Media exclusives: how and when to use them

June 29, 2023

Media exclusives: how and when to use them

When I was working at a television station, the first question the news director would ask after a reporter came in with a juicy story was, “Is it exclusive?”

She wanted to know if her station was the only place viewers could find the story or if they would at least be the first to break the news. In a time when just about everyone has 24/7 access to information at their fingertips, regardless of when the 5 o’clock newscast airs, media outlets are looking for any edge they can get over their competitors.

For PR purposes, exclusives can help you squeeze all of the “juice” you can get out of a story and make sure it’s placed with an outlet that will give it the coverage you think it deserves.

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Reprint Rights 101: How law firms can promote media hits without getting sued

August 18, 2020

Reprint Rights 101: How law firms can promote media hits without getting sued

You get a solid quote in a key publication, or publish an insightful article in a legal trade magazine, and you want everyone to know (particularly potential clients). So, you post the full text of the article to your firm’s website, send it to your email list and put out some social media posts linking to it for good measure. 

Good marketing, right? 

While promoting your media coverage is important (and kudos to you for recognizing that), unfortunately you’ve left yourself open to legal action from the media outlet because you’ve just violated their copyright. 

Don’t feel too badly. This happens fairly often, and we’ve found that lawyers and law firms are among some of the worst offenders. Which is more than a little ironic, because, you know, laws…

The good news is that there are ways to leverage your media hits while staying on the right side of the law — and in the good books of the media outlets that cover you. 

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Who does what in the newsroom? A guide to media roles

July 13, 2020

Who does what in the newsroom? A guide to media roles

Pitching to the right person at a media outlet can make the difference between having your company make the front page or helplessly watching it slip through the cracks of someone’s inbox. Even small newsrooms exchange thousands of emails every day, and a fraction of the staff is tasked with screening and collecting stories to go to broadcast, print or online. 

You must stand out and connect with the gatekeepers to enjoy the benefits of media coverage.

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The top 9 media mistakes lawyers make

February 12, 2019

The top 9 media mistakes lawyers make

A solid public relations strategy is an essential part of a savvy legal marketer’s arsenal.

PR is a unique and powerful tool unlike other marketing efforts because it offers third-party validation: When a lawyer is quoted in an online news story, appears as a pundit on a news show or publishes something in an industry trade journal, that establishes his or her credibility in front of potential clients.

A lot of effort goes into securing that perfect PR opportunity: targeting relevant media outlets, pitching an attorney as a knowledgeable source and landing the interview. So it makes sense for lawyers to be prepared every time they jump on a call with a reporter or sit down for a broadcast interview in order to get the most out of it. This includes knowing the most common pitfalls when attorneys interact with journalists.

Here are some of the top media mistakes we’ve seen lawyers make in the past, and how to avoid them.

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