Posts

5 Tips on How to Write Social Media in a One-Subject World

/0 Comments/in /by

AKA #WantToUseNewHashtags!

As any public relations professional will tell you, making your story stand out from the rest of the noise is what we’re paid the big bucks to do. Press releases, bylines, blogs and case studies are the stuff of dreams.

Internally, this is how it’s done: your Amendola team is comprised of an account executive, strategist, writer, media relations specialist and, if we handle it for you, a social media manager. Everyone on your team is deeply knowledgeable about your company’s offerings.

The strategist and account executive put your company’s expert message in front of our writer who produces a piece of content. The media relations specialist pickups up the ball and gets the press release or byline in front of the right set of editors and journalists who are looking for exactly the contact you have. Once it’s published, the social media manager links the article to your various social media platforms.

Client-generated content is nuggets of gold for the social media team; however, we follow a pretty strict practice of the 80/20 rule. That means all your company’s LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter posts should be a mix of 20% company news and 80% third-party content to keep you focused as a thought leader on the topics in which you excel. You want your followers to be interested in your feeds because you generate news of interest, not just commercials.

Finding that all-important third-party content for your social media posts is where the social media team earns its KUDOs.

But how do we do that when the whole world is talking about one subject?

Don’t get us wrong especially when all our clients are in the healthcare field – we have the utmost compassion for everyone suffering and working courageously during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s impacting everyone their jobs, health, lives, and everyday routines. This is by far, the single largest collective story we’ll see in our lifetime. But my colleagues and I are struggling to keep it fresh in a one-hashtag world.

So once again, how do we find articles that help propel you as a thought leader when all media seems tuned to one channel? How do we help you stand out above the din?

Here are 5 tips to help you find ways to enhance your message.

  1. Research. Our team finds RSS feeds (such as Feedly) a good resource for tracking keywords created in a Google search, or to subscribe to specific outlets, which is perfect for locating articles that come at least close to your company’s subject. Additionally, we use keyword searches within Twitter to actively find articles, people with whom to engage, and conversations around hashtags normally discussed in a non-pandemic world.
  2. Pivot. Turn your company’s news into the world’s news. Do you have a solution that helps patients monitor their meds and stay compliant? I could find you 10 articles any other day. But now, I have an article that mentions how COVID-19 patients are getting free insulin, which keeps them compliant. Do you work with EHRs? Let’s talk about how EHRs are helping or hurting during COVID-19. Give your opinion. Ask for others to tweet or comment theirs. The idea is to keep in your lane but stay relevant.
  3. Sidestep. OK, so perhaps you can only make 20% of your posts about you. But you can include news about your clients or business partners. Find articles about them and thank them for doing a great job. Thank others for helping your clients. If you’re not already (and you should be!) follow your clients’ Twitter feeds. When they post something positive about a local restaurant feeding them, or a video of their clinicians dancing to relieve the stress, share it! Re-tweet with a comment like, “Thanks, @Joe, for helping our friends @Client! #FrontLineHeros.” It’s technically not your news, but it’s a way to engage with your clients, and most of all, it feels good.
  4. Join in. If you can’t beat em, join em. You’re not going to get out of posting COVID-19 news; why fight it? However, everyone is in the same boat as you tired of reading all the grim statistics. So, let’s give them something to smile about!
  5. Let us help. In these difficult times, you’ve got enough on your plate. You’re trying to run a business, keep employees on staff, and find solutions to beat this nasty thing. Why don’t you let the Social Media Team at Amendola help you lighten the load?

Remember social media is just one part of your overall messaging. When used in conjunction with the rest of your public relations offerings, it’s like adding frosting to the cake. Although, I am a little impartial. Stay safe!

How to Maximize Exposure for Your HIMSS20 Sessions that Never Happened

/0 Comments/in /by

In the wake of HIMSS20 being cancelled, many people whose HIMSS presentations were accepted for this year’s conference are lamenting the fact that the sessions that they worked so hard to get accepted won’t be given.

Let’s face it, there is a ton of work that goes into submitting presentations for HIMSS, including the process of preparing those lengthy and detailed applications. As a colleague described in a previous blog, “the process is not easy and takes anywhere from 12-16 hours per proposal” and “HIMSS has a less than 30% acceptance rate.”

