planbook for professional wingman

Media Relations | The Professional Wingman

SITUATION ANALYSIS

Dating and lifestyle development consultancy

Founded March 2009 in Boston, MA

Founder and CEO of The Professional Wingman: Thomas Edwards Jr.

Company has “Wingman” employees located in Boston, New York City and Washington D.C. (based out of NYC)

One-on-one service where Wingmen go out with clients to evaluate weaknesses in social interactions and provide real-time feedback for instant improving

Help in creating strong relationships that last

Develop social experiences with a focus on romantic relationships

Considered a real life “Hitch,” a popular romantic-comedy character

Company Background


SITUATION ANALYSIS

Maintains strong search engine optimization on Google and Yahoo!

Uses social media such as Twitter and Facebook to network with his clients, the media and his employees

No traditional advertising

Appears on various TV programs such as Style Boston and WCVB-Chronicle

Guest blogged for Maxim Magazine

The host of LoveNation, a web show that covers emerging trends in the dating world

Dating coach for StyleBoston, a lifestyle show on WCVB Channel 5

Spoke at various conferences: Social Media Day (Boston), Single in Stilettos (New York), 140 Characters Conference (Washington D.C.)

Marketing Communications Analysis


SITUATION ANALYSIS

Strengths Weaknesses-Unique dating service based on real world scenarios; not just a matchmaker-Variety of services: one-on-one, “in the field,” group seminars, counseling via telephone-Discreet service-Strong SEO (appears on the entire 1st page of google.com)-Active social media presence

-Credibility (no professional training)-High price point-Needs to work on punctuality -Not very well-known

Opportunities Threats- Expansion beyond East Coast locations- More coverage in media - Strengthen brand awareness- Gain more media presence

- Online dating sites- Copycat services- Already been covered in many media outlets

SWOT Analysis


SITUATION ANALYSIS

The Professional Wingman’s services primarily compete with traditional private matchmaking services.

Secondarily, The Professional Wingman competes with online dating services, including Match, OKCupid, eHarmony, and Plenty of Fish.

From a broad context, the dating services category is part of a larger category of life coaching that includes business coaching and personal training.

Competitor Analysis


SITUATION ANALYSIS

The Professional Wingman’s target audience is primarily males 20-40 years old. They are smart, successful individuals looking to learn how to make meaningful connections with people. Although the target is a wide age range, they share the common desire to find confidence and happiness and learn how to connect with women.

More specifically, men in their 20s are looking to understand how to socialize after college whereas singles in their 30s and 40s are looking to settle down, or are divorced and looking to transition into something new.

Target Audience Analysis


SITUATION ANALYSIS

AOLAmerican Express Open ForumThe Atlanta PostThe Beauty BeanBettyConfidential.comBlastBostInnBoston Business JournalThe Boston Globe BostonHerald.comBusiness InsiderSun Herald.comCalgary HeraldThe Career ClinicCBSMinnesota.comChannel Seven AustrailiaChicago TribuneChronicle HDCNNColor MagazineComcast BostonCosmopolitanThe Daily NationalDirectory of Boston

Media Audit

EbonyE! OnlineEntrepreneur Examiner.comFox News: ChicagoFox BusinessGalTimeHappenHow about we..II Sole 24 Ore iVillageLoveNationMade ManMaximMethod ShopMSN CareerbuilderNational PostNorthern Virginia MagazinePulse NetworkReutersRevolution.isThe Sacramento BeeShapeShine from Yahoo

Single EditionStyle BostonStuff MagazineThe Frederick News-PostThe Next WebThe Wall Street JournalThe Washington PostThingActionThrillestTwentityUnder30CEOWake-Up TVWBZ BostonWCCRWCVB TVWUSA-9


GOALS

1. To gain awareness of Thomas Edwards’ company, The Professional Wingman

2. To increase The Professional Wingman’s clientele

3. To position Thomas Edwards as the best professional dating coach in Boston

4. To educate potential clients about services and benefits


OBJECTIVES

1. To have at least one story published about The Professional Wingman

2. To help Thomas Edwards develop his website’s image and brand recognition by getting 500 unique visitors within the month following the website redesign.


MESSAGING

The Professional Wingman offers an individualized and unique dating service to its clients.

The Professional Wingman offers a variety of services including: one-on-one coaching, “in-the-field” hands on services.

The Professional Wingman provides a confidential dating service.

The Professional Wingman is committed to the success of its clients.

The Professional Wingman has a focused social media presence that interacts and networks with past and potential clients.


