Top >> Media__Media_Relations 10 ways NOT to handle your media relations published September 2002 Don’t: Use the global media release from the US without changing a word Some multi-national companies have a policy that won’t allow you to do anything else.  Others think it’s a way to save money and time. This is probably the single worst approach any company can take - because apart from probably reducing your chance of coverage by 60-70%, it sends all the wrong messages to the media.   You are in Australia, our media write for Australians, they want news and comments that is predominately angled towards Australia. If you want media coverage to influence your Australian market it’s your job to present it with this in mind. That’s a key part of the PR role. Send your release to as many media as possible in the hope of getting a ‘strike’. One journalist described this at a media seminar as ‘the Somme approach’ - wave after wave of releases are sent out.  Most have no hope of being used, but it doesn’t matter - someone, somewhere might use one.  This is a waste of time. You can so annoy media across the board that when you do have something relevant to them they will be unlikely to pay attention.  The key to good media coverage is knowing your media, knowing what they want and only sending what is relevant to them Issue press releases on all your new products - including all the features from the sales brochure. It happens all the time.  Because there’s a new product on the market, companies think it warrants a press release - even for the most inconsequential product. And of course we have to make sure that all the features from the sales brochure are included (plus a copy of the brochure!). Some industries will have specialist media that do want new product information - but even then it has to be abbreviated and summarised.  Don’t see publicity as a substitute for advertising. The PR role is to determine what’s news rather than just what’s new. Call to ask media if they’ve received your release and will they run it. Few things annoy media more - yet most clients expect their PR agency to do this for every single release sent out.  The fact is that most media receive a constant stream of releases and they make their judgement based on what they perceive as news value. Calling them isn’t going to change their mind.  The PR effort should go into making sure that the release is written and angled as specifically as possible for the media to which it is being sent. Have a policy of talking or commenting only in certain circumstances. Some companies foster this approach.  It often comes from the sales side of the business - senior people only talk when there’s good news, when it’s about our company or product and we don’t talk about the industry as a whole. But it’s wrong as a media strategy and shows a lack of understanding of the media and how it works.  Some media call it the ‘two-faced PR strategy’.  If a company only wants to talk about itself, it is unlikely to get extensive media coverage and be portrayed as a leader in its sector. Let your sales people loose with the media. Wherever possible keep your sales people away from the media - it’s generally not a good mix.  Sales people come from a different planet than journalists.  Generally they ‘come on’ too strong and simply put journalists’ hackles up. If you have no option, then ensure that the sales person is properly briefed and if possible has undergone some basic media training. Expect to forge your media relations over lunch. The media sees its role as ‘breaking’ stories and giving news.  These days most media are inundated with information and the business is more competitive than ever.  It’s far better to build up personal contacts and a reputation with media over time - but do that primarily on the basis of a professional relationship.  Lunch is seldom possible for the busy journalist and if it is, it’s probably better that you include someone important or newsworthy, like a visiting VP, or the engineer or technician responsible for a product breakthrough. Demand editorial space when you book an advertisement. Journalists are professionals.  Attempting to obligate them into giving you editorial space simply because you booked an advertisement shows a lack of respect towards them. .  In daily mainstream media it’s simply unacceptable.  In trade and business media, if  the advertisement is booked into a feature, then by all means ask the editorial staff what type of articles they are looking for, but never just assume that there’s an unwritten quid pro quo. Expect journalists to let you know when a feature is coming up. Features editors often work well in advance of publishing deadlines.  They want the feature to have a particular flavour or thrust.  By researching forthcoming features, you can be proactive, contacting journalists well in advance to see what type of line they are taking with the feature.  Chances are, you will be able to discuss what you see as issues within the subject matter, often being able to contribute significantly to the editorial content.  If you wait for them to contact you (if they actually do) chances are you’ll only be filling in some gaps for them. Make it hard for journalists to get information in any other way than talking to you. Good journalists do a lot of research before actually picking up the phone to call industry leaders for comment.  That research can include a search of the ‘newsroom’ or ‘media’ section of your web site.  The more relevant information you have there, and the easier it is to get to, the more chance you will have of being included in an article.  Too many corporate web ‘newsrooms’ are nothing more than a repository of old media releases, rather than an information resource for journalists.  To see what we found in a recent survey of corporate website ‘newsrooms’, click here.

PR Influences Australian Public Relations Newsletter. Article: 10 ways NOT to handle your media relations. Information Content: Media & Media Relations, Tips & Hints