So, you might be asking, what do we do now? For many it feels like that opportunity is lost, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some different ways to take the content you were going to present and still get it out there.

  • Take advantage of HIMSS’ virtual conference.
  • Plan your own virtual conference: You can conduct a webinar with the information you were going to present at HIMSS, with both a live virtual presentation and on-demand access after the fact.
  • Use information from your HIMSS presentation to draft thought leadership articles and case studies. There are likely a ton of facts and statistics that were a part of the presentation that could be included.
  • Look at other conferences for speaking opportunities later in the year or in 2021 that you can submit these completed presentations to knowing that some of the stats may need to be updated and the submissions will need to be customized for each opportunity.

The cancellation of HIMSS20 doesn’t mean that all the hard work that you put into your presentations must go to waste. The show can still go on, just a bit differently.

Using Thought Leadership to Make Your Organization Appear Larger Than Life

/0 Comments/in /by

Throughout my career, whenever I have done a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis with a health IT startup one of the most common weaknesses or threats their executives offer is the small size of their organizations. They may have the greatest innovation in healthcare since the Xray, but they fear it’s going to be difficult to get cost-conscious providers or payers to implement the technology or even listen to their pitch when it comes from an organization they don’t know.

Of course, that problem isn’t limited to health IT. It’s common across most industries. Unless an organization is in that 2.5% of all companies that Geoffrey Moore classified as “innovators,” or maybe the 13.5% that are “early adopters,” most organizations are too risk-averse to try a new product or service from an unknown entity.

So what’s the solution? Stop being an unknown. That’s where a thought leadership campaign can be a difference-maker.

In my latest post for the Forbes Agency Council, I explain how thought leadership can take a small organization and, following the advice of Chinese general Sun Tzu, make it look larger than life. Here’s a quick excerpt:

“You can use this to your advantage by engaging in an organized, consistent thought leadership program that shares that knowledge and helps you get prospects and customers aligned with your way of thinking. Once they believe in what you’re saying, you can guide the conversation more effectively and negate your competitors’ bigger marketing budgets. When you do that through earned media, such as media interviews or bylined articles that are accepted for publication, rather than paying for advertising or content, your thought leadership will carry even more weight and can have a halo effect.”

The post then covers five keys to taking advantage of this strategy, including:

  1. Offer different types of content. This is especially important if your media universe is small. The more different types of content you can offer (articles, infographics, eBooks, etc.) the more tools you have to reach an audience.
  2. Know things that others don’t (or at least don’t share). No one wants to hear the same old ideas being hashed out. Most businesses are started, and products are introduced, because there is a belief that there has to be a better way to do something than what currently exists. Share those ideas with others.
  3. Be controversial. This is especially true these days, in the era of social media when it seems like everyone is up in arms over everything. Taking strong stands instead of playing it safe and bland generally moves you to the front of the line in the media’s eyes.
  4. Make the content understandable. People won’t buy what they don’t understand. Keep explanations in thought leadership pieces simple and you will have a much better chance of reaching a broader audience.
  5. Reduce, reuse, recycle. In a small organization it can be difficult to get enough time with the subject matter experts to constantly develop new content. But all content doesn’t have to be new. Look for ways to re-purpose content (or pieces of it) in various formats to get the best mileage out of every piece you create.

Those are the highlights. For a more in-depth explanation of these points (and a lot of other great ideas from other contributors) be sure to head over to the Forbes Agency Council blog. It will be time well spent.

Opinion Pieces: Take a Stand to Stand Out

/0 Comments/in /by

In public relations, we work with most of our clients on thought leadership bylined articles. These articles frequently include the client’s opinions, most often about how healthcare provider organizations or payers can improve productivity, efficiency, patient care and other aspects of running their businesses.

In healthcare business-to-business PR, however, we rarely get the opportunity to work with clients who truly want to take a critical stand on an issue, not necessarily political, but one that some readers may interpret as (gasp!) controversial. This is understandable considering businesses often do not want to alienate any potential clients based on their position.

