companies do it wrong. Communications are often wildly impersonal, and leave the recipient thinking they're seen as nothing more than a wallet. Constant "give us money, give us money, give us money" asks burn out one's donor base quickly, and the analytics behind those messages and social media posts often aren't pretty (I know, I've seen them). If you're going to have an event like this, don't be pushy. Tell stories. Yield to your communications and marketing types, not your bean-counters. Engage people, make them feel valued, and be transparent about why you need their money and where their money is going. Yes, engage your base to spread the word, but have those personal messages come from people at the top. Don't solely rely on others to do that work for you. Also, just throwing this out there: Three or four emails on a giving day are enough. You don't need more. Flooding inboxes with more than that (in at least one case where I was a target audience, up to 10 in a day) is "diminishing returns" behavior, and it only serves to check a box put there by someone who doesn't understand how the sauce is made. #communications #marketing #development #givingday

2

2 Comments

This is for my PR/Crisis Comms friends: Regarding my career, I've "grown up" in corporations. In my 19 years, I've had the opportunity to work for three nationwide corporations. When it comes to PR, this has made creating relationships with local news reporters difficult. I may not have touched a market for a year, and by that time, the newsroom has turned over. Yet, relationships in PR, and especially crisis communications, are SO important. Establishing a trustworthy rapport with a reporter is critical. It can make or break a story hitting the news. So, how do you do it? Glad you asked! Here are some of my strategies for establishing a relationship with reporters quickly: ✅ Show Genuine Empathy: Demonstrate sincere concern for the reporter's perspective and the gravity of the crisis. I've done my best to share, "Hey, I know you have a job to do, and so do I. How can we make this work?" ✅ Transparency Is Key: Be upfront about any limitations or constraints you may face, while still striving to provide valuable insights. For example, you could say, "While I can't disclose certain details due to privacy concerns, I will do what I ca to share what I can to address your questions or more importantly, doubts you may have." ✅ Listen First, Speak Second: Take the time to actively listen to the reporter's questions and concerns before formulating your response. This demonstrates respect for their perspective and encourages open dialogue. You might say, "I hear your concerns about the impact of this situation on your audience. Let's work together to ensure we provide accurate and helpful information." ✅ Offer Solutions: Instead of focusing solely on the problem at hand, propose practical solutions or steps forward. For instance, you could say, "Here are some proactive measures we're implementing to address the issue and prevent similar incidents in the future. I'd love to hear your thoughts on how we can best communicate these efforts to the public." ✅ Clear Communication Is Vital: Use straightforward language and avoid jargon to ensure your message is easily understood. This helps to avoid confusion and misinterpretation. For example, you could say, "Let me break down the key points for you so we're on the same page." ✅ Follow Up Promptly: Stay responsive and proactive in your communication, providing timely updates and addressing any additional questions or concerns that arise. This shows your commitment to keeping the lines of communication open. You might say, "I'll make sure to keep you updated as we progress and address any new developments promptly." I'm telling you, if you do these things - it will help you exponentially. You may not gain total trust, but you will gain credibility and it will get you so far.

14

Corporate and Startups keep a close eye on the elections, government affairs and public notices. Why??? Because it impacts their businesses. Politicians are Policy Makers. Policies they make have a direct and indirect impact on the business operations. Corporate Communications professionals need to be an expert in Public Policy tracking and Public Affairs too apart from Public Relations. Government and Politicians are a key external stakeholders and influencers for businesses. Lobbying by entrepreneurs across the globe since a century is a common phenomenon. Industry Bodies of varying ministries gives an option to varying entrepreneurs and organisations to share their feedback to the Ministry, elect their representative for that body, suggest changes in policies, propose policy plans and participate in the engagement for nation building. Public Affairs is a serious business and needs to align with the PR planning. #hemamalini #superstar #loksabha #memberofparliament #parliament #delhi #mathura #legacy #legend #publicpolicy #publicaffairs #corporateaffairs #artist #influencer #keyinfluencer #messaging #governmentaffairs #publicrelations #pr #corporatecommunications #internalcommunication #stakeholdermanagement #stakeholderengagement #brandengagement #thoughtleader #thoughtleadership

15

1 Comment

Corporate and Startups keep a close eye on the elections, government affairs and public notices. Why??? Because it impacts their businesses. Politicians are Policy Makers. Policies they make have a direct and indirect impact on the business operations. Corporate Communications professionals need to be an expert in Public Policy tracking and Public Affairs too apart from Public Relations. Government and Politicians are a key external stakeholders and influencers for businesses. Lobbying by entrepreneurs across the globe since a century is a common phenomenon. Industry Bodies of varying ministries gives an option to varying entrepreneurs and organisations to share their feedback to the Ministry, elect their representative for that body, suggest changes in policies, propose policy plans and participate in the engagement for nation building. Public Affairs is a serious business and needs to align with the PR planning. #shatrugansinha #superstar #loksabha #memberofparliament #parliament #delhi #mathura #legacy #legend #publicpolicy #publicaffairs #corporateaffairs #artist #influencer #keyinfluencer #messaging #governmentaffairs #publicrelations #pr #corporatecommunications #internalcommunication #stakeholdermanagement #stakeholderengagement #brandengagement #thoughtleader #thoughtleadership

