http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=13515

If you’d like more info on Expert Alerts, click here.

I was a bit hesitant about [ProfNet], as I have never written a book and felt few would listen to my advice/comments without any formal point of reference. Either way, I felt it was a worthwhile investment into promoting myself and my company.

I was in disbelief when, within the first 24 hours of receiving [queries], I had been published in Computerworld. I simply responded with some logical advice a journalist was seeking.

It turns out the Computerworld article was syndicated, and the increased exposure to my Web site increased tenfold as the article made its rounds. I am now on my third week of the service and have been quoted three times for the three leads I followed up with.

I can truly say the service works as promised. I am getting leads from people that want to talk to me. I am getting a lot more than I bargained for.

Thanks again for this incredible service.

At R/P Marketing Public Relations, ProfNet serves as a great pitching tool. We appreciate the ability to target specific topics, allowing us to efficiently monitor and pitch.

In particular, one of our clients, Halley Consulting Group, has a very targeted niche as a national physician practice management firm. So when we saw a cloaked query on physician payments, we jumped on it — and we’re glad we did! It turned out to be one of our biggest ProfNet hits: a Los Angeles Times story, on the front page of the health section.

It was as simple as one, two, three: 1) The query was included in the daily e-mail and we reached out to the reporter. 2) An interview was scheduled within a couple days. 3) The article was published in a week’s time, in print and online: http://articles.latimes.com/2009/feb/02/health/he-payment2

What’s more, the coverage opened the door to additional media opportunities from readers of the article.

AP: Bull-market rally gives ground to uncertainty http://bit.ly/gDaPR with commentary from @DarinNewsom (client). Special thanks to @ProfNet

As a follow-up, we asked some of those members to also share a few of their best practices for using ProfNet to connect with reporters.

Our tip: Always include “ProfNet” in the subject line of your response, so reporters know your e-mail is in direct response to their query rather than unsolicited e-mail or spam.

If you’d like to share your tips or success stories, e-mail me your info and I’ll include it in our next follow-up piece.

Thanks!

– Maria Perez

Julie Lenzer Kirk
President & CEO, Path Forward International
www.PathForwardIntl.com

1. Be memorable. Reporters often get inundated with responses. Figure out how yours can stand out both in the subject line and the body of the e-mail.

2. Be brief. Unless the query asks for specific information, provide a preview of the type of information you can provide, rather than a novel. Less is often more.

Melanie Rembrandt
CEO, Rembrandt Communications, LLC
www.rembrandtwrites.com

When responding to ProfNet queries, be succinct and only provide relevant data. Give the media member the information requested and avoid sending attachments. Instead, provide a link to more information, and make it easy for the reporter to find your contact information and get in touch with you.

Cristal Perriello
Manager, Media Relations & Communications
College of the Holy Cross
www.holycross.edu

1. I include fun facts or a top three list, then I ask the reporter to contact me to find out the rest of the list or more information. For example, I told the History Channel about a possible experiment they could use on the show. They loved the idea and contacted me. Give the reporter enough to be interested, but not too much. Sell, don’t tell!

2. Always follow up! If I don’t hear from a reporter, I always check back in right before their deadline. Worst-case scenario — they don’t respond; best-case scenario — you make a new contact.

Julie Baron
Communication Works

1. Read postings carefully and follow directions (e.g., if the poster requests use of a specific subject, use it).

2. Keep it short and to the point.

3. Include specific examples that support your comments.

4. Offer up interviews, photos, product samples, etc., when available and appropriate.

Loren M. Gelberg-Goff, LCSW
Well from Within
www.wellfromwithin.com

1. I copy and paste the query into my response (especially if I’m not responding from my ProfNet mailbox). This way, the reporter knows exactly which query I am responding to, since they may have many out there, and of a similar nature.

2. I always put exactly what the heading is in my subject line — whatever the title of the query is, is what appears in that line.

3. I usually come up with a list that is responsive to the query. This keeps my answers clear, focused and direct.

Eric Papp
Generation Y Results-Based Consulting, LLC
Developing and Retaining Gen Y employees/customers
www.ericpapp.com

1. When you respond, get right to the point. Reporters like numbers or bullet points

2. Read the query at least two times before answering. Discover what the reporter really wants.

3. It’s about their story, not yours. You will succeed when you operate from a mindset of how you can help the reporter. If you do this, you will get what you want.

