Vicky Agnew

Advice for PR Pros Still In Love with the Media

Stay in the Relationship but Consider Taking a New Media Lover

As a former print journalist, I’m keeping a very close eye on what’s happening to the world of print journalism. It's bleak.The medium is collapsing in on itself, and no one seems to know what to do. Until recently, when something went awry with circulation, the brain trust in the newsroom would call for a redesign and spend big bucks on a consultant instead of actually improving the news product. Guess what, it’s too late for a redesign. But I haven’t given up hope.

I believe that the world needs good, experienced reporters who adhere to the fundamental principles of journalism. There are lots of people who wonder if the blogger-as-voyeur and the greedy stockholder will win the day - and stand by as print journalism sinks into the tar pit like an old mammoth. I worry but am keeping the faith. So, I’ll finally get to my point.

What does this mean for p.r. pros who have built good relationships with overworked journalists (the ones left after buyouts and layoffs) those who rely on the press release as the sole form of communication? It means that you nurture those important relationships with reporters – they’re hard won and valuable – but it’s time to consider adding the newest tools to your bag of tricks. It’s long past time to find out more about blogs, podcasts and optimizing your press materials. We p.r. folks are living in exciting times, indeed.

It’s Not What Reporters Can Do For You – But the Other Way Around….

If you stick with the blog long enough, you'll find that I never will grow weary of the following topic -- managing the expectations of your clients or boss when it comes to media hits. You will always have to deal with this.

One of the most frustrating parts of being in public/media relations is managing the expectations of clients and/or an organization’s leadership when it comes to getting hits in the media. If I had to cite the most fundamental misunderstanding business owners or executives have is that media exposure is there for the asking. So here we go with the cold, hard truth – garnering media hits is not like ordering a pizza. You can’t call up a reporter or editor and order something written just the way you want it – on the front page, no less – just because you think your company has news.

Sure, you can ask, but it’s important to remember: you don’t get to decide what’s newsworthy. That’s the reporter’s job. I think the misunderstanding comes about because most people are more familiar with marketing than with media relations. Simply put, with marketing, you pay for what you want, and you get what you pay for.

With mainstream media (MSM), things couldn’t be more different. The sooner business folks grasp that, the sooner they’ll be able to score that third-party, independent endorsement that comes with a newspaper article or tv news story. So, what’s a business person to do when he/she has a truly newsworthy story that warrants coverage in the MSM?

The answer: think like a reporter. It might not always seem like it, but reporters work for readers and viewers. They are not in business to give you free exposure. They’re in business to serve their audiences. So, you’ll be way ahead of the game if you if keep a reporter’s needs in mind before pitching your story. If you can help a reporter see how what you’re pitching will serve his/her audience, you’re chances of scoring publicity are much better. Go for it!

Taking the Media's Interest to the Next Level

I blogged recently about one of the most important principles of public/media relations – which is helping a reporter serve his/her audiences with a relevant story and NOT treating the media as if they’re in business to give you free exposure. So, let’s say you’ve managed to catch a reporter’s attention with a timely, well-thought-out pitch. You’re half-way there, but there’s still time to botch this, so listen up. Most important to remember - reporters,editors, and news producers are overworked and have tons of story ideas competing for their attention. If you’re not ready to deliver on your promise of a great story, they’ll drop you fast.

So, here’s your strategy: make it easy for the reporter to do your story. Here are a few hard and fast tips:

• Be available – accommodate the reporter’s timeframe for interviews/visits to your business. Be as flexible about this as you can.
• Offer photos/video/sound – make sure to mention you have “art” available to augment the story. Publications and news stations may want to know what’s available. Your chances of being covered increase if you can offer the public more than one way to access the story - and that happens through visuals and sound.
• Offer customers or clients for interviews – reporters like to put a “face” on a story, so be sure to mention that you have some customers/clients available for interview if the reporter would like. Don’t forget to clear this with the clients first.
• Work with the reporter’s angle – while you should definitely prepare for an interview with your most important messages, bear in mind that the reporter is not intentionally producing a marketing piece about you. The resulting story – since you pitched it – will most likely be positive for you, so don’t try to compel a reporter gush about you. Remember: the reporter doesn’t work for you.
• Keep it real - never speculate, fudge facts or otherwise misrepresent yourself or your business. Don’t break into jail by lying to a reporter. If the interview strays into an area you don’t want go, there are ways to deal with that. I’ll address that in future blog entries.
• Be a resource (not a nuisance) for reporters – a single interview can be the beginning of a great relationship with an MSM contact--that's mainstream media. For example, if you’re an expert in interior design, chances are you’re an expert in running a business or client satisfaction. You also then can be source in business-,lifestyle-, and DIY stories, to name a few. So, make sure to familiarize with all the subjects a reporter covers and figure out how to stay useful. If you’re accessible and credible, you may get more coverage than you bargained for!

Think You Can’t Have a Crisis…Think Again

I’ve long been a fan of Jonathan Bernstein. You can subscribe to his email newsletter on his website’s home page http://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com. Jonathan, whom I’ve never met, often writes about big businesses that make gigantic blunders because they’re either not prepared or too arrogant to handle a crisis properly. Even if you aren't a corporate titan, there are lessons to be learned. There’s an old cliché that we’ve all heard celebrities tout – that “there’s no such thing as bad publicity.” As a business person, you’re courting disaster if you believe that. You’ve been warned.