Journchat - Podcamp Presentation

#journchat LIVE By Deanna Ferrari

About me

• 2006 graduate of Slippery Rock University• Account executive at WordWrite

Communications• Board member of PRSA Pittsburgh

The PR / Journalist Relationship

• PR pros in the audience?• Journalists in the audience?• Some PR people have a bad rep• Print media shrinking / new forms of media• Good relationships build great stories• Social media a new way to interact with each

other (i.e. Twitter, HARO, etc.)

#journchat

• Monday nights 8-10 p.m.• Moderated by @journchat• Several questions followed by one “pitch”

The mission of #journchat has always been to improve the relationships between public relations professionals, journalists and bloggers. Together we’ve created a safe environment to explore each industry and ultimately how social media is influencing all of us.

#journchat comes to “life”

• Seven cities in North America:– Pittsburgh– Philadelphia– Chicago– Minneapolis– Detroit– Phoenix– Toronto

Promotion via social media• Leverage existing relationships to find partners and

location– Point Park University– Pittsburgh Business Times

• Utilize WordWrite’s e-mail database to get the word out via e-mail blast

• Reach out to current Pittsburgh “journchatters”• SEO-optimized press release• Facebook (WW fan page, pitched and secured Andrew

Stockey)• Twitter (the power of the RT, #journchat hashtag)

Key items to publicize

• Local media in attendance (WTAE, Post-Gazette, Business Times)

• First-ever #journchat LIVE• Enhance PR / Journo / Blogger relationship• Take the conversation online to one place --

face-to-face • Discuss relevant / timely topics

Post-event

• SEO-optimized press release including who attended and how many

• Twitter (link to release, talk to people that were in attendance)

• Facebook (add photos, link to release)• Continue discussion with those in

attendance and on weekly #journchat sessions

Lessons learned• Promote further in advance • Encourage more journalists to attend including more outreach to

bloggers and freelancers • In promotional materials, give a better explanation of what event

will entail • Think of questions ahead of time and give to participants

beforehand so they come prepared to discuss the topics • Have the session earlier in the evening • Possibly rename the event, but still tie Twitter in and live-stream it • Possibly have small groups instead of one big group (depends on

how many people register) • Make the event Pittsburgh-focused but still timely trends

Questions? Additional comments?

Twitter: @dferrari / @wordwritepr

Online: deannaferrari.com / wordwritepr.com