Liz Goodgold
Branding Expert, Speaker and Author
www.duhmarketing.com
www.redfirebranding.com

My secrets to success:

Give reporters a tasty soundbite — you don’t have to serve up the entire meal, but just enough to whet their appetites.

Do *not* send them elsewhere — merely firing off an e-mail that states you have had success with the requested topic, but only providing information such as “please see my Web site” will certainly end up in the “delete” file.

Explain your expertise. Reporters receive many off-target responses. Let them know quickly and easily why and how you are the expert in this subject matter. Example: “As a branding speaker with over 20 years of experience, I know firsthand the changes occurring in the speaking business as a result of this economy.”

Adrienne Mazzone
VP Arts & Entertainment
The TransMedia Group

Responding to queries could be challenging. I like to keep it short, to the point and always include a “why” my client would be the perfect candidate for the interview. So every pitch has the “why.”

I always include, unless specified otherwise, my client’s name and catchy wording in the subject.

Jillian Lubarsky
Media Relations
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF)

1. Short and to the point: If a reporter is looking for an expert on a certain topic, simply offer the name and credentials of the person you have in mind. It doesn’t hurt to attach the expert’s resume, if available (unless the reporter explicitly states “no attachments”).

2. Make it easy for the reporter to contact you. I always write out my e-mail address and phone number in the last sentence of my e-mail.

3. One time, I was working with a reporter on a story about diabetes research and I began to realize she would be better off contacting another organization, and even helped her get in touch with the correct person. This shows integrity and demonstrates that I take my job — and a reporter’s job — seriously. Although we didn’t get placed in a story, I now have a reporter who trusts me as a reliable source for information.

4. Tell the reporter why his/her readers will benefit from the information you can provide. Make sure you stay relevant and on topic.

Jillian also shared the following media hits that resulted from ProfNet queries:

ProfNet queries played an essential role in helping the JDRF media relations team promote the mission and accomplishments of our organization in 2008:

1. JDRF placed Miss Black USA 2007 on a call-in radio show in New Orleans (http://kids.jdrf.org/index.cfm?page_id=110952)

2. Paul Strumph, senior VP of research at JDRF, was quoted extensively in a special report on Diabetes 9-5 — diabetes in the workplace on WebMD (http://diabetes.webmd.com/features/tips-to-help-you-manage-your-diabetes-at-work)

3. Lisa Iannucci’s blog, CelebrityDoGooders.com, profiled Elliott Yamin for JDRF. Yamin has type 1 diabetes and supports the work of JDRF.

4. Greenwise, Publix Group ran a story on why it’s important to know your family medical history and how one can go about creating a medical family tree; this piece featured a family actively involved with JDRF.

5. Non-Profit Times ran an article on their front page about the role of social networking Web sites and fundraising. JDRF’s social networking site, www.juvenation.org, was included and featured: http://www.nptimes.com/08Nov/npt-081101-1.html

6. Singer twins selected as spokes-teens for “Heart of Gold” Web site (https://www.heartofgoldgirls.com/entre_singers.cfm)

7. The Macomb Daily (Michigan-based newspaper) posted a query on ProfNet seeking “Non-profit organizations that sell holiday cards with proceeds benefiting their mission.” I responded to this query and suggested More than Cards, a company that designs greeting cards and holiday cards for nonprofit organizations. More than Cards was founded by a couple in Colorado after their daughter was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. When this company first began, it started off as a way to help JDRF raise money for diabetes research; now it has matured into a wonderful company and has branched out to include other worthy causes. The Macomb Daily was impressed with More than Cards and featured a JDRF-themed holiday card in their roundup of greeting cards to purchase for the upcoming holiday season. Because of ProfNet, Macomb Daily readers were introduced to a company where they can not only buy their holiday cards, but also help charitable organizations.

Following are some of their success stories, shared with the members’ permission. If you have a success story you’d like to share, please e-mail profnet@profnet.com with “ProfNet Success Story” in the subject line.

Jillian Lubarsky
Media Relations
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF)

ProfNet queries played an essential role in helping the JDRF media relations team promote the mission and accomplishments of our organization in 2008:

1. JDRF placed Miss Black USA 2007 on a call-in radio show in New Orleans (http://kids.jdrf.org/index.cfm?page_id=110952)

2. Paul Strumph, senior VP of research at JDRF, was quoted extensively in a special report on Diabetes 9-5 — diabetes in the workplace on WebMD (http://diabetes.webmd.com/features/tips-to-help-you-manage-your-diabetes-at-work)

3. Lisa Iannucci’s blog, CelebrityDoGooders.com, profiled Elliott Yamin for JDRF. Yamin has type 1 diabetes and supports the work of JDRF.

