CIO Bulletin

Helping underrepresented voices take back their narratives through the media: Ginkgo PR

It's a challenge to secure people's attention these days. When they're not experimenting with the latest digital detox, every device they have is pinging, ringing or talking back to them. What's more, journalists, editors, and producers are more overwhelmed than ever with lukewarm press releases and their own demanding editorial calendars. But as people become more selective about the quantity and quality of media that they take in, Ginkgo continue to get results for its clients by developing proactive communication strategies, personalizing every pitch, being kind, and building relationships bit by bit.

More importantly, Ginkgo believes in using communication skills as a mechanism to drive social change. As a first generation Taiwanese-Black American woman who grew up in a predominantly White town, Ginkgo’s Founder knows how it feels to be underrepresented (or completely invisible) in the media. And, given the breadth and depth of my experience, Ginkgo also knows the power that the media has to amplify voices and stories like mine. When we use the media and our voices as allies, we can shift our cultural narrative from negativity and division to one of inclusion, acceptance, and positive change.

4 Things to Know About PR Before You Commit to an Agency

#1: Results in PR aren't guaranteed

While Ginkgo can definitely tell you about the successful placements or interviews that its clients have landed, the company -- nor any other publicist -- can guarantee that Ginkgo will get the same results for you. It’s actually against the PRSA Code of Ethics to try and guarantee you results.

Instead, Ginkgo can tell you what to reasonably expect, and the company always overshoot the number of pitches it sends compared to how many interviews or placements you want.

For example, if you want to be on 20 podcasts, Ginkgo will send 80 pitches so that it can increase your chances of hitting your goal.

#2: Not all press is made equal

Visibility will only make an impact on your goals if you show up in the right rooms. That’s why the best publicity focuses on quality over quantity and is vetted to ensure you’re hitting your target audience and not wasting time on an interview that isn’t going to be well-marketed.

For example, Ginkgo vets the shows it pitches for its clients by establishing a minimum threshold based on their market and their goals and then make sure the number of reviews, the production quality, and the host’s social media following meet those requirements.

So, if you were an established lawyer that wanted to grow your Instagram following and attract 1x1 leads, Ginkgo might only pitch shows that have 75+ reviews on Apple Podcasts and ensure that the hosts have at least a following of 10k on IG.

You can absolutely still be on your friend’s podcast that has a small following, but it’s not likely that that exposure will move the needle.

#3: Bigger isn't always better.

While it might feel cool to see your name in print in the April issue of Marie Claire, your social media following probably isn’t going to blow up and your payment processor won’t break down from all of the new sales.

A popular myth about PR is that the bigger the placement, the better the result. It’s everyone’s dream to be in Oprah or to be on Good Morning America, but Ginkgo knows many entrepreneurs who have landed those primo placements and didn’t see much of a difference when it came to sales.

Disappointing, sure. But it doesn’t mean that PR doesn’t work.

It simply means that you can’t expect one press placement to make you a household name.

In fact, Ginkgo has seen entrepreneurs land interviews on small but engaged shows and attract more 1x1 leads than a feature in SHAPE magazine.

A good publicist gets you big placements that you can add to your As Seen In logo bar.

A great publicist lands you placements that increase web traffic, sends you new leads, AND buffs up your As Seen In logo bar.

#4: We're a team.

If you haven’t worked with a publicist before, it’s easy to assume that you can let the agency learn all about you and then send them on their way to pitch on your behalf.

But that’s the only half the story.

The truth is that you get the best results when you are actively engaged in your PR efforts and you work alongside your publicist to brainstorm new story angles, provide input on trending news topics, or provide feedback about how a specific interview went so she can know to pitch more or less shows like that.

Think of your publicist as an extension of your team.

Meet the leader behind the success of Ginkgo PR

Cher Hale is the Founder and Director of Ginkgo PR, an agency that hopes to use public relations to create a more equitable media landscape. As a Taiwanese-Black American woman, Cher is passionate about leveraging the power of the media to take back narratives that have been traditionally told for historically-excluded authors and entrepreneurs. When she’s not pitching her clients, you can find experimenting in the kitchen, tending to her garden, or learning Italian. She lives in Spokane, WA (unceded Coeur d’Alene tribe territory) with her partner and her toddler.