Harnessing the power of the media is easier said than done. With planning, preparation and practice, you can handle any situation and shape any conversation.

As a leader, you should build relationships with the relevant media. Make sure that they know that you are available to comment on stories in your industry or regarding your top issues. Send out an experts list periodically that includes the names, photos and contact information of experts within your organization and industry. This is an art, but it pays dividends in many ways. It also paves the way for more direct pitches of your own. The difference between a productive media release and a boring “press” release also is an art.

Once you have a reporter’s attention, don’t waste their time. Ask about their deadline before you say anything else. It will help you take control of the situation immediately. This can help you avoid the three most common mistakes.

• No preparation. You should have three key points that people need to know about the situation and about your organization, including your solution.
• No agenda. No matter what the reporter asks, bridge back to what you want people to know. Don’t just stand there and answer random questions; and
• No call to action. Explain where people can go for more information or to take action.

Ask the reporter if you can gather your thoughts and gather the most important facts. Promise to get right back to them. If you wait too long, they will call someone else for insight and a quote, so use your best judgement. In some cases, you might have to be ready on the spot to avoid losing the opportunity. After the interview, ask for their contact information and ask if you can send background information or specific detail that will help them develop a better story. Ask when the story will print or air. When you share it on social media, tag the reporter so that they know that you are promoting the story.

Since mainstream media can impact stakeholder relationships, it’s important to shape these conversations for maximum impact.

Generating positive news helps educate and influence stakeholders. It helps build your brand. It helps position you and your organization as leaders. It can help build awareness, understanding and support. The media can help you overcome objections and misunderstandings among stakeholders. It pays to put the news to work for you.

Media training can help you avoid loose commentary, while focussing on key points

Most interviews are for print or online reporters, which means a telephone interview. Telephone interviews are the simplest to prepare and handle professionally. Personal interviews and television/video interviews require more planning and preparation.

Convey productive points in response to any question

The key message (or messages) that we need to convey will depend on the situation, so it’s important that we learn how to deliver any message at any time. Part of the art is that we must know how to prioritize and refine messages based on each issue and opportunity. Other tips include:

Predict and Plan

• Key messages
• Training
• Fact sheets
• FAQs
• B-roll
• Photos
• Graphics

Critical Success Factors

• Keep it simple;
• Always tell the truth;
• Relax—you’re the expert with interesting, important information;
• Attitude Check: I’m happy to be here; The audience includes stakeholders and observers; I have something important to say;
• Find a quiet place for the phone interview or personal interview;
• Don’t be late (to call, arrive or welcome in the reporter and camera person in the lobby);
• If the reporter comes to you, the entire office is part of the impression. Don’t let it be a distraction or a bad reflection on you. Outdoors is often a good alternative;
• Don’t let your guard down. This isn’t your friend, yet. Maybe someday;
• Help the reporter relax and focus. What do they need? Start taking charge in all aspects; and
• Assume that the reporter will verify your answers elsewhere, so be the authority. Be credible.

If the reporter is a print or online reporter, more information is good. If it’s a TV or radio reporter, think about short answers (sound bites). They want something short and sharp (3-5 seconds), but the editors will let you say more on important topics, so give them both a sound bite and a longer answer when possible. On follow-up questions, repeat your key message and elaborate slightly. For more information about media training, please contact us.

Crossbow Communications is an award-winning public affairs and government affairs firm. We specialize in public health and environmental issues. We serve the world.

The post Best Practices In Media Relations appeared first on Crossbow Communications.

Edward Bernays helped pioneer the practice of public relations as a marketing tactic back in the 1920s. Since then, the practice has evolved as both an art and a science, while helping build the most successful brands in the world.

News organizations were once considered the fourth estate of a democracy. Companies that earned media coverage were once considered to be the pillars of society. They were leaders, the voice of reason and their products and services were often considered to be the solution of choice among consumers. Earning media coverage was once the holy grail of brand management and marketing. It helped brand companies as leaders, while positioning their products and services as the solutions of choice.

At the other end of the spectrum, some companies find themselves in the crosshairs of investigative reporters. Negative news coverage has put some companies out of business and it helped expose corruption and collusion in government. The media spotlight has always been a double-edged sword that could influence the fate of any organization. In today’s world of social media and fake news, the influence of mainstream news organizations has been diminished, but not much. Most people still find mainstream news and word-of-mouth to be more believable than advertising and social media.

If you aren’t generating your share of news, here are some steps that can help you harness the power of the media.

Remember, not all news is positive and not all news is strategic. Putting the news to work for you requires vision, planning and transparency. You must be creative, responsive and opportunistic. You must be able to withstand media scrutiny. You must have a story that matters to a reporter’s audience. You must offer a perspective that offers valuable insight and you must make it easy for each reporter to work with you.

If you can successfully navigate the media maze, you can generate coverage that can help separate your organization from the competition.

It can help position your company as the industry leader. It can help you build strategic relationships, while building awareness and understanding within key market segments. Mainstream media coverage can fuel social media, emails to stakeholders and SEO for your website. It also can trigger tough questions, so be prepared. The following checklist will help you evaluate your company’s media opportunity. It will also help you generate strategic media coverage that can help build your brand and your bottom line:

Media Training: Who are the key spokespeople? Have they been through media training to help them control any media interview?

Media List: Which news outlets reach your stakeholders? Who has covered your company/industry in the past? Are these reporters still in place? Follow key news organizations and reporters on Twitter to help build these relationships.

Experts List: Build a contact list of experts within your company/industry that you can send to reporters as a general news resource.

Pitch List: Build an inventory of story angles and a pitch calendar that prioritizes what stories to pitch where and when. Identify events, records, milestones, anniversaries, partnerships, research, trends, problems and solutions, local connections, innovation, awards given and received, community resources, etc.)

Media Kit: Have key facts, statistics, photos, videos, key contacts, white papers and other resources that can make a reporter’s job easier to get the story accurate and complete.

The Pitch: Determine whether a media release, phone pitch or press conference will best serve the situation. Know each reporter’s deadline and meet every request as possible.

News Alerts: Be sure to set up a tracking service or a Google alert to track any news that you should know about. In some cases, there might be an opportunity to respond to a story to add perspective or make a correction. A letter to the editor is typically posted under most online stories.  

When you generate strategic media coverage, encourage leadership to post and share on social media. Encourage leaders to send these clips to key stakeholders via email and social media. Be sure to send these clips out to employees to build morale and teamwork. Make sure that good news travels fast.

Crossbow Communications is an award-winning public affairs and government affairs firm. We specialize in public health and environmental issues. We serve the world.

The post Put The News To Work For You appeared first on Crossbow Communications.