How To Pitch The Media Taught by Kris Ruby

May 7, 2018 by

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PR WEBINAR: How to Pitch the Media

Ruby Media Group Founder Kris Ruby recently taught the CSU Long Beach Department of Public Relations & Journalism students Media Relations Fundamentals. During the interactive Facebook Live teaching and public relations class, PR students learned how to create a newsworthy pitch, how to secure press coverage and how to break into the Public Relations industry. Ruby answered critical questions including:

  • How can you get a job in public relations?
  • What is it like to work in public relations?
  • Thinking of a career in public relations?

Navigating the Public Relations Industry: Insights from Ruby Media Group CEO Kris Ruby

Are you looking to elevate your PR prowess and make waves in the industry? If the answer is a resounding YES, then watch the full masterclass below and get ready to seize the reins of your PR destiny!

LEARN:

  • Public Relations 101
  • Working in public relations
  • A day in the life of a public relations professional

The Future of Public Relations 

Public relations is a complex yet rewarding industry for entrepreneurs. By embracing the innovative industry insights taught by PR consultant Kris Ruby, aspiring publicists will gain a competitive edge.

As the PR landscape continues to evolve, continuous learning, adaptability, and a commitment to ethical practices are critical to navigating the ever-changing digital terrain.

Click here to watch the full media relations training. This training is suitable for public relations majors who are interested in having a career in PR.

Did you miss the training? Be sure to study the PR glossary!

Public Relations Glossary:

This glossary provides an in-depth look at advanced concepts within public relations, offering a comprehensive resource for practitioners aiming to deepen their expertise.

Advocacy PR

Definition: Strategic communication efforts aimed at influencing public or governmental opinion to support a particular cause or policy.

  • Example: Campaigns by non-profits to promote environmental legislation.

Public Affairs

Definition: Managing relationships between an organization and political stakeholders including legislators, regulatory bodies, and government agencies.

  • Example: Lobbying efforts or participation in public policy debates.

Brand Journalism

Definition: The practice of creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and engage a clearly defined audience, often blending elements of traditional journalism and brand storytelling.

  • Example: A company magazine or blog that highlights industry trends, expert opinions, and corporate values.

Crisis Communication

Definition: A subset of PR focused on protecting and defending an individual, company, or organization facing a public challenge to its reputation.

  • Example: A multinational corporation’s response strategy after a product recall.

Earned Media

Definition: Publicity gained through editorial or by other non-paid means, as opposed to paid media (advertising) and owned media (content controlled by the organization).

  • Example: A favorable news article about a company’s new product launch.

Environmental Scanning

Definition: The process of systematically surveying and interpreting relevant data to identify external opportunities and threats.

  • Example: Monitoring social media trends and news outlets for emerging issues that could impact a company.

Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC)

Definition: An approach to creating a unified and seamless experience for consumers to interact with the brand, blending all aspects of marketing communication such as advertising, sales promotion, public relations, and direct marketing.

  • Example: A coordinated campaign that includes TV ads, social media outreach, and public relations events.

Media Relations

Definition: The practice of managing and guiding interactions between an organization and various media outlets.

  • Example: A PR professional pitching a story to a journalist or arranging a press conference.

Message Framing

Definition: The practice of shaping the presentation of information or a narrative to influence perception and attitudes.

  • Example: Highlighting the economic benefits of a new policy while downplaying any potential drawbacks.

Reputation Management

Definition: The effort to influence and control an organization’s reputation.

  • Example: A company engaging in community outreach programs to improve its public image.

Stakeholder Engagement

Definition: The systematic approach to involving individuals, groups, or organizations that may affect or be affected by the organization’s actions.

  • Example: Conducting focus groups or town hall meetings to gather feedback from community members.

Thought Leadership

Definition: The process of positioning a person or organization as an authority and resource in its field through content creation, public speaking, and media placements.

  • Example: A CEO publishing op-eds on industry trends or speaking at major conferences.

Transmedia Storytelling

Definition: A narrative technique in which a single story or experience is told across multiple platforms and formats, each contributing uniquely to the audience’s understanding.

  • Example: A brand using a combination of social media, blog posts, videos, and interactive web content to tell a comprehensive story.