STRATEGIES & TACTICS

Provide Thomas Edwards with new introductory video for his website [www.theprofessionalwingman.com]

Pitch to the media contact list


TIMELINE

January 2012: Meet with CEO and discuss media goals

February 2012: Pitch Valentines Day angled stories to the media

March 2012: Produce and shoot introductory video for website

April 2012: Edit video; continue to pitch to media sources; at the end of April, introductory video will be published on newly designed website

Campaign Run Time: January – April 2012


SPOKESPERSON

Born and raised in Hyde Park, MA, Thomas Edwards thought he had found his true love at the age of 19 and had received her parent’s blessing to propose, but she dumped him.

He began to reconstruct his life and identity to prevent something like this from happening again.

Soon people began asking him questions and seeking his advice.

After Thomas successfully helped his friend approach a woman for a date and received free drinks for his efforts, he realized he could potentially start a business based on “advice giving.” Thus, The Professional Wingman was born.

Thomas Edwards Jr., CEO, Founder, and “Chief Wingman”


MEDIA LIST

The Boston Globe135 Morrissey Blvd. Boston, MA 02125David Dahl – Your Town Regional Editor; [email protected] Meredith Goldstein – Columnist; [email protected]: 617.929.2781

The Improper Bostonian142 Berkeley Street, 3rd Floor Boston, MA 02116Nick Atschuller – Managing Editor; [email protected] Jonathan Soroff – Feature Writer/Social Columnist; [email protected] Phone: 617.859.1400

The Wall Street Journal200 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281Lora Kolodny - Reporter Tech and Start-Ups;

[email protected] Twitter: @lorakolodnyPhone: 212.416.2000

Print

mailto:[email protected]






MEDIA LIST

WFXT FOX25 News25 Fox Drive, Dedham, MA 02027Paul McGonagle – VP & News DirectorKyle Bishop – Senior Web ProducerPhone: 781.467.2525

New England Cable News [NECN]160 Wells Avenue, Newton, MA 02459Jonathan Cain – Senior News Producer; [email protected] Twitter: @jcainnecnPhone: 617.630.5000

Boston.com135 Morrissey Blvd. Boston, MA 02125Meredith Goldstein – Columnist/Love Letters Lifestyle and Relationship Blog; http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/relationships/blog; [email protected]: 617.929.2781

Boston.BarstoolSports.comDavid Portnoy – Writer/creator; [email protected]

Twitter: @Stoolpresidente

Television/Online





NEWS STORY PITCHES

The modern dating world is full of instant messages, e-mails, and lists of profile visitors. No longer is it about making good conversation between two people. My client's name is Thomas Edwards, better known as “The Professional Wingman.” The Professional Wingman disregards the complexities of modern dating and strips it down to the bare basics -- a man introducing another man to his friend. Known as the real life hitch, the Professional Wingman provides one-on-one relationship coaching and weekend seminars for young professionals who need help in the dating world. The media perpetually suggests how to meet the “perfect” guy or “break the ice” at a bar, but what we don’t read about is how to be a great wingman or wingwoman to your friend. Thomas provides us with a few tips on being a wingman/woman.

Modern Dating World


NEWS STORY PITCHES

Boston Native Helps Locals Meet Women - Boston native Thomas Edwards Jr. grew up in Hyde Park. Thomas is better known as “The Professional Wingman” -- his dating service that turns three this year. Thomas helps local young professionals to meet women by accompanying them at local bars that are good for meeting women. Thomas can give advice on good bars to meet people in Boston as well as tips to be a “wingman” for a friend.

Verbal Pitch to Your Town Editor David Dahl


NEWS STORY PITCHES

Social Anxiety is leading urban couples to less meaningful relationships- The social scene in Boston can be brutal at times, making it hard for men and women to make honest connections with each other. Luckily for Bostonians there are people out there like Thomas Edwards, the Professional Wingman, who devotes his time to helping people make and sustain connections. Thomas Edwards, the Professional Wingman, is a Massachusetts local from Hyde Park. After watching a buddy of his go through a devastating divorce, Edwards began to help his friend rebuild his relationship skills, helping him to find his wife of today. Edwards has developed a true talent for helping people with his wide array of “wingman” services and self-help seminars.I recently read a Q and A piece you wrote about comedian, Jenny Slate. It was an enjoyable read; I thought it was so cheeky and fun. I’d love to set up a Q and A interview with you and Thomas. Thomas is usually in Boston with clients over the weekend. Maybe one weekend you’d like to follow him with a client and really get to see his work in action.Please get back to me if you have any questions about Thomas’s background or his Professional Wingman business. My email address is, of course, [email protected], and my phone number is 267-614-3532. Please feel free to email or call anytime. Also, check out Thomas’s website at theprofessionalwingman.com. Thank you in advance for your time.

E-mail Pitch to Improper Bostonian’s Jonathan Soroff


PRESS RELEASESFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Regain Confidence at “Confidence Unchained” Event

Boston, MA. (April 20, 2012) – On May 4, 2012 through May 6, 2012 in New York City, The Professional Wingman will hold a three-day ‘Confidence Unchained’ weekend seminar for singles who are looking to improve and develop their relationship skills. The seminar gives participants an opportunity to reach higher levels of success and re-discover their core selves.