At the same time, it’s a shame because writing opinion pieces generates credibility when the article is carefully researched, speaks from a place of knowledge and experience and is well-written. Opinion pieces also elicit a stronger emotional response in readers and are more likely to be shared online. One study by a marketing research company analyzed the 10,000 most shared articles across the web and categorized them by feelings, finding that “awe” was the most common emotion among the highly shared articles. “Laughter” and “Amusement” were the other top emotions, but that’s not typically our goal with opinion pieces.

The firm’s analysis echoes an earlier study conducted by The New York Times several years ago which asked readers why they shared a story they found online. Among the top reasons was to “bring valuable and entertaining content to one another” and “get the word out about causes they care about.” A good opinion article accomplishes both those goals and can inspire awe or at least a strong sense of admiration in the reader who may share the piece with key decision makers in the healthcare organization. When writing opinion articles, keep in mind the following:

Think of the reader

Certainly, the CEO or other thought leaders at your company may have an opinion about a healthcare industry problem or regulation, but is it what the reader also cares about? If not, the lack of relevance will make for a forgettable article. Instead, determine one of the most common pain points among your customers (and one that your solution may address) and focus on the opinion piece on that issue.

Do your research

Eliciting emotion is crucial for opinion pieces, but the piece will fall flat without the facts to back them up. Opinion articles, like any sort of persuasive writing, need ample statistics from credible sources to support this position. Don’t go overboard, though. Too many numbers may get confusing or cumbersome and may overshadow the story you’re telling and the personality of the writer, both of which must come through.

Establish credibility

The Duke University Communications Office offers a great, quick content and style guide for writing opinion articles. In their tips, they recommend that the writer “play up your personal connection to the readers” to increase relevance and build credibility. For their guide, Duke is referring to local consumer newspapers and publications. For trade and national business media, it’s helpful if the writer demonstrates their deep healthcare knowledge by sharing a bit about their background in the industry, if they have some. Readers tend to trust people more who have been in their shoes, so showing you’ve felt their pain firsthand can elicit a stronger sense of admiration and drive action. If the writer lacks personal experience in healthcare, describing an anecdote about a client or several clients can be just as effective.

Ruffle some feathers, respectfully

With facts and credibility established, the writer needs to take an unequivocal position on an issue, even if some or many readers will not agree, or even object to it. Taking a bold stance on an issue that is relevant to readers demonstrates confidence, strength and leadership, all qualities that healthcare leaders are looking for in partners. At the same time, demonstrating humility by explaining why you can understand the other side of the issue or the limitations of your position, is also important to show that this is a well-considered position.

Offer solutions

If an opinion article just criticizes and offers no solutions then it is no help to anybody, including your company. Describe at a high level how this issue could be solved focusing on all aspects. It may be tempting to reference your company’s solution at this point, but refrain from self-promotion as much as possible. Nothing weakens the integrity of an opinion article like an obvious sales pitch. Ideally, the content will drive readers to explore your company and download a deeper dive into your solution through a white paper or eBook. The article is meant to highlight the knowledge, expertise and vision of the people behind the solution, which is just as important as the tech.

Use sparingly

Opinion articles may seem risky to some, but with so much thought leadership content available online, it can be difficult to stand out. A strongly held opinion articulated and argued effectively using credible evidence can differentiate the writer above other thought leaders in B2B healthcare, but also help readers see those leaders as people”¦and maybe even inspire “awe.”

[Your Business Name] – Powered by Communication

Writing Better Byline Articles: 3 Key Mistakes to Avoid

/0 Comments/in /by

For establishing thought leadership, there are few more effective tools in the public relations toolbox than byline articles.

Like the opinion column in the editorial section of our increasingly vanishing newspapers, the byline presents an opportunity for the author to share her personal take on a topic that is generating media attention or controversy. Generally, a byline represents the best way for an executive to showcase and explain her viewpoint in an in-depth manner to a targeted B2B audience of industry peers.

But writing bylines can be tricky. Publications are increasingly inundated with contributions, and several have changed their business models, now treating contributed bylines more like advertising meaning if you want to play, you have to pay. That means the media outlets that still publish contributed content can afford to be more selective than ever in terms of what they will accept, and some bylines will inevitably be rejected by editors.

To ensure your byline article doesn’t quickly end up in editors’ trash folders, make sure to avoid the following common mistakes.

