We sat down with Sammi Coppedge, Public Relations Specialist at Readers.com to discuss why her company chose Cision, how she uses it to further his communications strategy, quick tips and more.
1. How are you using our product to support your PR and communications projects?
Cision is the backbone of our PR and communications projects. It’s a critical tool in securing media placements. From researching media outlets and journalists to finding unique opportunities through HARO to monitoring coverage and more, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do without Cision.
2. What benefits have you seen from using Cision?
In the fast moving world of PR, Cision has been imperative to securing impactful media placements and remaining competitive. We believe it’s important to work smarter, not harder, and Cision allows us to do just that.
3. Tell us about a recent and successful PR/comms campaign. What results did you achieve? What results stood out most for you?
Since we sell consumer products, we find a lot of success during the holiday season. There’s no way we’d be able to accomplish half of our results without Cision. We have to move quickly, so the database of media outlets and reporters is extremely helpful. Likewise, HARO allows us to quickly match with reporters and bloggers who are looking to write gift guide roundups. Again, this allows us to work smarter not harder. We can quickly connect with an individual who is already interested in the same topic as we are, cutting out the need to blindly reach out to reporters who may or may not be planning a holiday gift guide. This past holiday season, we were able to secure dozens of media placements that drove critical sales.
4. What is your favorite Cision feature?
I love the media coverage feature. Every morning, this is the first thing I check. It makes it so easy for us to find media pickups and feature stories without having to search the Internet or rely on reporters to send us a link. It especially helps with organic pickup or times in which we didn’t work on a story, but we were so graciously included in one. In those instances, we might not find those type of stories without Cision’s media coverage feature.
5. Does Cision make your workday easier? Tell us how!
With Cision, I am able to have access to contact and media outlet information that would otherwise take me hours to find, or worse, is impossible to locate. It allows me to build robust and lengthy press lists in a relatively short amount of time, which ultimately allows for increased media placements. Plus, the fact that all of these useful features are included in one tool makes it that much easier. I don’t have to alternate between several platforms, I have everything I need on Cision, which is a huge added benefit for my team and I.
6. Given your success, what advice would you share with another PR/comms professional?
I would encourage PR and comms professionals to find a tool that streamlines everything they need for a successful campaign. I would also encourage people to utilize every resource at their finger tip, it really makes all the difference in creating impactful results, especially when you’re working on a small team with limited manpower.
About Sammi Coppedge
Sammi Coppedge is a 2017 graduate of Ball State University in Muncie, Ind. with a Bachelor's Degree in Public Relations. After beginning her career with a public relations agency in Indianapolis, she joined the Readers.com team as Public Relations Specialist where she oversees earned media, social influencer marketing, and SEO outreach opportunities. When she isn't working tirelessly for her brands, she is passionate about volunteering in her community, reading for one of her many book clubs, or testing out new recipes in the kitchen.
About Readers.com
In 2006, Readers.com (REA) was formed in the home of Randy Stocklin. Since then, REA has evolved into a lead selling brand providing over 700 hand-picked readers with multiple styles and power options. REA is committed to providing great value, offering a wide array of selections, and making sure all customers feel satisfaction with personalized customer service based on their needs. For more information about REA, visit www.readers.com.
