I recently had the opportunity to attend a Business Wire hosted “Meet the Media” luncheon featuring an impressive panel of three local journalists: News Director of NewsRadio 680 WPTF, The North Carolina News Network and StateGovernmentRadio.com, Rick Martinez; Co-Founder of WRAL Tech Wire and a previous editor and reporter at The News & Observer, Rick Smith; and the Assistant Business Editor of The News & Observer, David Bracken.

During the luncheon, the esteemed panel of guest speakers shared a recipient’s view on media pitching, a truly invaluable skill every practitioner in our industry aims to perfect.  

Here's what they had to say...

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I wasn't around when public relations relied on compiling and mailing press kits, faxing releases or banking on relationships with one or two local newsroom buddies, and I'm glad.  Why? Because there has never been a better time to be in PR than right now.

The game has changed.  PR pros are currently in a transformative stage, evolving, but not just to survive as the fittest among communication experts, but also to rule the tangled infrastructure of emerging media channels and technological trends.  We are evolving to take full advantage of the resources that have been put in front of us, and as a result of society's changing needs, PR skill sets are growing into something a lot bigger than any press release or fact-sheet could ever describe. Yet, we will always remain behind the scenes, speaking through the talking heads and illuminated screens that you rely on.

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Growing up in north Raleigh, near Durant Road, I would pass Eaton Corporation's Capital Boulevard manufacturing plant a handful of times a week and I always assumed it was some sort of food distributer -"Eat-on," I don't know exactly why I made the assumption, I was imaginative and more concerned with the soccer fields down the street, and ice cream.

Fast-forward more than a decade - while applying for internships, I did my research, noticed that Largemouth worked with Eaton, recognized the logo, and visited their website, finally. Much to my surprise, I didn't see any information about restaurant delivery, and for as much as I knew about power quality and distribution products, the site might as well have been in German -I'm far from fluent.

The point is, for the beginning PR professional, working on behalf of a highly-technological company whose products you hardly understand can be intimidating, especially while pitching -when you really need to be an expert. But, if you do your research, clearly define a purpose, and engage as much as possible with people who are relevant to that purpose, you will provide a valuable service, project professionalism, and open up valuable relationships for future collaboration. So, from my personal experience, here are a few words of advice:

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So, the Facebook announcement was pretty awesome, as promised. Beyond the group chat capabilities, new chat design – and yes, even beyond the Skype video calling integration – if we look at this announcement with a public relations lens, there are a few awesome tips to take away from the work of the Mark Zuckerberg team to see how a company press conference can overshadow something like the White House’s first-ever presidential “Twitter Town Hall.”

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Conventional PR wisdom will tell you that you can’t force something to “go viral.” Sure, you can make every effort to produce content that is hilarious, meaningful, catchy, valuable, or just so very cool that people want to share it with their friends. But no matter how real it gets in the Whole Foods parking lot, or how many dance parties take place in Apple stores, you truly cannot control what catches on and what doesn’t.

But sometimes a client offers a deal so amazing it takes on a life of its own, as was the case with the deal Kangaroo Express offered its guests: Pay $6.99 for a reusable cup, refill it with fountain or frozen beverages as many times as you like at any of the 1,600+ locations throughout the Southeast – all summer long.

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I've just about completed my first month as a full-time account coordinator here at Largemouth's RTP home, and although I was in and out of the agency as an intern for a semester, that experience provided only a taste of what full-service communications really means.

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For most N.C. natives, like me, summer's humid 90-degree days are often an unwelcomed familiarity. This summer, however, has gotten off to a dramatically different start. Instead of relaxing pool side like many college students, I am interning at the corporate office of Raleigh's fast-paced, high-energy PR agency Largemouth Communications. Read More

Thanks to social media, new marketing technologies emerge as often as status updates.  But, as the boundaries between physical and technological communication blur, it is vital to monitor and predict trends, as well as recognize society's needs, when planning the next cutting-edge marketing campaign.

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Even the best of seasons have to end at some point - and with Gary Williams' unexpected retirement news I'm sure Maryland basketball fans will concur. The buzzer may have sounded for this year's Battle for Bean Street, but luckily we've got a highlight reel compiled by our friends at Skiver Advertising that will leave us basking in the glory of the battle until we're back in action next year.

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Spring has official sprung in North Carolina, and at Largemouth Communications we've already begun to launch exciting new campaigns for this summer. Before taking that giant leap, we thought we'd take a moment to look back at just a few of the "greatest hits" this Raleigh public relations agency has obtained in recent months. Read More

I am steadily approaching the end of my internship at Largemouth.  And, while a semester may seem like a long time, the 50 some odd visits to the office, all unpaid, tore across my crowded calendar.  I managed to submerse myself completely in my newfound agency setting for four- hour periods before returning, often racing down I-40, to my current collegiate career, and final Italian class of my tenure at NC State.  While it was exhausting at times, I knew it would be well worth it at the end, because, an internship is, without a doubt, the best way to prove that you deserve a job.

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It was a rough year for ACC teams in the NCAA tournament, but we still had lots to cheer about thanks to The Battle for Bean Street, an off-court rivalry that rallied the exuberate fans of UNC, NC State and Duke in a coffee-swilling promotion that ultimately benefitted three local charities.

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Instant messages and blogs were the roots of all my future social media use. There is an entire generation of young adults that share the same background. Now, as we mature alongside advancements in technology, we are changing the face of business communication.

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Since the Battle for Bean Street is all about leveraging the competitive spirit in us all, whether we root for UNC, NC State or Duke, we thought it would be cool to get the media involved in a competition of their own. The celebrity free- throw competition at the B-Ball on Bean Street by Mentos event was fueled by not only the competitive spirit between universities, but also between news outlets.

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It's that time of year...March Madness is here! But instead of drafting a blog entry that underscores my passion for college basketball or shares my bracket perspectives to help others claim victory in NCAA pools this year...I'll shift to a different discussion on March Madness - Charlie Sheen.

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If it's not clear that I'm an NC State Wolfpack fan, take a look around my office. My diploma is displayed proudly on the wall, an NC State alumni magnet is plastered to my file cabinet, and I have two bobble head figures of former Wolfpack football staples, Philip Rivers and Chuck Amato, sitting on the window ledge.

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While former UNC basketball player Donald Williams may be known for his three-point shooting, the autograph session Largemouth held at a Kangaroo Express in Chapel Hill last week was a slam dunk.

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The end of December marked a year of success and growth for Largemouth. We have continued to be busy over the holidays and that will undoubtedly continue into the new year. The Battle for Bean Street is in full swing, Southeastern has launched a new subsidiary, CORT acquired ABC special event rentals, the town of Cary has teamed up with Sensus, and a few new Largemouth faces have found a home in the office. January is set to be an eventful month for Largemouth and our clients and we will continue to keep you posted with the top news of 2011!

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What a great week working for our clients, with highlights including CORT Appearing on The Apprentice and The Pantry CEO interviewed on CNBC.

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