Too self-promotional: For those unfamiliar with the nuances of bylines, this may be the most difficult concept to grasp: It’s not about you. The vast majority of publications expect bylines to be vendor-neutral, meaning authors cannot sell, promote or generally even mention their own company, products or services. Rather than viewing a byline as a means of converting your go-to sales deck to paragraph form, consider it an opportunity to share an inside perspective on a specific, well-defined topic of interest from an experienced industry veteran.

Doesn’t deal with an industry problem: While most readers who come across your byline aren’t interested in learning the intimate details of the widgets your company sells, they are interested in learning about real problems their industry peers have encountered and the steps leaders have taken to overcome those problems. That’s where the real value of a byline is found, in the straight talk of one industry leader providing others with an inside story of a challenging situation that they struggled (at least initially) to conquer. Extra points are awarded for honesty, clarity, surprise or even controversy.

So for example, a byline on the topic of “why hospitals need to account for patient’s social determinants of health” doesn’t have a great chance of pick-up, because everyone knows that social determinants are important by now. In contrast, an author could get much more mileage from a byline topic such as “why hospitals’ social determinants initiatives are doomed to fail without A, B and C” because that’s a topic that may tell readers something they don’t already know.

Too long: Renowned prize-winning authors may have the luxury of slowly setting a scene by painting a picture with words, drawing the reader in with multiple anecdotes and examples and then getting to the meat of the story. Business executives who contribute content to health IT publications are rarely granted that indulgence. In other words, keep it short. The sweet spot for a byline is about 700 to 1,000 words, and most editors prefer the shorter end of the spectrum. A good rule of thumb: If your byline exceeds two pages of a Word document, it’s time to make some edits.

Bylines are a wonderful tool for demonstrating industry expertise and thought leadership, but they can quickly go off-the-rails if authors don’t incorporate best practices. To interest readers (and editors) in your unique viewpoint, remember the above guidelines.

Five Tips for Working with your PR Writer

/0 Comments/in /by

As a PR writer, I often ghostwrite bylined articles for clients. These articles typically involve interviewing the CEO or another thought leader at the company so I can gather information for a first draft. But they are also helpful for giving me a sense of the executive’s or physician’s voice and learning about their goals for the content.

During these interviews, there is occasionally some confusion about who I am, why I am interviewing the thought leader and what they should say. I am not at all surprised or offended when this happens.

Considering the many meetings and countless calls these thought leaders handle in a typical day from customers, partners, investors and other company leaders, it is no wonder that our interview is not high on their priority list. However, going into an interview prepared can help cover more ground in less time.

If there is one thing I’ve learned over the years, all thought leaders love efficiency. That’s why I’ve created some tips to remember for your next thought leadership interview with your PR team.

  1. Speak freely. This tip is first because it’s an obstacle that pops up frequently. When thought leaders start an interview, they are occasionally under the impression that I’m a reporter or editor for the publication. To the contrary, I’m an extension of the thought leader’s company, not the publication, so thought leaders can speak their thoughts freely knowing that they will have plenty of opportunities later to review and edit the content as they wish before it is published or posted.
  2. Know your reader. Some of our clients offer solutions that serve the spectrum of healthcare stakeholders including health systems, physician practices, payers and patients. While some topics are universal, an independent primary care physician is not always concerned with the same challenges as a health system CFO and vice versa. It is always helpful to concentrate on readers’ specific, highest-priority pain points so the content is most relevant.
  3. Tell me stories. Thought leadership content, by its nature, is high-level. Because of this, sometimes it can lose readers’ interest when they can’t visualize how it applies to their organization. Which is why I’m puzzled when executives ask: “can I tell you a story?” Or apologize: “sorry to bore you with that story.” To the contrary, I love stories and so do readers, even in B2B. Granted, the narratives should be relevant to the topic we’re discussing, but examples and stories are a memorable and effective way to share or explain a thought-leadership concept.
  4. Bring the facts. Writers are usually pretty good at researching statistics and studies, but, as all healthcare executives know, there is so much data and so little time. I urge everyone I interview to offer their favorite data or studies they feel would be relevant and interesting to readers. It is always better to have too much information and cut it later than have points woefully under-supported.
  5. Stay on point. Some executives want to discuss nearly every challenge or improvement opportunity in the healthcare industry during our interview. It is often interesting to hear their perspective, but it can occasionally stray from relevance and not always be useful, especially when writing a bylined article with a word-count limit. Shorter, focused articles are also more likely to be read and remembered, according to Forrester.

