Deck 9: Selling the Story

Question 1

A firm can successfully break through the clutter of competitors who are making similar claims by

A) taking its message global.
B) organizing edgy, barely legal publicity stunts.
C) over-inflating product benefits.
D) relying solely on non-media connectors.
E) finding the right hook for its pitch to target media.

Answer 1

finding the right hook for its pitch to target media.

Question 2

When MPR professionals offer a story to the media that is newsworthy, this means all of the following EXCEPT that

A) they have something worth covering.
B) the story is objective and therefore interesting.
C) the medium has an ulterior motive for publishing it.
D) it tends to drive audiences to the medium covering the story.
E) the story idea contains certain themes that hook audiences.

Answer 2

the medium has an ulterior motive for publishing it.

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT a common theme of newsworthy pitches?

A) average citizen slice of life
B) first ever
C) unusual application
D) sex and health issues
E) unique community service

Answer 3

average citizen slice of life

Question 4

Ford's Mustang AV8R campaign strengthened the automaker's position as a supporter of

A) government intervention in the auto industry.
B) inexpensive, hybrid vehicles for the working class.
C) foreign cars made on American soil.
D) the middle-American youth demographic segment.
E) mass media advertising campaigns for new product launches.

Question 5

Reporting on trends is attractive to connectors, especially when they can

A) sell advertising to accompany their stories.
B) demonstrate new products on television and online.
C) convince investors to purchase stock in a company.
D) get celebrities to endorse these trends.
E) relate a trend to the interests of their particular community.

Question 6

A subject that is NOT relevant to a medium's audience is

A) only newsworthy to non-media connectors.
B) easily converted into a paid advertising message.
C) generally too simple and too short.
D) not newsworthy.
E) not sufficiently sales-oriented.

Question 7

The typical length of a story presented to the print media runs

A) exactly 200 words.
B) between 500 and 2,000 words.
C) between 500 and 2,000 characters.
D) at least 5,000 words.
E) the maximum length of a tweet on Twitter: 140 characters.

Question 8

Marketers call the art of getting a connector to cover a story

A) pitching.
B) relationship-building.
C) profiling.
D) driving.
E) connecting.

Question 9

To ensure that connectors see the value of covering a topic, a firm

A) generally needs to offer connectors a commission on media mentions.
B) should wage highly visible mass-media advertising campaigns.
C) should offer exclusivity to only one outlet per medium.
D) has to employ members of its sales force to persuade connectors to publish a story.
E) has to overcome five obstacles in the way of media mentions and word-of-mouth.

Question 10

Being credible to a connector means that a firm must do all of the following, EXCEPT

A) establish that it is a reliable source of information.
B) persuade the connector to accept a story sight-unseen.
C) demonstrate that it is well-qualified to present material on a topic.
D) prove to the connector's audiences that the organization is an authority and has expertise.
E) exercise diligence in gathering information and facts.

Question 11

The notion that people will go along with people that they like and trust is central to the concept of

A) hierarchy of needs.
B) the Business Strategy Diamond.
C) balance theory.
D) added value.
E) non-media connectors.

Question 12

You should expect negative publicity from your message

A) when a connector dislikes you.
B) if you have not purchased advertising space or time from a particular connector.
C) when you do not share the same party affiliation as the connector.
D) if you rely too heavily on traditional media to disseminate your message.
E) if you are a large, multinational firm.

Question 13

The beliefs and values of a connector's audience and medium

A) generally have no effect on a connector's receptiveness to a message.
B) only come into play when the connector is a non-media connector.
C) only come into play when the connector is a media connector.
D) shape a connector's receptiveness to a message.
E) tend to make a significant difference only if the audience can be measured.

Question 14

An effective pitch is a complex process that requires marketers to

A) adopt the beliefs and values of a connector.
B) present a lot of information to a connector.
C) reach connectors when they are working on other stories.
D) offer commissions to connectors who publish their story.
E) reinforce their image of credibility with a connector.

Question 15

Once MPR documents have been prepared and a connector list assembled, then it is time to

A) purchase advertising time and space.
B) sell the story.
C) perform audience research.
D) evaluate the MPR campaign.
E) agree on the media mix.

Question 16

The primary offensive weapon for selling an idea or story to a connector is the

A) connector lists.
B) pitch letter.
C) blog post.
D) media audit.
E) news release.

Question 17

In general, PR professionals should never send a press release

A) without demonstrating its relevance to the particular medium.
B) to non-media connectors.
C) for any event other than a new product launch.
D) without first finding out whether the journalist or blogger wants to receive it.
E) unless they have hard news to report.

