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CFA Insitute CFA Connexions

BUILDING SOCIETY EXCELLENCE

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Media Relations

Working with media to build brand

Why work with media?

A positive, well-crafted story in the media has numerous benefits, including:

  • Achieving visibility with target audiences
  • Educating and informing key audiences of our mission, vision, and purpose
  • Supporting and strengthening the CFA Institute and society brand
  • Increasing credibility in your local market for your society and charterholders

What will I learn here?

You will learn how to collaborate with CFA Institute to generate positive media coverage in support of our shared business goals.

Objectives:

  • Learn the basics of PR and determine if your society is ready to pursue it as part of your marketing and communications strategy
  • Find out what media-related services are available to your society through Society Brand Activation
  • Understand what media relations support CFA Institute provides and how your society can supplement those efforts
  • Learn how to prepare your society and its spokespeople to respond effectively to media opportunities
  • Learn how to use various media relations tools such as press releases and editorial content
  • Understand how to measure your media success

How do I get started?

Review and progress through the following 4-step process to learn how your society can work in partnership with CFA Institute to use media relations to support our brand.

Quick links

  • 1

    One-click social sharing content

  • 2

    Society Brand Activation

  • 3

    New CFA Society PR Templates

  • 4

    Society Spokesperson Do’s and Don’ts (PDF)

4-Step Media Relations Process

1

Learn

Understand PR and the resources available to you

Learn the basics of PR

How do you know if your society is ready to integrate PR into your marketing and communications strategy? First, you must learn the basics such as:

  • What public relations is (and what it’s not), how it is used, and how to measure success.
  • PR best practices.
  • What the media considers newsworthy.
  • What resources are required to build a PR program.
  • How PR and media can support your overall society plans and goals.

Work with your Society Relations Manager to determine your society’s PR needs, in-house capabilities, and options for additional PR support.

EXPLORE AVAILABLE RESOURCES

Contact your Society Relations Manager to find out how CFA Institute can support your society through PR and media relations and what related services are available to you through Society Brand Activation, such as:

  • Funding
  • Media training
  • Spokesperson training
  • Strategy and planning

Your society can also explore other tools related to public and media relations, such as Press releases and templates, existing editorial and thought leadership content, and more.

CHECKLIST: ARE YOU PR READY?

Work through the following checklist to see if your society is PR ready:

  • Do you or someone at your society have experience in PR or are you well-educated on PR basics and best practices?
  • Does your society have a media relations strategy?
  • How does it fit into your overall marketing strategy?
  • Do you have a staff member who could act as a spokesperson?
  • Has that spokesperson been media trained?
  • Do you have a list of key messages that you are trained to deliver?
  • What are the key topics your society is willing to speak about?
  • Why are these topics newsworthy to media in your market?
  • What makes your point of view unique and/or appealing to the media?
  • Do you have existing relationships with local media?
  • If not, how will you develop them?
  • Do you have a staff member who can devote time to cultivating these relationships?
  • Do you have a staff member who can develop ideas for pitching stories to the media that you can substantiate or provide background on?
  • Do you have a staff member who can dedicate time on a regular, weekly basis to pitching media and other PR activities?
  • Do you have someone to manage a PR agency if needed?

If you responded positively to all or most of these questions, your society may be ready to integrate PR into your overall marketing and communications strategy. Explore the 4-Step Media Relations Process further to learn more.

2

Plan and Train

Plan for media relations success

CREATE A PLAN

Work with your Society Relations Manager to:

  • Determine how CFA Institute willsupport your society through media relations
  • Understand how your society can supplement those efforts locally
  • Develop a society media relations plan for the year that includes:
    - Goals
    - SMART Objectives
    - Tactics
    - Schedule
    - Metrics
  • Learn how to appropriately prepare to make the most of media opportunities that arise.

