April 18, 2000
MAINE MEDIA & MARKETING
Media relations: the good, the bad, and the ugly
Copyright © 2000 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.
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Now that I've walked a few miles in the Birkenstocks of a journalist, I can better understand why they sometimes lack enthusiasm for the PR profession. If you are working to get your story told by the media, here are a few items to consider:
Deadlines don't wait. You've romanced the media, and now someone wants to take you to the big dance. When a reporter shows an interest in your story, be ready to roll NOW! Most reporters work on extremely tight deadlines, and if you cannot meet it, they'll move on to another source. Be flexible, friendly and frightfully well-prepared when you want to tell your story to the press.
Be ready on a moment's notice. Have your points outlined in advance. If possible, try to get an idea of the questions the reporter wishes to ask. Be ready to offer substantive examples about your products, services and clients.
Assess your news with a critical eye. Although we all feel that our business successes are of vital national importance, be realistic about what will be covered locally or nationally. Be honest with yourself, especially when you are investing money to prepare and distribute a release nationally. Is your company doing something in a new and different way? Is your product or service compelling to a large audience? Are you in an industry that's in the national spotlight?
Know your media. Don't send a release on your new business-to-business Web site to the editor at Dog Fancy. Don't alert the Wall Street Journal that you've moved your office down the block. Take the time to investigate the type of stories your target media runs. For my national column, I write about small business owners 35 or under. Yet I still get pitches from PR people representing huge corporations, or other individuals outside my target demographic.
Keep it simple and get to the point, quickly. I often receive more than twenty e-mails per day from PR professionals. And that's nothing compared to the volume an editor at a large newspaper or a national publication receives. Say what you have to say concisely, and offer to provide more details if the editor wishes.
Do not send e-mail attachments. Ever. Unless a media professional has requested materials, do not send attachments of any kind. It's a waste of your time, and attachments will more than likely never be opened.
Follow-up calls are (usually) a waste of time and money. Although making media calls is a mainstay for many PR firms, they are often seen as (at best) unnecessary and (at worst) a nuisance. Unless you have a relationship with a specific media contact, or they have asked you to stay in touch, it is generally best to save your energies for tasks other than media calls.
Be considerate. Reporters are humans, too. They want to write the best story they can, and a favorable article can be enormously helpful for your business. Be easy to work with and respectful of their time. It's frustrating when I get a pitch from a PR person, decide to interview their client, then get blown off. If you cannot be available for an interview on deadline, let the reporter know right away.
Hot Media Tip: If you are doing business in Maine, the Maine Public Relations Council Maine Media Directory www.meprcouncil.org is an invaluable tool for putting you in touch with all the media outlets. The 2000 directory is now available on CD and hard copy. Call 207-761-4477 to order. $40 for members of MPRC, $70 for non-members. Membership is a deal at $55 per year.
Kimberly McCall is the president of McCallMedia & Marketing, Inc., a marketing, public relations and business communications company in Freeport, Maine. She is the monthly marketing columnist for Entrepreneur's Start-ups magazine, and an inc.com contributor. You may reach her at: Kimberly@MarketingAngel.com. Web site: www.MarketingAngel.com.