Question 18

To marketers, B-Roll footage refers to

A) public service advertising spots that marketers hope the media will broadcast.
B) video releases mass media organizations can use in place of real news segments.
C) video suitable for only broadband distribution, such as on YouTube.
D) videotaped recordings sent to connectors for supplementing and supporting MPR materials.
E) pre-video era archival film clips used for entertainment purposes.

Question 19

The purpose of an embargo is to

A) prevent journalists from covering a story.
B) provide exclusive coverage to only one media outlet.
C) give connectors time to prepare a story before it is announced.
D) give marketers time to change their story.
E) allow the government time to approve a news story.

Question 20

Which of the following is NOT a typical characteristic of embargoes?

A) Journalists agree not to release information before a certain date.
B) They give connectors time to prepare a story prior to an announcement.
C) Bloggers tend to strictly respect embargoes more than other connectors.
D) They are built on a level of trust between marketers and connectors.
E) Information is generally provided to connectors early.

Question 21

Giving a journalist the right to publish a story first is called

A) an embargo.
B) a media mention.
C) a lead.
D) a pitch.
E) an exclusive.

Question 22

Marketers can sometimes reserve an exclusive for multiple outlets

A) if they do not reveal the fact they are doing so.
B) when a story has been embargoed.
C) in cases where companies are also purchasing advertising in those outlets.
D) in distinctly different markets.
E) when those outlets are non-media connectors.

Question 23

Good rules for pitching to bloggers include all of the following EXCEPT

A) engaging bloggers in conversation about their posts.
B) sending bloggers a standard pitch letter.
C) making sure bloggers accept pitches.
D) research blogs before pitching to their authors.
E) remove uninterested bloggers from the connector list.

Question 24

Pitching to bloggers

A) is a simple and straightforward process.
B) is no different than pitching to traditional media outlets.
C) can be a little different than pitching to traditional media outlets.
D) requires no prior audience research.
E) is never worth the time and effort of MPR professionals.

Question 25

Some MPR professionals prefer to forego pitch letters and

A) revert to traditional advertising campaign tactics.
B) send mass mailings using information from PR databases.
C) create blogs of their own in the hope connectors will find them.
D) pay bonuses to company employees to spread word-of-mouth.
E) contact connectors directly.

Question 26

Pitching "live" does NOT require

A) providing an "up-front" fee to meet with a connector.
B) answering connector's questions on the spot.
C) knowing the connector to whom you are pitching.
D) being meticulously prepared.
E) following-up personally with a connector.

Question 27

Preparing story content to match topics that media outlets are covering at particular times is termed

A) editorial filtering.
B) editorial calendar mining.
C) format matching.
D) content syndication.
E) data mining.

Question 28

Media outlets describe the topics they intend to cover during the coming year by

A) holding press conferences.
B) publishing editorial calendars.
C) creating special televised business-to-business campaigns.
D) hiring celebrity spokespersons to make announcements at industry conventions.
E) leaking information to a select handful of elite industry bloggers.

Question 29

It is never too early to start pitching story ideas to the media because

A) of the high turnover in staff at media organizations.
B) publications generally do not plan their editorial content ahead of time.
C) monthly publications often have lead times of six months or more.
D) mass media organizations are required to seek advance approval of content from the FCC.
E) conventional media connectors typically aggregate their stories from non-media connectors.

Question 30

Which of the following is NOT a part of the pitching process?

A) building a connector list based on the target audience
B) searching online for specific information about a publication
C) identifying suitable topics in a publication's editorial calendar
D) calling the publication to speak with the investor relations manager
E) keeping track of pitching opportunities using a spreadsheet

Question 31

The best way to reach the contact person for the editorial calendar in a media organization is to

A) call the Editorial Department.
B) e-mail the Editor-in-Chief.
C) contact bloggers who cover the media.
D) telephone the manager of Investor Relations.
E) show up at the media firm unannounced.

Question 32

LexisNexis is an example of

A) a media audit bureau.
B) a mass media conglomerate.
C) a commercial search engine.
D) a media research service.
E) connector list generation software.

Question 33

If a marketer annoys a connector, the connector would most likely

A) pay more attention to the marketer in the future.
B) send the marketer to another, less busy connector.
C) demand an exclusive.
D) ignore the marketer and furnish negative media coverage.
E) embargo the marketer's story.

Question 34

An essential component of an effective pitching process is

A) following up with an advertising campaign.
B) leaving connectors undisturbed for at least several weeks.
C) sending mass e-mails to bloggers.
D) making the contact process as anonymous as possible.
E) following up with busy media people.

Question 35

Which of the following guidelines is NOT suggested for bridging an initial pitch and gaining a commitment of media mentions from connectors?