4. Greenwise, Publix Group ran a story on why it’s important to know your family medical history and how one can go about creating a medical family tree; this piece featured a family actively involved with JDRF.

5. Non-Profit Times ran an article on their front page about the role of social networking Web sites and fundraising. JDRF’s social networking site, www.juvenation.org, was included and featured: http://www.nptimes.com/08Nov/npt-081101-1.html

6. Singer twins selected as spokes-teens for “Heart of Gold” Web site (https://www.heartofgoldgirls.com/entre_singers.cfm)

7. The Macomb Daily (Michigan-based newspaper) posted a query on ProfNet seeking “Non-profit organizations that sell holiday cards with proceeds benefiting their mission.” I responded to this query and suggested More than Cards, a company that designs greeting cards and holiday cards for nonprofit organizations. More than Cards was founded by a couple in Colorado after their daughter was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. When this company first began, it started off as a way to help JDRF raise money for diabetes research; now it has matured into a wonderful company and has branched out to include other worthy causes. The Macomb Daily was impressed with More than Cards and featured a JDRF-themed holiday card in their roundup of greeting cards to purchase for the upcoming holiday season. Because of ProfNet, Macomb Daily readers were introduced to a company where they can not only buy their holiday cards, but also help charitable organizations.

Rick Peterson
Manager of Media Relations
Lawrence University

Lawrence’s Jerry Podair responded to an early October query from the New York Post regarding the political impact of Tina Fey’s impersonations of Gov. Sarah Palin on “Saturday Night Live.”

Not only did Prof. Podair wind up being the first source quoted in the story (click here to view the story), but he was contacted the next day by a CNN producer who saw the story and sent a film crew to campus to talk to him more about this subject. He wound up in a pair of CNN newscasts on two different days discussing the role of comedy as commentary in the election season.

Also as a result of the New York Post article, Prof. Podair was interviewed by a U.S. correspondent for a newspaper in Poland and was interviewed (twice) on a news/talk radio station in Regina, Saskatchewan.

Lawrence Hahn
Junior Account Executive
Peppercom

I saw your Tweet about great hits resulting from following the ProfNet feed, and I wanted to share my story. This one actually came two days ago from the “re-tweet” of Ellen McGirt’s request for Fast Company regarding “Governing 2.0.” She was interested in hearing from a representative from PepperDigital (Peppercom’s digital team), and Sam Ford, director of customer insights at Peppercom and a research affiliate in convergence culture at MIT, provided some of his thoughts.

In the article, which ran yesterday, Ellen included Sam’s input along with a handful of other thought leaders.

Hilda S. Mitrani
Multilingual Media & Marketing

We are toward the tail end of the development of a news report that is to appear in Spry Living, a new monthly newspaper insert that will be in 9 million papers. I don’t have a print date for the story yet, but numerous interviews have been done in October. It all began with a ProfNet query. With a circulation of 9 million and a very compelling story, I think this could be big.

I also placed an item in the NY Daily News on behalf of Flor Mayoral, M.D., after a ProfNet query I received yesterday. (Click here to view the story.)

Dr. Mayoral is also profiled in your [Experts Database], and I got her into a new magazine called Radiant Life after the editor found her on your system.

Julie Baron
Communication Works

In 2008, as well as many years prior to 2008, I received many “hits” from ProfNet posting responses I submitted. These hits resulted in interviews and coverage for my clients with leading media outlets including Associated Press, Crain’s Chicago, Incentive, Smart Money and more. Some of the coverage has occurred from responding to freelancers I would have not been aware of and some of the coverage has occurred because permanent staff of major media outlets simply rely on ProfNet.

I continue to see the value in paying for the ProfNet service and continually get my clients coverage that may not have occurred without the ProfNet connection.

Adrienne Mazzone
VP, Arts & Entertainment
The TransMedia Group

ProfNet has connected me with terrific opportunities, especially for a query I responded to about George Carlin. I submitted a quote that my client, Walter T. Shaw, author of “A License To Steal,” said about Carlin and landed us over a dozen radio interviews!

