Integrate Agency’s Head of Client Services, Amanda Sprague, joins us in our third #PivotDontPause webinar, where Amanda shares her tips of the trade gleaned from her 15 years of experience in PR, on top of actual experience Integrate’s PR rockstars are encountering on a near-daily basis. In order to differentiate yourself from your competitors, it is time to pivot your strategy, get your name out there and build brand awareness through public relations.

1. Pivot,
Don’t Pause
a Public R elations W ebinar
by Integrate Agency
Am anda Sprague
& Allie D anziger

2. About Integrate
Agency
WHO WE ARE
Integrate is a full-service marketing agency, based in Houston
and Austin, focusing on the entire “integrated marketing
ecosystem” to solve bigger problems, faster.

3. THE INTEGRATED ECOSYSTEM
Branding
Define, or re-define tone,
vision, visuals, and overall
brand identity
Website Design
Conversion-first, device
agnostic, aesthetically pleasing
design and development
Digital Marketing
PPC, display, programmatic,
re-targeting, geo-fencing,
social media ad management
Content/SEO
Starts with an audit on keywords,
content, website and backlinks,
then we get to work
Media Buying
Plan and execute media
buys, negotiate budget and
measure success
Public Relations
Combination of media
relations and community and
influencer relations
Social Media
Strategic brand
communication and
reputation management
Email Marketing
Entire program from email
capture, content development,
template design and automation

5. PUBLIC RELATIONS
Media Relations Community
Relations AwardsPress Releases
WHAT IS IT ANYWAY?
Public Relations is the strategic process of leveraging third party endorsement to build
awareness and shape your organizations image.
Co-branded
partnerships

6. WHAT PEOPLE THINK:
P=Public + R=Relations
PR 101
How do you get those to align?
• Media Relations
• Owned Media
• Community Relations
• Well Rounded Communications Program
• Stakeholder Communications
• Crisis Communications
WHAT IT REALLY IS:
P=Perception + R=Realty

7. PR 101 – Way to get Press
5 TACTICS TO LAND COVERAGE
NEW NEWS
• ANNOUNCEMENTS
• NEW HIRES
• FUNDRAISING
EXPERT PITCHING
• TIPS
• REACTIVE COMMENTARY
• OP-EDS
EVENTS
• PRE-EVENT AWARENESS
• POST-EVENT COVERAGE
TRENDS & ROUND-UPS
FEATURES

8. THE PR LANDSCAPE
GOING INTO 2020…
• Online content is king
• Digital Decluttering
• True engagement
• Thought leadership
• SEO PR
• Reputation Management

9. IMPACTS OF COVID-19
STAKEHOLDERS
CRISIS COMMUNICATION
• Ensure stakeholders are aligned
• Have a plan, then re-evaluate it
• Do you have a checklist?
HOW TO PIVOT YOUR PR DURING A PANDEMIC
CADENCE OF COMMUNICATION
• Determine frequency of communication with your
publics
• Adapt quickly
• Don’t go silent
• Evaluate communication platforms

10. WHO IS YOUR AUDIENCE?
DETERMINE WHAT THEY CARE ABOUT
DETERMINE HOW THEY HAVE CHANGED, SO YOU
CAN PIVOT
• What constitutes as good messaging has continued to evolve and its
evolving quickly – ensure you pivot messaging appropriately
• Back in April, stats came out pointing towards consumers’ behavior
becoming more altruistic
• Beyond that, authentic Corporate Social Responsibility will build
stronger rapport with the public.
• We have seen success with brands doing giveback campaigns for this
very reason

11. PANDEMIC PERSONAS

12. PANDEMIC PERSONAS
HOW SHOULD YOU ADAPT?
THINK THROUGH WHAT YOU HAVE TO
OFFER THEM - PRODUCT THAT FILLS A NEED,
INSIGHT TO A SOLUTION THEY MAY NOT
HAVE
UPDATE OFFERINGS WHEN POSSIBLE BUT DO
SO IN AN AUTHENTIC WAY

13. HOW HAS IT CHANGED?
• Managing relationships is still important!
• Be reliable
• Provide value
• Set yourself up as an industry leader
WORKING WITH
THE MEDIA
• Fewer journalists
• Quicker deadlines
• Fewer pitches with more assignments
• Working from home
MANAGING MEDIA RELATIONSHIPS

14. PREPARING FOR AN INTERVIEW
A PHONE INTERVIEW
• Be in a quiet place to reduce background noise
• Have pen and paper in hand
• Bring notes
• Smiles can be “heard”
• Speak slowly, they are probably taking notes
• Its okay to correct yourself or restate
• If you’re unsure of an answer, let them know

15. PREPARING FOR AN INTERVIEW
A VIRTUAL INTERVIEW
• Try to look at your camera, not the screen, so it appears to viewers that
you are looking at the reporter
• Turn off notifications that may pop up and distract you
• If using Zoom, utilize a virtual background OR ensure you have a clean,
neutral background
• Typically, headphones produce best sound quality

16. INTERVIEW DOs AND DON’Ts
DOs
ü Assume everything is on the
record
ü Be truthful and informational
ü Have succinct answers
ü Smile and speak at a slow,
confident pace
ü Correct yourself or restate an
answer
DON’TS
ü Be promotional
ü Keep talking to fill space –
it’s the reporter's job to keep
things moving
ü Use industry jargon
ü Talk too fast
ü Say “No comment”

17. CREATING MEDIA
OPPORTUNITIES
TRENDING INTO 2020…
CREATE AUTHORITY THROUGH YOUR OWN WORDS
OP-ED VALUE CONTINUES TO INCREASE
CREATE MULTI-CHANNEL CONTENT

18. • Tried and true tactics may work, but only if they serve what the audience
wants
• Media stunts and events are out
• Being timely and on trend has never been more important
• Altruistic, giving back, filling a need for products
• Providing insight on “how to” or “what’s happening” for executives and
services
• Celebrating launches, hiring and funding works now more than ever
WHAT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL?

19. DO IT YOURSELF –
QUICK TIPS
DO YOU RESEARCH
MAKE IT EASY ON THE MEDIA
WORK FAST
RETHINK YOUR OFFERINGS
DON’T SHY AWAY
#2
#1
#3
#4
#5

20. TAKE IT FURTHUR…
HOW DOES PR FIT INTO THE OVERALL
MARKETING ECOSYSTEM?
• Stretches your placements
• Creates content
• Builds up SEO
• Linkbacks for sales and visits
• Creates goodwill and brand awareness

21. Pivot, Don’t Pause.
Be Ready to Adapt.
And Adapt.
And Adapt.