BETTER BIZ WRITING TIPS - ISSUE 9 - JANUARY 2009 - Dealing with the Media

Press releases, media kits are often utilized to garner media attention but does your organization know what to do after the initial contact? It doesn't matter how well your press materials are written--if a reporter calls and has to struggle to obtain an interview or the information they're looking for, they'll move on to another source and you'll lose the opportunity.
 
With established organizations, the process goes so smoothly. A reporter will find the company's website, call or email the listed media relations director who then assists in scheduling interviews and sends them written materials and high-resolution digital images. If all goes well, the reporter has everything they need by the end of the day. The reporter wins because they get their story and the organization wins because they're getting free (hopefully good!) promotion and publicity.
 
On the other end of the spectrum, some organizations are slow to respond and difficult to work with. A journalist might have to leave 7 messages and send multiple emails to different people over the course of a week before getting stood up twice for a phone interview. Four weeks later, the vice president of the company calls the reporter to schedule an interview. By then, he or she has already found another source and moved on to another story.
 
This may sound funny but it's all too common and in my editorial work, I can't count how many companies I've seen lose out on good press simply because they couldn't respond in a timely or reliable manner.
 
If publicity and good public relations are important to your organization, they have to be made a priority. Time must be set aside for interviews, calls must be returned as promptly as possible and all media inquiries should be taken seriously. Successful organizations are often in the spotlight because they understand how to deal with the media. Your goal is to obtain good media coverage and in most cases, you can do that by serving the reporter and delivering the information, interviews and access they need.
 
There's nothing complicated about dealing with the media but there are some simple tips to make things flow smoothly. Start by having a designated person for handling media inquiries. Whether you're a corporation with 100 employees or a three-person small office, there should be a designated person to handle requests from reporters. This person should learn a little bit about the industry and should ask some important questions like: What kind of information is the journalist looking for? Who would they like to interview? When is their deadline?
 
Also, educate and inform your front office staff/receptionist about these protocols and where to direct these calls. Reporters may often call to speak with a "media relations director," "media contact" or "public relations director" so make sure they're not clueless and confused about what to do when a reporter calls.
 
Public relations firms often judge their success on the number of news outlets that their clients have been quoted and featured in. You can put the same ideals to work by taking each media inquiry seriously and putting a priority on response. Journalists often like to quote sources that have been quoted in other publications so small businesses can slowly build their press portfolio by taking advantage of every possible media opportunity.
 
Because it can be such a hassle to find reliable sources, many journalists seek to establish "go-to" sources for certain topics and industries. When they need a source to comment on a particular topic, they know that then can call one of those sources and are almost guaranteed to get all the information they need by the end of the day. Have you ever noticed how some of the same people keep popping up on certain news channels and in magazines and newspapers? These are the people who have established credibility and most importantly-reliability-with journalists. You never know when that random call from a reporter could lead into something bigger, so take it seriously and answer when the opportunity knocks.
 
If you've ever dealt with the press in the past and there's a chance that you might again in the future, consider establishing a small photo bank. This can include exterior and interior images of your company, photos of employees in action, candid shots of executives and images that illustrate your industry. Have them on a hard drive (or better yet on the media section of your website) so that they can quickly be distributed to members of the media.
 
While your company may not have the need and relevance for a weekly press release, do have some standard fact sheets available about the history, services, products and information on your company. A brochure or website can often substitute for this so long as it is relevant information that can be quickly distributed to an inquisitive reporter. When a reporter calls, you already have some materials to quickly email or can point them to your website.
 
Since many journalists scan company websites for initial contacts, establishing a press section of your website with press releases, an image bank and a media relations contact with a phone number and email address can really help.

1. Respond promptly. Many media organizations work on tight deadlines. If you hesitate or wait to return a call or email, you'll miss the boat and the reporter may call your competition.
 
2. Establish awareness and a protocol for dealing with the media. Make sure your receptionist, administrative assistants and front office staff know the channel and procedures for handling media inquiries.
 
3. Create a photo bank. You don't necessarily have to hire a professional photographer but you can shoot your own high-res (preferably 300 dpi or greater) images of executives, your staff in action, your facility or products. Have them available in a digital format and ready to deliver via email.
 
4. Have fact sheets and information readily-available. Press releases, fact sheets and media kits are the best but depending on the type of business you are in, brochures and marketing materials can often do double duty to serve this purpose.
 
5. Strive to make yourself a "go-to" source. Showing that you are reliable, authoritative and can quickly set aside a few minutes for an interview significantly increases the chances that the reporter or news organization may call upon you again for an interview or quotes.
 
6. Keep the reporter updated. If you're trying to track down some information or schedule an interview for a reporter, keep them updated on your progress. Leaving a large gap in communications makes the reporter think you've dropped the ball and they will move forward with another source.
 
7. Avoid yes and no answers in interviews. If you have an interview with a reporter, avoid the dreaded "yes" and "no" answers that give them no quotes to work with. It increases the likelihood that your comments and company won't even make the edited article. Also, don't say "this is off the record" then make a statement. If it's really off the record then don't tell them.
 
8. Ask about the information they are looking for and focus on that topic. It is perfectly acceptable to ask the reporter in advance what they will be focusing on in the interview. Be prepared with any specific stats or information they might be looking for.
 
9. Serve your own interests by serving the reporter. It's an ironic twist that you can ultimately best serve your own interests by serving the reporter and giving them immediate responses, interviews and access to the information they need.
 
10. Follow up. Reporters are extremely busy and are often juggling multiple stories and sources at the same time. They may be reaching out to four sources on a story when they only need two because they know that two may very well not respond or drop out of the mix. Keep yourself in the loop by following up if you haven't heard from them.