Ellie Schlam
Director of External Communications
National Kidney Foundation

I responded to a query from a reporter looking for unusual athletic stories for the first edition of Open Air, USA Today’s weekend fitness insert launched last year, and ended up landing a feature story highlighting a family who donated their brother’s organs and the heart recipient who competes in the National Kidney Foundation U.S. Transplant Games.

Liz Goodgold
CEO, The Nuancing Group
Branding expert, speaker and author, “Red Fire Branding: Creating a Hot Personal Brand to Have Customers For Life” (February 2009), “DUH! Marketing: 99 Monstrous Missteps You Can Use to Learn, Laugh, and Grow Your Business” (2006)

I am a huge fan of ProfNet! With the publication of my new personal branding book looming in February 2009, I signed up with my publisher just a few short months ago. Responding to my very first query allowed me to write an article for Independent Agent Magazine. I’ve since landed quotes, articles, and stories in Smart Money magazine, blogs, and even a forthcoming book! Most importantly, however, it was another vehicle towards building a relationship — the underpinning of all business. I now know I can connect with these reporters, authors, writers and bloggers in the future; original thoughts and analysis of the news are forever in demand.

Edith Onderick-Harvey, M.A.
President, Change Dynamics Consulting

I’ve had great success with ProfNet since signing up of the service in late 2007. In 2008, I’ve been quoted in:

HR Executive. June 2008 cover story
American Executive
CNN.com — the quote was originally on a CareerBuilder column that was picked up by CNN.com. The CNN.com posting of it has resulted in it being translated into multiple languages and posted on additional sites
WorkWise syndicated column
The Boston Business Journal
The New York Times
The SHRM Consultants Forum
and several other niche publications

I also had an article published in the American Management Association’s Leader’s Edge newsletter.

My hit rate with reporters has been about 75 percent (3 out of 4 inquiry responses lead to media coverage). I couldn’t have received this kind of coverage without ProfNet.

Bage Anderson
E.H. Anderson Public Relations
www.ehandersonpr.com

There was a ProfNet query in late March 2008 from Kristin Chessman of Entrepreneur Magazine, who was asking for examples of “Perfect Office Pranks” in advance of the upcoming April Fools’ Day. I responded with a personal story of mine from 20 years ago where my colleagues and I pulled a prank on a co-worker at an Abilene, Texas, television station. Although it happened in the late ’80s, it is still funny today and it was listed #5 in the online article. (Click here to view it.)

Chessman enjoyed the story of the prank, and now for the success part: While I had Chessman’s attention, I pitched her another story of green entrepreneurial innovation for my client, Two Green Moms, in advance of Earth Day on April 22. Jill Clark and Mandi DuPuy are two moms that wanted to do their small part for the environment. The resulting story from April 18 can be seen here.

The www.twogreenmoms.com reference is the second of three businesses profiled and the online placement resulted in increased traffic to their site and a significantly higher search engine ranking.

This is an example of parlaying one opportunity into another and only one of many success stories my agency has experienced using your service.

Eva Rosenberg, MBA, EA
http://taxmama.com

As you realize, I’ve been using ProfNet for years — both as an expert (TaxMama) and as a journalist for MarketWatch.com and TaxMama.com.

Over the years, I’ve gotten excellent exposure in some of the best and most diverse publications in the U.S.: Wall Street Journal, US News and World Report, Chicago Tribune, BankRate.com, Consumer Reports, LA Times, even the National Enquirer and Glamour magazine.

The wonderful thing is, after all this exposure, many journalists I met through ProfNet are calling me directly.

Incidentally, let me add that, as a journalist, I’ve met many famous people I’d never have had access to on my own. It’s only because their PR firms used ProfNet to find interview opportunities that I’ve met folks like Robert Kiyosaki and others.

Thanks for all the support — and always being there.

Kelly Tanabe
Co-publisher, SuperCollege
www.supercollege.com

We’ve had hits in Family Circle, Real Simple, Fidelity magazine, Austin American-Statesman and more as a result of ProfNet opportunities in 2008. These publications are a perfect fit for our books on college admission and financial aid, and it’s great that we are responding to the needs of reporters. It’s been a great year with ProfNet!

Loren M. Gelberg-Goff, LCSW
Well from Within
www.wellfromwithin.com

I have been in private practice for the past 20+ years in River Edge, N.J. I do individual and marriage counseling, hypnotherapy and neurofeedback, as well as workshops and seminars on relationships, communication, anger and stress management, etc. I have written a variety of articles that have been published on a number of self-esteem sites, as well as through EzineArticles.com. I have audio CDs available to enhance self-esteem, promote inner healing, and to aid in stress management and relaxation.