Two-Way Symmetrical Communication

Definition: A model of communication in which feedback from the audience is used to adjust messages and strategies, aiming for mutual understanding and benefit.

  • Example: A company conducting regular surveys and engaging in dialogue with customers to improve its services.

Sentiment Analysis

Definition: The use of natural language processing and other analytical techniques to determine the sentiment expressed in a piece of content, often used to gauge public opinion.

  • Example: Analyzing social media mentions to assess the public’s mood regarding a new campaign activation or launch. Sentiment analysis measures positive and negative tones towards a specific brand or person. 

Social Listening

Definition: The process of monitoring digital conversations on social media to understand what customers are saying about a brand and industry online.

  • Example: Using social listening tools to track mentions of a brand on social media platforms and responding to customer concerns in real-time.

 

Pandemic Diary of my Virtual PR Internship 

Curious about working in PR? Read a firsthand PR internship experience by former Public Relations intern Katie Iver.

What I learned from my Virtual PR Internship

By Katie Iver, PR Intern, Ruby Media Group

Originally published on Internqueen

“The media will not stop for a pandemic and neither should you.”

The impact of the pandemic has been immense. Lives have been lost, the economy has spiraled and job opportunities have declined, dried up or become nonexistent. Many ambitious college students have lost their summer internships. These internships are crucial for students because it provides a learning experience that cannot be found in school.

Summer internships offer students a glance into the real world. What will life be like after college? It’s crucial that students dip their toes into the work world before graduation. Many companies retracted this opportunity due to the dangers that the pandemic brings forth; however, Kris Ruby did not allow a pandemic to stop her company from giving students a chance to learn.

In March, the pandemic brought me home from Binghamton University. My classes were online for the rest of the semester, providing me with way too much free time. I spent the first week watching movies and enjoying this extra time, however, I soon realized this was not enough. How could I make the most of this time? I wanted to be as efficient as possible and Kris Ruby, CEO of Ruby Media Group, allowed me to do just that.

Every week I received a new email from one of the internships that I applied for that the program had been cancelled. These cancellations did not stop me.  I was determined to find an internship. It wasn’t until I was scrolling on social media and saw Intern Queens Instagram story that I decided to give finding an internship one last shot. I applied via e-mail after seeing the public relations internship opportunity.  Later that month, Ruby Media Group offered me a virtual internship.

I initially wondered how a virtual internship would function. Would we video chat during the day? How could I work for a company without ever meeting my boss? I soon learned how productive, beneficial and straightforward a virtual internship could be.

Interning virtually has some significant benefits. For example, all work has a purpose and you will never be assigned busywork (one of the key benefits to virtual vs. in person).  Also, you do not have to commute, which is another major bonus.

Every day at noon, I opened my laptop to the real world. It’s the equivalent of driving to work; only shorter and does not require gas. The first step to making a virtual internship work properly is to have a professional mentality. Understand that working from home holds the same expectations and requirements as working in an office. A virtual internship requires this mindset in order to reach career success.

I began my work day by emailing the company founder Kris Ruby my daily agenda, which is a list of tasks that I intend to complete during the day. I end the day with my end of day report, a detailed list of what I accomplished throughout the day. This transparency and organization allowed for a clear understanding of daily projects.

Despite not meeting in person because of the pandemic, Kris and I were able to build a professional relationship via Zoom and other video chat services. Communication is a key feature in making a virtual internship effective. Asking questions, clarifying tasks, and suggesting ideas is not always easy, however, it must be done in order to work productively.

A virtual PR internship did not stop my fellow interns and I from collaborating with one another. We shared our research, helped each other on projects and offered creative solutions to pressing PR challenges. During the day, we communicate through Slack, e-mail and video chat platforms. Working together has not posed a challenge because we are all eager to collaborate with each other. Being able to communicate with one another and collaborate on ideas makes the outcome of projects even better. We offer each other ideas that perhaps we could not have thought of alone.

We are also part of Ruby Media Group University, a members’ only PR group created by Ruby Media Group during the pandemic to ensure that interns (and those who were not fortunate to land an internship) learn something new each day in the field of public relations.

Within the PR University Facebook group, we learn from guest speakers, educational webinars and are encouraged to ask daily questions about working in the field. The opportunity to learn from industry leaders allows us to expand our network and stay ahead in our field.