1

Corporate and Startups keep a close eye on the elections, government affairs and public notices. Why??? Because it impacts their businesses. Politicians are Policy Makers. Policies they make have a direct and indirect impact on the business operations. Corporate Communications professionals need to be an expert in Public Policy tracking and Public Affairs too apart from Public Relations. Government and Politicians are a key external stakeholders and influencers for businesses. Lobbying by entrepreneurs across the globe since a century is a common phenomenon. Industry Bodies of varying ministries gives an option to varying entrepreneurs and organisations to share their feedback to the Ministry, elect their representative for that body, suggest changes in policies, propose policy plans and participate in the engagement for nation building. Public Affairs is a serious business and needs to align with the PR planning. #shashitharoor #loksabha #memberofparliament #parliament #delhi #mathura #legacy #legend #publicpolicy #publicaffairs #corporateaffairs #artist #influencer #keyinfluencer #messaging #governmentaffairs #publicrelations #pr #corporatecommunications #internalcommunication #stakeholdermanagement #stakeholderengagement #brandengagement #thoughtleader #thoughtleadership

1

The application for Intrepid Travel's Diversifying Travel Media press trip closes June 4! If you are (or know someone who is) an early career/new travel writer (fewer than 5 travel bylines or no press trip experience) from any diverse or underrepresented background and live in the UK or Ireland, consider applying! https://lnkd.in/ec2hBXbA And please read more below from my friend Meera Dattani about the experience and why it's important. #travelwriting

40

Don't forget, writing friends: The greatest myth you'll hear in your head as you read another writer's work is that they knew exactly how they were going to write it from the start. They didn't. Behind that published piece of writing are the ghosts of murdered darlings and revised drafts. Including this post. #writing #writingcommunity #linkedin #writinglife

156

17 Comments

This article highlights the challenges reporters face when seeking comments from companies and public figures. The phrase “did not respond to a request for comment” is becoming increasingly common in journalism. This trend raises questions about the impact on journalistic integrity and the changing landscape of media communications. https://lnkd.in/e33AuQRy

5

Here's a podcast that will put your story on center stage! The Let's Talk About It: Conversations with Industry Shapers, hosted by Jeffery Arnold, is seeking guests for the show. 🔹 Master navigators of multi-generational workforce dynamics, 🔹 Skilled communicators in the face of challenging dialogues, 🔹 Innovators making insurance understandable and accessible, 🔹 and Visionaries with insights that empower and transform, If you think this sounds like you, we are encouraging you to participate! Check out the other requirements and submit your application to become a guest here: https://lnkd.in/gijm69ru Do you have a friend who'd be a great fit for the show? Please don't hesitate to send them our way by sharing this post with them or tagging them in the comments. #WorkforceDynamics #ChallengingDialogues #InsuranceInnovators #EmpowerAndTransform #PodcastGuest #IndustryShapers #GuestOpportunity

4

Since Kamala Harris' ethnic background has been a source of discussion, we should all be aware that people of mixed race/ethnic backgrounds are the fastest-growing and youngest demographic in the U.S. They play an increasingly important part in shaping the future of our country. My book "WOKE: A Cultural Competence Guide for Communicators," includes a chapter titled "The Rise of Biracial Americans." According to the U.S. Census: "The population of people who are two or more races is projected to be the fastest-growing racial or ethnic group over the next several decades, followed by Asians and Hispanics. The causes of their growth are different, however. For Hispanics and people who are two or more races, high growth rates are largely the result of high rates of natural increase, given the relatively young age structure of these populations..." https://lnkd.in/gsTAMAbc

10

1 Comment

 How to write B2B stories that motivate prospects Use a journalism approach. Without journalism methods, you might end up creating content that nobody will pay attention to. You can put on your journalism clothes by using the journalism news approach to creating stories. You've heard this before, but stories must answer these questions: Who, What, Where, When, Why + (in my opinion) How The first five are called the 5 W's. B2B stories also attract more attention when they feature heroes and villains. The VILLAINS are your avatar's (prospect's) problems, "pain points." The HEROES are you and your company's solutions. You already know how to write; you just need a news-oriented angle of attack. This approach applies to copywriting and content writing. _____ Dennis Mellersh, Content Marketing Writer and Journalist: Using Content as a Market Positioning Strategy AKA: Thought Leadership #Marketing #ContentMarketing #B2B #Journalism

2

Before you send out that email to a freelance journalist or two, take a moment to listen to my interview with OnePitch about how to establish, engage, and maintain relationships with freelance journalists and writers. #writersoflinkedin #journalism #publicrelations

45

1 Comment