Marketing as we know it is undergoing a transformation, says a new study from Analyst Firm Forrester Research. The report, “The Future of Agency Relationships,” indicates that the industry is entering a phase of “adaptive marketing,” and that marketers must become more adaptable as new channels enter the market and create ways to and interact with customers. The report is based on interviews with execs at 25 agencies and 18 marketing companies.

Remember the “4 P’s”?  Well, according to the firm it’s now all about the three I’s — ideas, interaction, and intelligence.  “Marketers who change their thinking will lay the groundwork for partners that are more agile, can build long-term relationships with active customers and communities, and can use data to drive real-time decisions,” says the firm.  

I was intrigued by this blog article recently from Altitude about a pitch that the writer received that really hit the mark.  It was a good reminder of some of the basics and those magical qualities that we are always seeking in clients and their stories when it comes to pitching the media on a newsworthy story.  Some key pitch qualities that are absolutely necessary that I agreed with are:

-Concise

-Personal

-Focused

-Relevant

The writer also touched on what she called “The Sticky Part” — an interesting project.  It is our job to find the interesting element of a client’s business or event and make it appealing to the media, but sometimes that special element to make a story take off just isn’t there, and at Zenzi we have very high standards about what kind of stories we will present to the media.  When that special story is clearly there and really has those magical qualities that capture attention and make journalists come knocking down our door, wow, that is so exhilarating, and quite possibly my favorite part of the PR profession.  I also always love the challenge of finding a story that isn’t obvious and crafting a pitch to highlight the newsworthy qualities that our team has identified, and when that comes together and captures a journalist’s attention, that’s a pretty darn good feeling too!  Pitching has its ups and downs overall, but the successes and the journey that eventually leads to that great satisfying feeling and happy media contacts and happy clients is what it’s all about!  Following the basics such as some of those outlined in this article is definitely crucial to getting to that point.

10 March, 2010 | Written by Amber Naslund 47 Comments

I tweeted the other day that I got a really great pitch via email, and dozens of folks immediately wanted me to share it. But I won’t, partly because I don’t have permission, but mostly because it shouldn’t matter.  Read the article here.

You know that day-after-Christmas feeling you get when you realize that you are as far away as possible from the next Christmas? It’s the day the waiting begins all over again. Well, this past Monday was my day to feel that way: the day after the Oscars. Now, for most people, the Oscars is an event they are aware about and maybe even make a point to watch, but for me it’s the most exciting day of year.

Throughout the year, I keep track of every thought, whisper or comment about who might be up for consideration. In January, I sit anxiously through the Golden Globes (a frequent Oscar predictor) for clues about who’s hot and who’s not. When the list of nominees is announced, I digest each name and analyze odds. I attempt to see each of the films nominated for Best Picture (although, with ten films to see now, that is becoming more difficult). The week before, I make my final predictions. Then, I watch with excitement as the Oscar Week activities unfold. Finally, after months of anticipation, Oscar Day arrives.

The show itself always unfolds the same way: they start with some good ones to get you interested, move on to some minor awards, add in a few montages, pause to remember those we lost and end with the Big Four-Actor, Actress, Director and Film. This year was no different, but I must note the added tribute to John Hughes was a highlight for me. The day after the Oscars brings hours of coverage about the winners, the gowns, the speeches and the after-parties. For me, it also brings a slight feeling of sadness that it’s over until next year. Once the coverage dies down, I begin to think about the new batch of films next year will bring and the excitement starts to build all over again. And that’s a wrap.

Zenzi Client, AmyK, has made 600+ presentations worldwide on leadership and sales.  She draws on Master’s experience at John Hopkins University to help business managers capitalize on how the brain and human perception filters work to be more effective in business and life and offers up these tips for thinking outside of the box.

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Innovation begins with a phenomenon known as the Eureka! effect. When a connection forms between brain cells that have never “talked” before you get a new idea – a Eureka! When this creative moment is nurtured in an environment where free thinking is fostered and disparate connections are encouraged, the result can be game-changing…the result is the Eureka! effect. Think iPod, bio-fuel, and making donations via SMS – these phenomena are complete game-changers. And, the creative ideas behind each of them didn’t simply stay in someone’s head, they were energized in environments of intellectual curiosity.

Ever have a “great idea”, only to have it fade away in the mist of your mind? What would be the power in capturing your great idea and creating a Eureka! moment?

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2 Techniques to Energize Eureka! Moments:

1. 20%. – the amount of time your brain needs to spend in theta mode. What’s theta mode? The opposite of go-go-go mode. Most of us live 80 mph lifestyles, but it’s when we slow down and reflect on what’s going on that we get our best, most innovative ideas. Google allows their employees to spend 20% of their time NOT working on assigned objectives and tasks. So what are these employees doing essentially 1 day out of the work week? Exploring their environment, virtual and real, and “playing” with new ideas together and on their own.  Google’s 20% time culminated in a new $240M division. That’s innovation & productivity!

2. Mix up your brain cells. Literally…sort of.  When you have a challenge or opportunity, first engage your brain by asking it a question. The brain is naturally curious and drives to answer your question.  When you have that BIG question in your head, let it go. Literally…really. Drop the pursuit of an answer and go cycling or surfing (something physical), then read a chapter of a biz book, next spend at least 20 minutes drawing, painting, sketching (with “real” media or with software) and then go back and ask the question again. By forcing your brain to “play” with distinctly different activities, you require different cells to connect creatively. Disparate connections will form and Eureka! moments result.

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Want to move that Eureka from moment to effect?

3 Questions to Grow Your Eureka! to Innovation:
1. What skills, information and knowledge do I need to make this idea happen?
2. Where will I find the resources, help, assistance or collaboration I need to sustain my momentum?
3. What are the first five things I need to do to put this idea in motion?

I cherish the “art of the pitch” – for me it is one of the most enjoyable aspects of media relations. The bread and butter of public relations is the ability to transform complicated technology concepts or multifaceted partnership announcements into two or three sentences that summarize the whole and is still captivating to a news reporter. I often lay awake at night compulsively rethinking or tweaking messages or even email subject lines in my head.

As media channels continue to evolve through new services beyond traditional reporting such as webinars, conferences and executive roundtables in order to balance lost advertising dollars, I have often found that “the pitcher” (me) – has become “the pitchee.” In the past, communication with the media was a one-way street but editors are now reaching out directly to PR agents themselves to push these new offerings (because, in essence, we are the nearest link to our clients marketing dollars).

How should PR practitioners feel about this? How should we react? Is this even ethical in terms of journalistic standards? As the media industry has evolved so too has the PR campaign. Securing “hits” has become just one aspect of the overall PR/marketing mix. Campaigns are now much more eclectic and must blend multiple touch points which, at times, involve extending marketing dollars towards conference sponsorships, hosted webinars, etc. I enjoy working with editors on these types of projects because it helps strengthen the overall relationship they have with my clients. It’s not that they ever offer “pay for play” in terms of coverage, but simply help extend overall brand or product awareness, which is always the end goal.

As a PR expert ask yourself – would you rather be the hero for securing a feature in a top-tier trade which may or may not reach that potential customer ready to make a purchase or for crafting a successful webinar that resulted in immediate sales for your client?