I realize most senior leaders’ time is very limited, so I’m grateful when they can spare a half-hour of their day to discuss an article or blog post. If they can let their guard down a little and pull some information together beforehand, that time can be well spent, resulting in compelling thought-leadership content that drives awareness, strengthens the brand and generates quality leads.

 

 

 

 

Thought leadership or not?

Thought leadership or not?

/0 Comments/in /by

One of the trickiest jobs of a PR professional consists of guiding corporate executives to the proper mix of marketing and thought leadership in various types of writing.

The easy part, relatively speaking, is persuading them that if they insist on promoting their product directly in a bylined article, it won’t be published. In case they have any doubts, you can just suggest that they take a look at the publication online and see if any of its articles are marketing-oriented.

On the other hand, by its nature a case study or a press release is strictly promotional. Readers expect that the story will focus on a product or a business deal and that it will be structured to make the company and the product look as good as possible.

But the boundaries are much more porous when it comes to white papers, sometimes known as position papers. Over the years, I’ve worked for clients who have had many different ideas about what such papers should be.

Ultimately, of course, they all wanted to sell their products. But only some executives grasp the concept of a truly effective white paper: It should draw in readers with a point of view about an industry trend and promote the company’s product indirectly by showing the need for it.

The rest want me to blatantly list the advantages of their product somewhere in the paper. To them, it’s just another form of advertising.

I don’t know whether a rigorous study has ever been done to measure the readership of these two kinds of papers, controlling for length and the demand for information on the topic. But I’d venture to guess that industry stakeholders would be more interested in a paper that gave them information they could use than in another piece of marketing collateral.

Interestingly, big companies are no more likely than small ones to embrace the concept of true thought leadership pieces. Because they’re big, they may commission longer papers that have space to discuss industry trends or government regulations at greater length. But in the end, they still usually want their product promoted, with hardly a fig leaf to cover it.

It was actually a small, rapidly growing firm that gave me the widest rein to show its thought leadership and vision. Over a period of several years, I wrote a dozen or more white papers that helped build the company’s reputation for expertise in population health management.

I always mentioned the need for health IT solutions that could help healthcare organizations manage population health. But for the most part, the papers focused on topics that people needed to know about, ranging from accountable care organizations (ACOs) and patient-centered medical homes to care coordination, patient engagement and post-discharge care. Eventually, the company pulled together my essays into a book that it used effectively as a sales tool.

White papers and byliners are not the only vehicles for thought leadership. Occasionally, if a company CEO is a recognized expert in a particular area, you might be able to get a major publication such as the Wall Street Journal or the Washington Post to publish a thought leadership piece by that person.

The easiest way to do this, by the way, is to pitch a letter to the editor. But it has to be on a hot topic, and you have to get it in very quickly.

One way to show a company executive the difference between marketing and thought leadership is to ask him or her where they see a bylined article or position paper being published. If they say they’d like to reach a broad universe, you advise them to think about thought leadership. If they insist on a marketing message, you tell them that it’s probably only going to be posted on their website or printed up for use by their salespeople.

A sophisticated PR professional or marketer knows that organizations need the right mix of these two kinds of communications to be successful. But thought leadership should be part of the package so that companies can impress potential clients with their deep knowledge and brilliant insights.

After reading a white paper or a bylined piece of this type, the potential buyer will probably not go running to your client. But when the organization’s salesperson comes calling, they’re likely to remember something about the company that caught their attention.

Like medicine and angling, PR is as much an art as a science. What it takes to help organizations succeed depends on how many tools you have in your toolkit, and how many different approaches you try. Eventually, if your executives trust you, they will land a fish or two.

Why Strategy Matters (but Action Matters More) When It Comes to PR

Why Strategy Matters (but Action Matters More) When It Comes to PR

/0 Comments/in /by

We’ve all heard of analysis paralysis the state of over-analyzing or over-thinking a situation so much that a decision is never made and the outcome is impacted. Recently I’ve been witnessing a curious yet similar phenomenon at healthcare IT companies across the country and the analysis paralysis is all about “strategy.” As in overall corporate strategy and direction.

