Press conferences are so hard! When I worked at the three largest PR firms in NYC before starting my own shop, we would hold press conferences all the time. Soon I learned that press conferences were more for the client than for the media. When I asked the media why they didn’t show, they told me that if it wasn’t breaking news, they wouldn’t be there!

Then I started to work on the Island and found that things were a little different. Clients were having press conferences for every little thing and the press would actually show!

So when North Shore Animal League America called us to help them get media for a press conference at Petco at 86th Street and Lexington Avenue in NYC, we jumped at the opportunity. Actor Richard Belzer was there kicking off their new public service campaign, “PAWS-I-DENTIAL YEAR CAMPAIGN TO SAVE ANIMAL LIVES.” It was also “Take your dog to work day” and “Adopt a Shelter Cat Month.” We thought it would be the perfect story on a perfect weather day!

We started pitching the media two days ago. Called everyone to make sure they received the materials. This morning, two of my staffers and I met in NYC and made calls to all of the media on our list. Some requested materials for the 5th time, while others ensured us that they would be there to cover the event. We spent four hours on the phone this morning. We had a handful of media committed to attending the event and then…

Only the trades showed. Yes, there were some others like Getty Images and the Long Island Herald, but I was disappointed that there were no television crews there! It was a great story and I know my staff did everything they had to do to try to get the media to come out.

Although we didn’t get any major media to show, it still was a great event. Devera Lynn, Vice President of Communications at North Shore Animal League America, did a great job organizing the entire event. There were two North Shore vans filled with the cutest puppies, dogs, kittens and cats and at least 35 found good homes in New York City.

Yesterday, I sat on a panel at the PRPLI workshop entitled, “Better PR Through Technology: Using Video in the New Media.”

Prior to the workshop, the moderator sent me a list of questions that would be asked. Although the discussion went off topic with lots of questions from the audience, I thought I would share my answers to the moderator’s questions.

Q: What is a video news release and how does one disseminate them?
Video News Releases have been around for a long time. I’ve been in the PR business now for more than 25 years and when I worked at the PR firms in the city, we would use VNR’s all the time. They are news releases in a video format that are professionally produced. We would disseminate them to the local news media across the country and then have a tracking system inform us when it was used. Like a news release, VNR’s should be followed up. Some stations use the segment as b-roll and write their own copy while others use the whole footage in its entirety.

Q: How can video be used to enhance a web site?
Think about it, you watch television, the television pulls you in. No matter where the TV is on, you listen, you watch, you become very passive. Same goes for a video on the web site. People watch, people listen and people are engaged!

What some folks do is they use the video as an introduction to the beginning of the web site. Others use it in the body of the web site. We have a client who we are working with who recently placed a virtual tour on his web site. Since they are real estate developers and wanted to show prospective buyers what they have, they felt that a virtual tour would be perfect to show their prospects who live far away from the property.

In March, we had a sweet 16 party for HJMT COMMUNICATIONS, LLC. We created a video and put it on our news section. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UF5rDhOe3I)

I received an email this morning from a company that puts videos postings of job openings on the web. These postings are appearing on Youtube, Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, Flckr and more! Talk about going viral!

Q: How can video be used for training and education?
For years, we as PR professionals have been using video for training and education. At the PR firms that I have worked in the past, we would hire professionals to film our clients and set up a virtual television studio so that they could watch their non-verbal and verbal behavior on TV before they were on an actual interview. Recently, we started using video in training at HJMT with our hand held camera to help clients prepare for on-air interviews.

Q: Is video blogging worth the time and effort?
Absolutely! Blogging is great. It helps release stress and tension like a diary that you use on line but it also helps to boost your search engine results. The more you blog, the higher up your search results will be.

Video blogging may be easier for some people who don’t like to write. Or it may make more sense if it’s someone trying to promote a product or service.

When we put stuff on the web, we always disclose that we are a PR firm and that we are endorsing a product. For example, I have a blog about A Saks to Go. It’s a durable lightweight piece of luggage. I let my son use it, my co-worker used it and it went through a rough time, yet it held up and I blogged about it to endorse it. So I may have said something like, although we represent A Saks to Go, we used it as we were consumers….

Q: Does YouTube play a role in serious use of video for PR?
Absolutely, YouTube, invented in 2005 by three former paypal employees, has more viewers than cable television!
In January 2008, nearly 79 million users watched over 3 billion videos on YouTube. This is a higher audience figure than any other news show on regular TV.

Can you imagine the power that YouTube has on the consumer? Just look at the political race for president – there are videos of all the candidates and their views, including people who are endorsing them and other people’s opinions….

When you click on YouTube, you can see what others are watching, you can see endorsed videos, contests, all the major networks including HBO have teasers on Youtube, All of the major corporations have joined in on the action. And if they didn’t see value in YouTube, would they be on it???

Bands, products, everything you can think of have used YouTube to promote themselves.

Videos are important and should not be overlooked when developing a marketing plan. Overplayed? Certainly not. In the future, videos may take on an even greater role on the web than currently used.