I have been part of [ProfNet] since July ‘08, and have been quoted in newspapers in Oregon, Albany (that was picked up in Tacoma and online) and was quoted in AOL Health. Also, as a result of my connection with [ProfNet], I will also be quoted in two books, one for Reader’s Digest and one on procrastination. I was also quoted in Caregivers, both print and online versions, and this month will be quoted in a journal for massage therapists.

These leads have led to my increased exposure on the Internet, and increased my overall credibility.

Elizabeth Yarnell, CNHP, CNC
Author, Inventor, Natural Health Expert, Publicity Coach
“Glorious One-Pot Meals: A Revolutionary New Quick and Healthy Approach to Dutch Oven Cooking,” due out in January 2009 from Broadway Books/Random House (www.GloriousOnePotMeals.com)
Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ElizabethYarnel
ElizabethYarnell.com

A query came through [ProfNet] looking for someone who had healed their health crisis by drinking green tea. Well, I thought, I did drink a lot of green tea while I went about inventing and patenting a unique cooking method for healthy one-pot meals. And, who knows, maybe it did have something to do with the subsequent turnaround in my case of multiple sclerosis.

The story ran in Woman’s World, a national magazine serving my target market of women. Beyond the initial burst of book sales when the two-page spread came out, for the next 6-8 months customers continued to tell me how they saw the article in waiting rooms, at beach houses, and in other places where such magazines have a long life. It featured food photos and recipes from my cookbook, a dramatic storyline about how my cooking method aided my return to health, and a large photo of yours truly in the kitchen. You can’t buy this kind of publicity!

It couldn’t have been a better experience, and it wouldn’t have happened without [ProfNet].

Eric Papp
Generation Y Results-Based Consulting, LLC
Developing and Retaining Gen Y employees/customers
www.ericpapp.com

[ProfNet] is awesome. I have been using it for less then a year and have been published over 15 times. It is amazing! I have a conversion rate of about 1-4. You can check out my media page for a sample of what I have been in.

I am currently being interviewed to go into a e-book. Great service; keep it up!

Melanie Rembrandt
CEO
Rembrandt Communications, LLC
www.rembrandtwrites.com

ProfNet allows you to reach the right reporters with the right pitch at the right time. But it also gives you an inside look at upcoming story trends and enables you to develop new media relationships.

Not only is ProfNet an essential source for your pitching efforts, but it also provides valuable information to help create successful, strategic-communications plans for your clients.

Julie Lenzer Kirk
Author/Speaker/Consultant
President & CEO
Path Forward International

Over the past year, I was quoted as an expert in Entrepreneur, Redbook and Good Housekeeping because of leads from ProfNet. The service rocks!

Dan Lee
Group Manager
Weber Shandwick Worldwide

People to People Ambassador Programs provides premier international educational travel opportunities for students, athletes and professionals. From hands-on experiences to community service opportunities, more than 300,000 people have traveled around the world with this organization to connect with other cultures. People to People has a solid history, but has received very little media attention around its travel programs.

When we saw a ProfNet query [on youth travel], we jumped on it quickly and secured an Associated Press story with reporter Beth Harpaz.

The AP story we landed showcased People to People’s Student Ambassador Program. Impressive national coverage included USA Today, MSNBC, CNN, ABC News, Chicago Sun-Times, Detroit Free Press, San Jose Mercury News, Seattle Times, The San Diego Union Tribune and The Tennessean.

Here is the link to the USA Today story: http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2008-03-19-teen-exotic-trips_N.htm

We love ProfNet and were thrilled with how this story came together and with the outstanding results.

Cristal Perriello
Manager, Media Relations & Communications
College of the Holy Cross

I have included a link to a feature that I wrote for our Web site: “Two Holy Cross Professors Give a Behind the Scenes Look at the Making of a History Channel Show”: http://www.holycross.edu/publicaffairs/features/2008-2009/modernmarvels_08

This all happened because I pitched a producer through ProfNet!

Karen Romine
www.karenromine.com

I just wanted to say, my first month of [ProfNet] is not yet up, but already I’ve been quoted in the Globe and Mail newspaper, the New York Daily News, MSNBC.com and the Hartford Courant, and publication is pending on quotes in Glamour magazine and Parents magazine.