Each day the seminar will follow a three-step plan that gives participants the practice and the tools they need to sustain their ongoing transformation. Day one is ‘The Core Confidence Experience’ where participants will start their journey to find that incredible confidence that is within us all. Day two is “Finding Your Institutive Intelligence’, participants can uncover the limitless intelligence of their intuition, and apply this in a night out on the town. Day three is dedicated to ‘Be Love Now’; participants learn new concepts about relating and sustaining better connections with people.

"This event provides direct access to getting you closer to what it is you want to do and want to say and help take out the wish-wash of any inner game that prevents you from whoever it is you'd like to approach from that gorgeous woman across the bar to the librarian-type at the supermarket. I highly recommend this event for guys looking to take the next step in getting closer to understanding the core on simple creative ways on approaching the types of women that you want to approach and so much more!" - Henry R., Boston, MA

Fees for enrollment in this three-day seminar are $497.00. The seminar includes four free beverages, cover charges at venues, email support from The Professional Wingman for 30 days, and more. For further information regarding The Professional Wingman’s ‘Confidence Unchained’ seminar, please contact our media team at [email protected], or visit http://www.TheProfessionalWingman.com.

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“Confidence Unchained” Event


http://www.TheProfessionalWingman.com/


PRESS RELEASESFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Meet Women With Help from a Professional Wingman

Boston, MA. (April 22, 2012) -- The Professional Wingman, a one-on-one real-time dating service, today announced the Wingman Tour for this summer to find the best places to meet women locally. A common challenge for single men is finding the best places to meet women in their city.

During the two-day stop in each city, participants will have the opportunity to go out with a small group to local hot spots, and learn tools and strategies on how to successfully meet other singles. The workshops on the tour include a minimum 12 hours at various places, a fashion and grooming makeover, cover charge at bars, clubs or other venues, and other fun surprises.

Before the tour begins, participants are asked to compile a list of local spots to meet singles via Twitter, Facebook, or Email. Once the list is established The Professional Wingman team will search to find the best spots to find local singles, and share them with participants.

“The workshop will help you understand how to meet and connect with women more effectively. Having done this before, throughout the course of the weekend, you will have interacted with about 50 women. For some guys we've worked with, that's more than they've met in the past few years combined.” ---Thomas Edwards, CEO/Founder of The Professional Wingman

Rates for admission to workshops on the tour are $479.00. Locations and dates on the tour are Las Vegas, NV, May 18-19; Raleigh, NC June 15-16; and Miami, FL July 27-28. For more information regarding The Professional Wingman’s ‘Wingman Tour,’ contact media relations at [email protected], or visit http://www.theProfessionalWingman.com.

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National ‘Wingman Tour’


http://www.theProfessionalWingman.com/


EXECUTION

Contacted the media pitched to targeted outlets via phone and e-mail. The following is a response from Improper Bostonian writer Jonathan Soroff:


EXECUTION

Recreated the introductory video to the website; a short video that briefly explains the service, how it was founded, and how it helps people with their dating life.

See the video go live on the site in May 2012: www.theprofessionalwingman.com

http://www.theprofessionalwingman.com/


EXECUTION


MEASUREMENT

We reached out to the contacts on our media list via phone and email and we did not hear back instantly, therefore we continued on to the next portion of our execution and started creating the introductory video.

Once the video goes live on the website, we can measure its success by tracking the amount of website visitors who “take action” and pursue services on the site after viewing the video.


EVALUATION

The combination of writing pitches and making phone calls to our media contacts was not successful, however we did reach out to strong media outlets that now have heard about Thomas, his services, and his story and may want to write about him in the future. It was good exposure and also allowed us to focus our time on restructuring Thomas’ introductory video to appeal to the target audience.

Because we recreated the introductory video to Thomas’ website we are hoping to draw people in need of his services. Those that visit the website will not have to search through the entire website to learn about the services, but instead watch our short introductory video will give them all the information needed to understand the Professional Wingman experience.


CONCLUSION

There was no budget created for The Professional Wingman.

We would recommend a completely different media outreach strategy. Because the Professional Wingman Company is growing rapidly and the success is increasing, it is clear that the more media attention, the more consumer interest. There definitely needs to be a stronger relationship with lifestyle media outlets because the dating world is something that everyone can relate to. Those that are reading lifestyle magazines and relationship advice columns are those that are in need of dating advice. Essentially, it is important to reach out to those that are actually searching for a dating coach/ a support group in addition to those that may not need the service. However it is important to note that word of mouth is essential in getting the Professional Wingman service buzz, therefore reaching consumers of all kinds is also ideal.

Budget/Future Recommendations