Have we moved away from using the telephone, sending letters and meeting face to face? Is our only means of communicating via instant message, Facebook or email?

The other day I was talking with one of my publicists and I asked him if he followed up with someone via telephone.

“You know Hilary,” he said. “We’re living in a digital age and reporters and producers only use email!”

Oh really? Hmmmm. Interesting. I don’t agree. Yes, we are living in the digital age and more and more people are using email, instant message and Facebook, but there is still a need and a use for the old fashioned telephone!

As a matter of fact, I was even thinking that we should change up the way we disseminate pitch letters and from time to time consider mailing them.

Years ago, your mail needed to stand out in order for a reporter or editor to open the content. I remember my first letterhead at HJMT COMMUNICATIONS, LLC. It was bright green, then it was brown and eventually I went to a four-color letterhead. When reporters opened HJMT press releases, pitch letters and feature stories, they knew it was coming from HJMT because of the color!

But follow up only via email? Email is easily deletable! How many times have you sent emails out to people and didn’t get a response? You have to use the phone to follow up! If people are hard to get, try different times of the day – 8 am, 5 pm, 7 pm. If you really try hard enough, you will get them on the phone.

There are still so many reporters, editors and producers who only use the phone to arrange for interviews.

Monday night, Allie Herzog and I went to the New York Press Club. They were having their gala honoring reporters, editors and producers who have written or produced outstanding news stories throughout the year. It was held at the Waterclub on 23rd Street and FDR Drive. I looked around and I noted to Allie that if there were a handful of people between the ages of 25 and 35, it was a lot! Most of the folks were in their 40′s, 50′s and 60′s. “Do you really think that everyone here is solely digital?” I asked Allie. She looked at me and smiled. She knew I was right…

Why can’t people see the big picture when it comes to the digital age? The digital age has helped us all expand our resources and open our minds but the old fashioned way of communicating will never die, especially in my lifetime!

Some may feel like staff meetings are a waste of time, but I don’t. I like to see everyone at least once a week. I like getting input and feedback from the entire staff and I like the 20 minutes or so of camaraderie.

So, on most Monday mornings at 9:30 am, at HJMT COMMUNICATIONS, LLC, we have a staff meeting. Lately, we’ve been bringing in more and more chairs and we don’t all fit around the table but everyone does get an opportunity to speak by bringing up an agenda item.

When we first started having staff meetings nearly 12 years ago, we would go through each and every client strategizing placements or business opportunities for them. But as we’ve been growing, we’ve been having separate department meetings for that. Staff meetings are for general housekeeping/administrative and for brainstorming. That’s it.

For the most part, we have fun during our staff meetings. If someone was walking by our office from the outside, they might think we were having a party because there’s often laughter and people talking over other people and me frantically making the time out symbol with my hands!

When a new person starts, I love to put them on the spot and ask them to say something about themselves to the group. The other day, two new people started. One talked about how he loves to jump out of planes and other daredevil stuff and the other person was a little more sedate talking about how she loves to walk on the beach.

Are staff meetings really necessary? I’m not sure, but I do know that it helps everyone to learn a little more about each other, feel that their role is important and that they are a vital part of the group.

If you’re like me, you’re traveling for business and for personal enjoyment all the time. This year alone, I went to Colorado, Florida, Panama, Las Vegas, and Kentucky. So, I decided to buy myself a new piece of luggage. I wanted something that would stand out and be able to fit in the above luggage compartment on a plane. Those were my only two prerequisites. I went to Fortunoff’s in Westbury and stumbled upon the Vera Bradley section of the store. I fell in love with a blue and brown floral piece of luggage that was the perfect size.

After a little use, I found that the Vera Bradley luggage was heavy and everyone else had the same piece!

About a month later, I was hired by a company called A Saks to Go(tm). They had just launched a whole new line of luggage that was portable, lightweight and durable. I was a little upset that I had my little impulse buy because this luggage seemed perfect.

Before promoting any product, I like to sample it and make sure it’s what the client says it is so that we can appropriately “pitch” it to the media. If you don’t believe in something, you won’t be able to sell it!

I had my son try it out when we went to Panama. I figured if an 11 year old boy can use this luggage for two weeks and it still holds up, it’s definitely worth recommending.

Do you remember the Samsonite commercial with the ape jumping on the luggage? Well, this was my son with the A Saks to Go(tm)!

The luggage was so lightweight, he didn’t complain once about taking it through the airport or up to our hotel room. The nylon fabric was so durable that when he threw it or accidentally fell on it, nothing happened. Flying out, we put the luggage in the overhead compartment, but on the way home, we checked it under the plane.

There were plenty of black bags coming off the plane but none had a yellow stripe on the handles like the A Saks to Go(tm)! When I unpacked the luggage (and I can assure you we overstuffed this thing!), it was in perfect condition. It looked like it was brand new!

If you’re in the market for a new piece of luggage or a whole set, consider A Saks to Go(tm). The luggage is durable, identifiable and lightweight — a perfect combination for the frequent or the infrequent traveler!