To me, [ProfNet] has been an astounding and exciting success. Thank you so much!

[Coming soon: Tips and tricks on how you can score your own ink through ProfNet...]

You can view urgent reporter queries (with the reporter’s permission), updates of new Topic Alerts for your experts to participate in, and other news and announcements.

If you’re on Twitter, follow us at http://twitter.com/profnet

You can also follow PR Newswire on Twitter (http://twitter.com/prnewswire) for updates on media moves and other media news.

Booster: A booster is an Opportunity that is being re-sent, usually because the reporter needs additional sources.

Cloaked Query: When reporters submit an Opportunity, they have the option of “cloaking” it — meaning, they may leave off any identifying information, because they are concerned that other reporters will see their requests. If an Opportunity is cloaked, we’ll include a generic description of the news outlet (e.g., top U.S. daily, national women’s magazine, news and opinion magazine, etc.).

Expert & Topic Alerts: Expert Alerts are like a “reverse Opportunity” — instead of responding to a reporter’s request for an expert, you provide a brief on the expert (his/her name, expertise, opinion) and we distribute it to reporters who cover the industry. Topic Alerts are “roundups” of experts who can all discuss the same topic, e.g., “China Earthquake,” “Presidential Election,” “Myanmar Cyclone.” For more detailed information on Expert & Topic Alerts, click here.

Experts Database: The Experts Database is a searchable database of expert and information officer profiles. Reporters can search the database by keyword(s) and send a “targeted query” to any of the experts that come up in the search results. (The information officer has the option of having the targeted query go to them or to the expert directly.)

Feed: A feed is the list of Opportunities you get throughout the day. You can choose how often you want to receive the feeds: every half hour, once an hour, every two hours, every six hours, twice a day or once a day. To edit the frequency of feed delivery, log on to the site and click on My Feeds, then on E-mail Options.

Heading: The heading is the part of the query that summarizes what the reporter’s looking for, e.g., “POLITICS: Obama vs. Clinton.” Headings are broken up into two parts: the “subject tag” (POLITICS) and the headline (Obama vs. Clinton). The headings allow you to quickly scan the queries to prioritize your feeds more easily.

Interest Category/Subcategory: An interest category is just that — the category (or categories) in which you an interested in receiving Opportunities. We currently have 13 categories (Arts & Entertainment, Education, Health & Medicine, etc.), which you can filter by over 300 subcategories. To view and edit your list of interest categories and subcategories, log on to the site and click on My Feeds, then on Interest Categories.

IO/SIO: An “information officer” (IO) is a PR person who receives the Opportunity feeds. A “super information officer” (SIO), in addition to receiving Opportunities, is also the person in charge of administering the organization’s subscription. Both IOs and SIOs can submit expert profiles for the Experts Database.

Member Inquiry: A member inquiry is similar to a reporter request, in that it asks for experts or other sources for a media opportunity. Examples: a PR agency seeks experts to round out a client’s press release; a company’s public relations representative is in talks with a reporter and seeks “real people” to personalize the pitch. Member inquiries may be submitted online by logging on to the site and clicking on the Create Member Inquiry tab.

Non-Expert: A non-expert request is submitted by reporters in search of “real people,” and will have a NON-EXPERT subject tag. If a request is for non-experts, please adhere to the reporter’s needs and only provide anecdotes.

Opportunities: Formerly called “queries,” Opportunities are requests from originators, primarily reporters, who are looking for expert sources.

Originator: An originator is anyone — a reporter, author, member — who submits an Opportunity.

ProfNet Links: ProfNet Links is a service by which companies submitting press releases via PR Newswire may embed a URL link in the release that links to the expert’s profile in the Experts Database.

ProfNet Post: ProfNet Post (http://profnetpost.prnewswire.com) is a Web site containing news of interest to the PR community. Sections include a calendar of PR events, job postings in the PR field, Q&As with reporters, and Promotional Opportunities (see below). The site does not require registration, and access is free.

Promotional Opportunity: ProfNet members are sometimes in need of finding information that is not related to their media relations duties, such as finding testimonials for a company’s product or securing gift-bag items for event participants. In those cases, they may submit a Promotional Opportunity. These are different from member inquiries in that there is not a media angle — that is, the organization is not working with a news outlet on a story and the request is not part of a media campaign. There is no charge to submit Promotional Opportunities, which are posted on the ProfNet Post on Wednesday afternoons and are included in an advisory alerting members to the new promo opps available. Submit via e-mail to profnet@profnet.com with “Promo Opp” in the subject line.