APPOINT YOUR MEDIA TEAM

As you progress with your media relations planning, you will need to appoint your media team, including:

  • Someone to manage your society’s media relations efforts
  • A primary media spokesperson who will be media trained, familiar with key messaging, available for interviews, and responsive to media requests
  • Topical spokespeople who have knowledge and expertise in specialized topic areas (if necessary)

To ensure we protect our brand, all society spokespeople must adhere to the spokesperson do’s and don’ts outlined below.

Society Spokesperson
Do’s and Don’ts

Society Spokesperson Do’s and Don’ts

When speaking in public at an event or to the media:

DO:
  1. Use your society title/designation when speaking in your capacity as a society employee or volunteer.
  2. Explain the role of the society and charterholders in terms of the mission.
  3. Explain or speak about a trend, issue, or challenge in terms of its impact on the investment industry. Do not make broader economic or political statements.
  4. Support your statements with relevant data or content from CFA Institute research, surveys, or other reports.
  5. Confine comments and statements to be investment industry-specific.
  6. Consult with a CFA Institute representative if you are unsure about a policy or official position.
DO NOT:
  1. Opine on political issues or individuals when speaking as a representative of your society.
  2. Suggest that your personal views are those of the society or CFA Institute.
  3. Use your society designation when expressing political or personal views, or the position of your firm.
  4. Use your society social media channels to express and share your opinions about sport, current affairs, politics, religion, or anything that is not an official view or position of CFA Institute or your society.
  5. Make claims about the superior investing acumen of charterholders or anything that could be construed as suggesting that charterholders deliver superior investing outcomes.
  6. Imply or state that you are a representative of CFA Institute.

Society staff or volunteers may only and exclusively use their society designation in the media or speaking publicly when commenting on issues or topics that have been approved by CFA Institute. They are not permitted to comment as a society representative on political or policy matters that do not represent the official position of CFA Institute.

ESTABLISH KEY MESSAGES

Establish key messages in support of your society and its major media relations efforts throughout the year.

Key messages should:

  • Be delivered consistently by all spokespeople
  • Focus on increasing awareness of your local CFA Society, CFA Institute, and our mission
  • Express credibility in the investment industry
  • Clearly communicate how our organization, approach, and charterholders are different from the status quo
  • Identify potentially negative publicity and how to proactively address
  • Be included in your media training and practiced by all potential spokespeople
  • Be reviewed regularly and tailored as necessary for each media effort or interview
  • Align view and messages with CFA Institute as appropriate (eg. Global and regional reports)

ARRANGE MEDIA TRAINING

To maximize your media relations opportunities and success, work with your Society Relations Manager to arrange media training for all potential society spokespeople. Media training may be available through Society Brand Activation or our agency partner.

3

Interact with Media

Tools to support your media efforts

PRESS RELEASES

Used to make formal announcements about high-impact news and events.

PRESS RELEASES

GLOBAL CAMPAIGNS

INITIATIVES
  • Global Trust Survey
  • Investment Professional of the Future
  • Exam Results (June and December)

LOCALIZATION
  • Local/regional market data
  • Incorporate quote from local media spokesperson

REGIONAL CAMPAIGNS

  • Regional conferences and events
  • GIPS and AMC Compliance announcements
  • MoU announcements
  • APAC Ethics Survey (APAC)
  • Dual Class Shares Report (APAC)
LOCALIZATION
  • Local/regional market data
  • Incorporate quote from local media spokesperson

LOCAL CAMPAIGNS

  • Society events
  • Annual dinner with featured speaker
  • New board announcements

Work with your Society Relations Manager to identify opportunities for local society press releases and best practices for writing, distribution, and follow up. Access press release templates, society boilerplates, and more in Society Resources.

PROACTIVE PITCHING / REQUESTS FOR COMMENT

Your society may proactively pitch stories to local media or be asked to comment on a variety of industry news topics.

