919 Marketing

Q&A with Tamlyn Oliver, Senior Editor, Genetic Engineering News

We sat down with Tamlyn Oliver, Senior Editor of Genetic Engineering News to discuss how she selects companies and products to feature in her publication. She was happy to share with us the dos, don’ts and best practices for getting coverage. This is a must read for anyone targeting biotech and biopharma professionals.

919: What makes Genetic Engineering News unique from other publications aimed at biotech and biopharma professionals?

TO: GEN is unique in that it covers biotechnology from drug discovery through to bioprocess scale-up and commercialization. For over 25 years, GEN has provided readers with a breadth of news, articles, and tutorials to help them create and advance innovative and effective product development and commercialization strategies.

919: How do you decide which companies to feature in your editorial?

TO: Feature articles are often based on relevant conferences and symposiums, the companies covered in feature articles have often recently presented at such a conference or recently issued a press release with news in that area.

919: What advice would you give to companies who think they have news and information that would be of value to your readers?

TO: Companies with biotechnology-related news should send their press releases to GEN at news@genengnews.com. If there is an upcoming relevant feature article that the news addresses or if the news is truly meritorious, companies should follow up with an email directly to one of the editors (see www.genengnews.com, Meet the Editors section for email addresses).

919: What are the best ways a company could approach you with an idea or pitch? Conversely, what are the worst?

TO: A simple email is often the best way to get an editor's attention. Email messages ideally should get right to the point and avoid superfluous discussions of the company's technology or history. Phone calls are best if the caller is concise and understands the significance of the news. The worst phone calls are when a company spokesperson recites the press release to us over the phone, often this is done by someone who has no idea what they are talking about and they stumble through a few sentences of mispronounced words before we can interject.

919: In your experience, what qualities do you appreciate most in a PR professional or agency contact?

TO: There is nothing better than a PR person who responds promptly to our queries. Sadly we are often working under deadline pressure and want an answer to our questions within 24 hours, most PR professionals seem to understand that...company reps often don't. We just started Sticky Ends Online, an online newsletter. We have been contacting companies, and their respective PR firms, more often as a result of this newsletter and have been shocked by how many firms don't get back to us, or don't include contact information on the press release.

About Genetic Engineering News
Established in 1981 and written for biotech and biopharma professionals involved in research, technical and commercial management. Provides coverage of biotechnology news and developments, scale-up and bioprocess technologies, regulatory and legal issues, new products and R&D and novel drug discovery techniques. Also includes financial news (public offerings, mergers and venture capital investments), funding and government news, corporate profiles, university news, meeting reports, international round-ups and literature information and articles relating to research projects and the production of biotechnology products.

http://www.genengnews.com/