Not only have I discovered the nuances of working a virtual internship, but I have also learned about the many facets of public relations. Social media marketing, content creation, podcast production, blog writing, and graphic design all play a role in an integrated public relations campaign. These items may seem simple at first, yet they are carefully considered and thought out plans.

I have learned to train my brain into understanding how to market a brand. Initially, I could not comprehend how to market brands in a public relations style. Advertising and marketing are vastly different. It is important to learn the nuances of public relations and how companies should be marketed and represented in digital platforms.  Every tweet and Instagram post is intricately designed and debated upon.

Does this Facebook post represent the message we are trying to communicate?

How will people respond to the messaging in this podcast episode?

No action goes without contemplation.

Public relations is a complex and ever-changing field. Many people may be surprised that PR is not the glamorous lifestyle portrayed in the media. Time is extremely valuable, especially in PR. I have learned the importance of staying on top of the media, breaking news and current events. A pandemic will not stop life from creeping up on you. Take matters into your own hands. This is what Ruby Media Group did by launching a virtual internship program and PR University during the pandemic.  As a result, I have learned pivotal career lessons.  Innovation is a constant process and must never end.

10 TIPS TO SLAY YOUR VIRTUAL PR INTERNSHIP:

  1. Interning in public relations? Before starting your internship, study the field. Read some articles about how public relations works. This will help you start off your internship on a strong note. Brush up on your PR knowledge before your first day.
  2. Working with other team members virtually? Collaborate with them. Sharing ideas with each other will improve your projects and you can make new friends in the process!
  3. Communication is key. Do not be afraid to ask questions. By asking questions you not only learn more, but you also have the information you need in order to complete a project.
  4. In your downtime, think of ideas to help the company that you are interning for. Suggesting thoughtful and creative ideas is helpful. Even if an idea not used, suggestions may lead to bigger ideas and plans.  Every idea you have is valuable.
  5. When creating a marketing strategy, always use the same format and track changes. This organization and cohesiveness make communication strategies easier to comprehend.
  6. When working on a brand’s social media strategy, consider their demographics. Different social media platforms may have more success depending on the age group of the brands followers.
  7. Before posting on social media, consider this question – how will this post represent the brand? You should be working towards a specific angle.
  8. Keep posts interactive. Brands should frequently post to maintain a social media presence. Posting polls and Q&A’s on Instagram is a great way to do this.
  9. As a public relations intern, consider new and creative ideas for the company you are working for.
  10. Do not treat a virtual internship any differently than an in-person internship at an office. You should always be timely and productive. Have a professional mentality.

Virtual Internship Bonus Tip: Take advantage of any and all training programs presented to you during a virtual internship. In Ruby Media Group’s PR University Facebook group, Ruby Media Group recommends specific webinars and career advancement programs to us that we can learn from. This is a major benefit of the virtual internship program. I was fortunate to also have the opportunity to participate in some major industry conferences, including Social Media Week and #SMWone.  I was encouraged to participate in these digital conferences and without RMG PR University or this internship, I would not have known about these opportunities.

RUBY MEDIA GROUP PR UNIVERSITY FACEBOOK GROUP FOR ASPIRING PR PRO’S

Want to master your PR skills during your virtual public relations internship? 

  • Collaborate with other PR industry professionals to build your network.
  • Learn from PR industry leaders through group training and Facebook Live.
  • Access member-only PR content, e-books, PDF’s and swipe files with PR career tips.

Join Ruby Media Group PR University’s *free* Facebook group with PR tips for aspiring Public Relations professionals.

Katie Iver is a Public Relations intern at Ruby Media Group in Westchester County pursuing a degree in English with a concentration in creative writing at Binghamton University. She is minoring in Mandarin and is interested in television writing, production and journalism. 

 

ABOUT KRIS RUBY | FOUNDER OF RUBY MEDIA GROUP

Kris Ruby is a successful American female entrepreneur and the Founder of Ruby Media Group. Ruby Media Group is a leading social media marketing agency based in Manhattan, New York. Ruby is known for empowering female founders and aspiring entrepreneurs. Throughout her career, she has been committed to helping other women in technology get a head start. Ruby has mentored some of the top women in advertising and public relations.