In short, these companies are all about strategic planning, but in the end they seem to come out of it having virtually no strategic plans. They’re all about all-day strategy meetings which result in no strategy but rather more questions that prompt more all-day meetings and shockingly, yet still no strategy.

From the outside looking in, this cycle is an endless hamster wheel that leaves team members feeling tired rather than energized, frustrated rather than empowered, and most troublingly, so terrified that their actions won’t follow the still-to-be-approved (or never-to-be-approved) strategy that they simply don’t act. This inaction can be minor or major as it builds up over time but it’s always detrimental.

Back to basics to get results

Their “strategic focus,” while well-intentioned, sets companies on the wrong path in the short and long-term, especially in regards to PR which should have a constant, ongoing cadence to create momentum and maximize results.

While company strategies can be complicated and have a profound impact on PR efforts, many aspects of PR strategy are quite uncomplicated. In fact, there are core tenets which are quite basic and fundamental to any sound PR plan. There are the pillars that cannot be disputed so they need not be delayed regardless of executive indecision.

Whether your strategy is set or you’re one of many stuck on the endless hamster wheel, these four actions are key to success. They are mission-critical, and safely fit into any PR strategy for 2018 and beyond:

1. Write and distribute press releases

It sounds like a no-brainer but for many companies it’s not because they live in fear of being “off brand” or “misaligned.” They live in fear of putting out too many press releases yet not enough press releases. Those fears are unwarranted though since your company is doing good work. Why shouldn’t it be shared? Did you develop a new product? Let’s write a release. Did you sign a new customer? Let’s write a release. Is your CEO speaking at an industry event? Let’s write a release.

Writing a press release is one of the simplest ways to communicate what’s happening and why it matters. Distributing those press releases positions your company as a key player and thought leader in the ongoing industry dialogue. It’s not complicated. It doesn’t need to be debated and as long as you’re not regularly putting out more than 2-4 press releases per month, you’re not overdoing it. So, just do it.

2. Highlight your customer’s success stories

Once again, it sounds like a no-brainer. You have customers. They like your products. They like your team. They have achieved impressive results that they’re willing to share. Let them be your advocates. Capture their stories in writing. Put them in front of reporters who are eager to hear from both executives and end-users at provider organizations. It’s as simple as that. Just like with press releases, these customer success stories illustrate that your company is doing good work and that’s what makes more customers want to work with you, which of course is one of the biggest end goals of any strategy. It’s not complicated. It doesn’t need to be debated. As long as your customers are singing your praises, hand over the microphone and let them sing.

3. Emphasize your expertise

In addition to highlighting your clients, highlight your company’s thought leaders. After all, they are also doing good work (you may see a pattern here). They have knowledge to share. They have ideas to contribute. They are the faces of your company and you need some faces even if you don’t have a final strategy. This action can mean authoring bylined articles or blogs on their behalf or pitching them as experts for media interviews. By positioning your executives and SMEs as thought leaders and joining the industry conversation, you’re helping to make your company a go-to source for future media opportunities. It’s not complicated. It doesn’t need to be debated and it would really be a shame for their knowledge to go to waste.

4. Educate your sales team about PR efforts

Regardless of strategy indecision, your sales team needs to close deals. There is nothing off-strategy about building your business. Media placements from your PR efforts are one of the most powerful but underutilized tools in your sales team toolkits. Obviously, sales prospects are not interested in the same information as the media. In fact, they may be turned off by being sent a press release about a new client that just signed on. However, they may be very interested in press coverage from well-regarded industry publications that profile your company news, thought leadership, and customer success stories. That is not only informative but also adds credibility and implies that you want to keep them in the know.

Similarly, if one of your client case studies is featured in a third-party publication, that’s a prime opportunity to reach out, share the article and offer a reference call with the client quoted. It’s not complicated. It doesn’t need to be debated and if you’re earning media placements it is certainly a shame not to use them to their fullest potential.

It’s time to get off the hamster wheel and get on with the real work that makes a difference.

