The Three Bs of PR and Business
July 29, 2019
The advent of the digital age has brought a shift in our perception of time. Time itself has not sped up or slowed down, but people’s relationship to it has changed. We’re always on the move and try to pack more into a minute than generations of the past. Mobile phones, the internet, apps and technological advances have enabled an “on-demand” environment where more gets done in less time, and everything in business and media moves faster.
When it comes to PR — just like with any business — time truly is a commodity. As media mavens, we work with journalists and influencers who receive (literally) hundreds of pitches a day. Breaking through the noise to put clients on the media map is no easy task. How then can PR pros and businesses communicate and make an impact in today’s world of waning attention spans and tight timetables? It starts by executing three “Bs.”
Be Bright
Being bright is essential. That means your PR and business communications shouldn’t come across as monotonous or boring. Facts are great, but communication filled with nothing but facts and information without a little personalization and imagination thrown in is, well, a snore. A journalist or business contact is more apt to take notice if your subject line is catchy (without bordering on kitsch), or if you have included a data point they have unlikely seen or heard before. It also certainly never hurts to show your intelligence by proposing a new story angle or campaign idea that hasn’t already been done.
At MGP, we like to adhere to the “3-30-3″ rule. The rule says, “If you catch their attention in three seconds, they’ll give you 30 seconds, and if you keep them engaged for 30 seconds, then they’ll give you three minutes.” That’s why it’s imperative to strive to be bright and design your communications intelligently. You only have three seconds to hold their attention and inspire them to keep reading. Additionally, it never hurts to be ‘bright’ by being well-mannered and simply saying please and thank you. If a journalist or business contact has taken the time to respond, show emotional intelligence by acknowledging their response and thank them for working with you. It’s also an excellent way to build future opportunities and cement valuable relationships.
Be Brief
Newsflash – you might be less attentive than a goldfish! That is if you believe a 2015 past study from Microsoft which noted a goldfish has an attention span of nine seconds while humans only eight seconds. While that idea and research are up for debate, the truth is technology has made communication more fluid allowing for more emails, text messages and marketing messages to get through — which means whether making a sales or PR pitch; you have less time to make an impression.
Brevity is key when it comes to communication. Today’s journalists want shorter emails. They want you to know what they write about, to tell them what you want, why it matters to them and their readers, and expect you to do your homework. Developing a knack for a succinct pitch while still including all vital information is crucial to getting your clients or business noticed. It’s like Albert Einstein said, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it enough.”
Be Gone
The heading says it all. Be gone. Once you’ve made your point, don’t write or say more. Today’s journalists and businesses don’t have time for a lot of “fluff” and “fillers” — they want substance. They will move on to the next pitch or business that grabs their attention. That’s why being bright, being brief, and then being gone is a key to media and business success.
We could say more, but then we wouldn’t be following our advice. So we’ll leave you with one parting thought from one of the briefest and brightest pitches of all time from Nike: Just Do It.
Jennifer Johnston
Account Manager
The Three Bs of PR and Business
July 29, 2019
The advent of the digital age has brought a shift in our perception of time. Time itself has not sped up or slowed down, but people’s relationship to it has changed. We’re always on the move and try to pack more into a minute than generations of the past. Mobile phones, the internet, apps and technological advances have enabled an “on-demand” environment where more gets done in less time, and everything in business and media moves faster.
When it comes to PR — just like with any business — time truly is a commodity. As media mavens, we work with journalists and influencers who receive (literally) hundreds of pitches a day. Breaking through the noise to put clients on the media map is no easy task. How then can PR pros and businesses communicate and make an impact in today’s world of waning attention spans and tight timetables? It starts by executing three “Bs.”
Be Bright
Being bright is essential. That means your PR and business communications shouldn’t come across as monotonous or boring. Facts are great, but communication filled with nothing but facts and information without a little personalization and imagination thrown in is, well, a snore. A journalist or business contact is more apt to take notice if your subject line is catchy (without bordering on kitsch), or if you have included a data point they have unlikely seen or heard before. It also certainly never hurts to show your intelligence by proposing a new story angle or campaign idea that hasn’t already been done.
At MGP, we like to adhere to the “3-30-3″ rule. The rule says, “If you catch their attention in three seconds, they’ll give you 30 seconds, and if you keep them engaged for 30 seconds, then they’ll give you three minutes.” That’s why it’s imperative to strive to be bright and design your communications intelligently. You only have three seconds to hold their attention and inspire them to keep reading. Additionally, it never hurts to be ‘bright’ by being well-mannered and simply saying please and thank you. If a journalist or business contact has taken the time to respond, show emotional intelligence by acknowledging their response and thank them for working with you. It’s also an excellent way to build future opportunities and cement valuable relationships.
Be Brief
Newsflash – you might be less attentive than a goldfish! That is if you believe a 2015 past study from Microsoft which noted a goldfish has an attention span of nine seconds while humans only eight seconds. While that idea and research are up for debate, the truth is technology has made communication more fluid allowing for more emails, text messages and marketing messages to get through — which means whether making a sales or PR pitch; you have less time to make an impression.
Brevity is key when it comes to communication. Today’s journalists want shorter emails. They want you to know what they write about, to tell them what you want, why it matters to them and their readers, and expect you to do your homework. Developing a knack for a succinct pitch while still including all vital information is crucial to getting your clients or business noticed. It’s like Albert Einstein said, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it enough.”
Be Gone
The heading says it all. Be gone. Once you’ve made your point, don’t write or say more. Today’s journalists and businesses don’t have time for a lot of “fluff” and “fillers” — they want substance. They will move on to the next pitch or business that grabs their attention. That’s why being bright, being brief, and then being gone is a key to media and business success.
We could say more, but then we wouldn’t be following our advice. So we’ll leave you with one parting thought from one of the briefest and brightest pitches of all time from Nike: Just Do It.