A) Never take "no" for an answer.
B) Follow-up promptly.
C) Repeat follow-ups until the media respond.
D) Stay on-message.
E) Be flexible about your story ideas.

Question 36

Connectors tend to seek out marketers who

A) purchase significant amounts of advertising time and space.
B) will bribe them.
C) act as resources.
D) do not follow-up regularly.
E) they do not know.

Question 37

Author Richard Laermer recommends that marketers avoid doing all of the following EXCEPT for

A) sending thank-you gifts to reporters.
B) having colleagues handle media relations if they do not possess the connections.
C) lying.
D) ignoring small media outlets.
E) meeting deadlines.

Question 38

Critical thinking and preparation are essential skills for an MPR professional. However, nothing can replace

A) an expensive database.
B) experience.
C) a generous advertising budget.
D) good old-fashioned guesswork.
E) hard-ball salesmanship.

Question 39

When pitching a story idea, never believe

A) a connector could be sincerely interested in your story.
B) that non-media connectors are nearly as effective communicators as traditional media.
C) that public relations can do a better job than advertising.
D) anything you say is off the record.
E) you are different than anyone else with a message to send.

Question 40

MPR professionals should, as a rule,

A) invite connectors to company dinners and holiday parties.
B) stop using connectors who cover the competition.
C) always respond to e-mail and voice messages from connectors.
D) pay more attention to traditional advertising than on media mentions and word-of-mouth.
E) contact connectors at home, where they are less busy.

Question 41

A subject must be objective to be interesting to a medium's audience.

Question 42

Broadcast media generally look for story segments that run at least four minutes long.

Question 43

Pitching involves making sure connectors see the value in covering a topic.

Question 44

Marketers only have to establish credibility with connectors, not with the consumers themselves.

Question 45

Marketers need to demonstrate to connectors how a story aligns with theperceived importance of an audience's beliefs and values

Question 46

Developing an effective pitch is a simple process that merely involves presenting an extensive amount of information to connectors.

Question 47

Pitch letters can be composed based on a standard format.

Question 48

Press releases can be sent to connectors without necessarily having to demonstrate how a story relates to a connector's audience.

Question 49

When writing a pitch letter about a divisive topic, PR professionals need to explain both sides of the issue to maintain credibility with connectors.

Question 50

Bloggers have decreased the effectiveness of embargoes by not respecting them.

Question 51

Marketers do not have to let connectors know they are sharing exclusive stories with noncompetitive outlets.

Question 52

One key to effectively pitching a story to a blogger is to build a strong working relationship with him or her.

Question 53

Pitching live is generally frowned upon by MPR professionals.

Question 54

MPR professionals are better off pitching stories at random, since mass media firms rarely adhere to editorial calendars

Question 55

MediaMap is an example of a media research service.

Question 56

Following up is crucial to the successful completion of the pitch process.

Question 57

When connectors become impolite with PR practitioners, it is acceptable industry practice to aggravate the connectors.

Question 58

Experience, preparedness, and critical thinking are essential skills for a marketer's MPR efforts.

Question 59

It is perfectly ethical to bribe journalists into covering a story.

Question 60

There is no such thing as a media outlet too small to cover a company's story.

Question 61

Why is reporting about trends attractive to connectors? Provide an example of a publicity effort that benefited from a marketing trend?

Question 62

Why is credibility important for marketers? Identify and briefly explain the three attributes audiences perceive as lending credibility to the sender of a message.

Question 63

What is balance theory? When do receivers feel out of balance? In what way does understanding this theory help marketers?

Question 64

What is the primary purpose of a pitch letter? Identify some of the uses of a typical pitch letter.

Question 65

How do support elements and additional sources in a pitch make a connector's job easier?

Question 66

What is the purpose behind an embargo? What is one pitfall of using embargoes?

Question 67

What do marketers achieve by awarding exclusives to certain journalists? What is one possible way to provide an exclusive to more than one connector?

Question 68

What are editorial calendars and how do marketers take advantage of them?

Question 69

Why is following up a pitch such an essential component of the pitch process?

Question 70

What is considered the best preparation for MPR professionals who pitch stories to connectors?

Question 71

What are the elements of a persuasive pitch? How does each element contribute to the likelihood of procuring media coverage?

Question 72

What are the essential components in a pitch letter? What are the functions of each component?

Question 73

In what ways do embargoes and exclusives leverage the MPR process? What are complications that may occur as a result of using these tactics?

Question 74

Explain why pitching a story to a blogger is often different than pitching to traditional media outlets.

Question 75

What is the purpose of mining editorial calendars? What is the process marketers should follow in employing editorial calendars for MPR purposes?