SIO: (see IO/SIO)

Speaker Service: Via Speaker Service, conference organizers can submit a request for speakers/panelists. Requests are sent to members via the Opportunities feed, with the SPEAKER SERVICE subject tag.

Subcategory: (see Interest Category)

Targeted Query: Targeted queries are Opportunities sent directly from reporters to specific experts profiled in the Experts Database (see Experts Database for more info).

Turnoff: When reporters have gotten the responses they need, they will send a “turnoff” message, indicating they no longer need responses. This is usually done if the reporter has finished gathering sources before the initial Opportunity deadline.

To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/prnewswire/31696/

PR Newswire has developed a new CSR channel within ProfNet, where experts in diversity, philanthropy, socially responsible investing, environment, human rights, workplace issues, business ethics, community development and corporate governance, can connect directly with journalists who are working on relevant stories, in addition to interacting and sharing ideas and information with each other.

“CSR programs are becoming more and more of a driving force behind many business initiatives,” said Juliet Herman, director of ProfNet, PR Newswire. “Those in charge of these initiatives within organizations need a forum to share best practices and to engage with environmental, social, or other subject-matter experts. ProfNet was created over a decade ago as a forum for connecting communications professionals, experts and the media, and was really one of the first truly social networks of its kind. It is therefore perfectly suited to become the platform for a CSR community network.”

Through a successful partnership with CSRwire, the leading distributor of corporate social responsibility and sustainability news, reports and information, PR Newswire has been delivering its members’ news directly to influential audiences such as investors, journalists, analysts, academics, activists, influencers at CSR organizations, socially responsible investment houses, NGOs, educational institutions and government bodies within the CSR community since October 2007. The addition of CSR experts into the ProfNet network is a natural extension of this partnership.

“Although CSR is a growing trend among smart businesses, it is still a relatively new practice and as with anything new it is always beneficial to collaborate and share best practices with peers,” said Greg Schneider, chief operating officer of CSRwire. “ProfNet has connected leading academic, business and non-profit experts with the media successfully for more than a decade and it is precisely what the CSR community needs to elevate these increasingly important issues. We are excited to be able to leverage ProfNet’s proven capabilities into the CSR community that we work with so closely and so passionately.”

Effective immediately, ProfNet is now transmitting daily media opportunities on CSR-related topics to the tens of thousands of communications professionals representing ProfNet experts. In addition, CSR experts that are paying members of ProfNet can create profiles within the ProfNet database for access by media and other experts. Subscribers to ProfNet search the database using keywords such as environment, green business, and sustainability to find these profiles and connect with experts directly.

About ProfNet
ProfNet (www.profnet.com) is an online community of academics, government officials, business people, non-profit executives, and other subject matter experts. Through ProfNet, journalists, and many non-media professionals such as meeting planners, bloggers, corporate researchers, publishers, analysts, and authors can connect with these experts for story sources, speaking events, to keep up on trends and initiate relationships.

ProfNet Opportunities (formerly ProfNet Queries) enables reporters to send short descriptions of the stories and the type of experts they are seeking to the tens of thousands of experts in the ProfNet database. ProfNet Opportunities are available in 13 categories with the recent addition of Corporate Social Responsibility. In January, ProfNet distributed 3,010 ProfNet Opportunities, the most in its 15-year history.

Reporters can also sign up to receive, via email, Expert Alerts, short story ideas summarizing an expert’s perspective on a timely issue or trends, and Daily Topic Alerts, a round-up of experts on a particular timely issue or trend culled from the Expert Alerts. Currently, the ProfNet expert database has more than 25,000 experts profiles.

About CSRwire LLC
CSRwire is the leading source of corporate social responsibility and sustainability news, reports and information. CSRwire members are companies and NGOs, agencies and organizations interested in communicating their corporate citizenship, sustainability, and socially responsible initiatives to a global audience through CSRwire’s syndication network and News Alerts. CSRwire content covers issues of Diversity, Philanthropy, Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) Environment, Human Rights, Workplace Issues, Business Ethics, Community Development and Corporate Governance. CSRwire is a member of the United Nations Global Compact, the world’s largest global corporate citizenship initiative.