Bridge Therapeutics Selects Amendola for Strategic Guidance and Thought Leadership Program for Anticipated Launch of New Pain Management Therapy

/0 Comments/in /by

Scottsdale, Ariz. May 30, 2017 Amendola Communications, an award-winning healthcare marketing and public relations agency, announced today that Bridge Therapeutics, Inc., has selected Amendola as its agency of record. Bridge Therapeutics, an innovative development-stage specialty pharmaceutical company, will be pursuing FDA and European Medicines Agency (EMA) approval of a patented (U.S. Patent #8410092) novel drug combination for the treatment of chronic pain in opioid-experienced patients.

Bridge selected Amendola after a rigorous agency review process. Amendola will provide a broad range of public relations and thought leadership services that promote Bridge Therapeutics as a pioneer and innovator in improving the lives of patients living with chronic pain through safer, more effective, and less addictive pain management.

Bridge Therapeutics investigational drug compound BT-205 is a unique combination of two synergistic chronic pain drugs the partial-agonist opioid buprenorphine and the NSAID meloxicam delivered in a state-of-the-art sublingual formulation. BT-205 is being developed to replace dangerous, full-agonist opioid-based drugs with a safer and more effective medication.

“We are excited that Amendola Communications will help us to bring our message about safer approaches to those struggling with chronic pain and addiction to the market,” said Alton Kelley, director of business development for Bridge Therapeutics. “Chronic pain affects more 100 million Americans today, which the Institutes of Medicine report is more than diabetes, heart disease and cancer combined. As we go through the FDA and EMA approval and commercialization process, we look forward to partnering with Amendola to help us educate the market about the benefits of replacing dangerous opioid-based drugs with a safer and more effective therapy for those struggling with chronic pain and addiction.”

BT-205 has the potential to be a new treatment option for healthcare providers around the world, and to offer patients an alternative chronic pain therapy. When dosed as a combination drug, buprenorphine and meloxicam have stronger pain relief effects, which allows the use of low dosage strengths of both and reduces the potential for negative side-effects.

Amendola Communications will provide targeted strategic public relations services, including media research, media relations, and the generation of top-tier awards and speaking opportunities. The agency will also be responsible for delivering a range of content demonstrating the thought leadership and expertise of Bridge Therapeutics key opinion leaders (KOLs), including bylined articles, poster presentations, press releases and other materials.

“Bridge Therapeutics offers an exciting and innovative approach to addressing the opioid addiction crisis facing our nation today,” said Jodi Amendola, CEO of Amendola Communications. “Addictive chronic pain drugs today kill more Americans than road crashes, and yet the massive chronic pain market in the United States still lacks a non-addictive pain medication. We look forward to promoting Bridge Therapeutics and its key opinion leaders as the company continues to go through its regulatory approval and commercialization process.”

About Amendola Communications

Amendola Communications is an award-winning national public relations, marketing communications, social media and content marketing firm. Named one of the best information technology (IT) PR firms in the nation four times by PRSourceCode, Amendola represents some of the best-known brands and groundbreaking startups in the healthcare and HIT industries. Amendola’s seasoned team of PR and marketing pros delivers strategic guidance and effective solutions to help organizations boost their reputation and drive market share. For more information about the PR industry’s “A Team,” visit www.acmarketingpr.com, and follow Amendola on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About Bridge Therapeutics

Bridge Therapeutics, based in Birmingham, Ala., is an innovative development-stage specialty pharmaceutical company pursuing U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) approvals of a patented (U.S. Patent #8410092) drug combination, BT-205, for the treatment of chronic pain in opioid-experienced patients. The investigational drug BT-205 is a unique combination of two synergistic chronic pain drugs the partial-agonist opioid buprenorphine and the NSAID meloxicam delivered in a state-of-the-art sublingual formulation. The dosing and delivery method will be a commercial advantage over the current alternatives. Bridge Therapeutics’ goal is to make the BT-205 compound and other investigational new drug candidates available to millions of patients in which addictive and potentially dangerous full-agonist opioids such as oxycodone and morphine are ineffective and/or unsatisfactory. The company is focused on improving the lives of patients living with chronic pain by developing new approaches to pain management that are safer, more effective, and less addictive. For more information, visit www.bridgetherapeutics.com.

Media Contact: Tara Stultz | 440.225.9595 | tstultz@acmarketingpr.com