INDUSTRY NEWS TOPICS

Your society may also be asked to comment on the following news topics:

  • Capital markets policy
  • Corporate governance
  • Credentialing
  • Diversity
  • Dual class shares
  • Ethics
  • ESG Investing
  • Financial Reporting
  • Future of Finance (FoF)
  • Fintech
  • Investor rights
  • Regulations
  • Retirement security
  • Wealth management

Be sure you have identified the appropriate spokesperson for each topic so you can respond appropriately and quickly to media requests.

ESTABLISHED EDITORIAL CONTENT

Existing content from CFA Institute that societies can use to support or prompt media coverage.

USING READY-MADE CONTENT FOR MEDIA RELATIONS

Your society has access to readymade content on a variety of topics that you can share with local media to support or prompt media coverage.

  • CFA Program® & the new career skills
  • Upcoming Research
  • Advocacy Work
  • ARX
  • Market Intelligence blog
  • Diversity & Inclusion & G7 initiative
  • CFA Research Foundation
  • Fintech, blockchain & cryptocurrency
  • ESG and Impact Investing

ACCESS THROUGH

Shareable Content

CFA Institute Enterprise Site

CFA Institute Daily Browse

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Some frequently asked questions about how and when to interact with media in your local market.

FAQS

Q. Do I need to proactively reach out to the media in my local market?

A. If your society is participating in Society Brand Activation, CFA Institute is already supporting your society through a paid media and public relations program. You may choose to supplement these efforts by promoting events and news that are exclusive to your market, such as society events, featured speakers, new board announcements, etc. Work with your Society Relations Manager to determine the best plan for your society.

Q. Is my society eligible for Society Brand Activation?

A. Yes, all CFA Institute member societies are eligible for Society Brand Activation and the related support, services, and funding offered.

Q. My society doesn’t have anyone with PR experience in-house. Do I need support from CFA Institute to contact media in my local market?

A. Contact your Society Relations Manager to find out what options are available for PR support in your market. The options may vary depending on your society's size and location.

Q. What kinds of information would media be interested in from my society?

A. If your society is participating in Society Brand Activation, CFA Institute is already conducting media outreach in your market for global initiatives such as Investment Professional of the Future, Women in Investment Management, global surveys and reports and others. Media might also be interested in news and events exclusive to your society, such as major society events, partnerships with local institutions and universities, new board or personnel announcements, etc. Work with your Society Relations Manager to determine newsworthy announcements and best practices for informing the media.

Q. What should I do if a reporter contacts me about a potential story?

A. The best thing to do is to find out what the reporter needs, what his or her story is about, and what the deadline is. You don’t have to respond immediately. Take your time to identify the most appropriate spokesperson, put together a well-crafted response, gather supporting information and content, and respond well in advance of the given deadline. Contact your Society Relations Manager with any questions.

Q. Who should I contact with questions about working with media?

A. The best place to start is with your Society Relations Manager who can answer questions or assist you in finding the appropriate source to do so.

4

Monitor and Measure

How to measure your success

To quantify and measure success, start by reviewing the SMART objectives set in your media relations plan and comparing
your results to the metrics you initially established. From there, you may also measure success through:

MEDIA CLIPS

  • # of News Stories
  • # of Impressions (people reached)
  • Nature of coverage — positive/negative
  • Share of voice (vs. other sources)

TRAFFIC

  • Website
  • Conversions — downloads, email signups
  • Backlinks
  • Social media followers
  • Shares and engagement
  • Mentions

OTHER

  • Awareness surveys
  • Potential candidate inquiries
  • # of Institutional partnerships
  • Incoming media calls and requests

To monitor media coverage in your local market, access the Latest News and
set up Google Alerts with keywords related to your society.

Learning Resource: Email

How to use email strategically to reach your society goals.

Building Brand Locally

Learn how Society Brand Activation can help you build the brand in your local market.

Brand Resources

Access resources to support your brand building efforts.

Member Value

How we equip and support our members to better serve clients and accelerate their professional success.

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