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Media Relations

PR Expanded Video Contest Winner #1

The 1st Winner of the PR Expanded Student Video Contest is …

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When I teamed up with Professor Jennie Donohue last year, we wanted to create an assignment for her UMASS at Amherst Intro to PR class that was an opportunity for students to create content based on what they learned during the semester. The question quickly became, “should it be another blog post contest?”

In the spirit of students and professionals being PR Tech Testers, we thought it would be a much more interesting assignment for students to create videos based on what they learned in class.

After reading my latest book, “Answers for Modern Communicators,” each student was tasked with creating a short educational video sharing tips and insights based on one of three communication practices – i.e., media relations, strategic communication/integrated marketing communication, or employee communication – that related to class content. 

We selected two winners. Winner #1 is (drumroll please) … Wei Cai, who is an undergraduate at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Winner #2 will be announced next week.

Wei Cai, UMASS at Amherst Undergraduate Student

Wei’s academic studies are in journalism, consumer technology, and resource economics; he is passionate about the intersections of the fields. If you want to learn more about Wei, you can follow him on Twitter at @weicai_.

Here is Wei’s winning video. Let’s congratulate and support Wei by sharing his video on social media!

Pure Performance Media Training Session

Know the Agenda Before Your Media Interview [INFOGRAPHIC]

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I’ve been media training executives for about 15 years. Although the channels have changed, there’s still one constant. The media has an agenda. This statement shapes what most business professionals have in their minds about the slant or the bias of a media outlet. They also realize the importance of doing due diligence prior to a media interview and reviewing a journalist’s background.

However, in the spirit of FEEL First (facing Fears, engaging with Empathy, using Ethics and unleashing the Love to build genuine relationships), let’s take this discussion a few steps further. I’m going to show you how to take AGENDA to a whole new level … comparing your own AGENDA to the AGENDA of the media professional, blogger, podcaster, show host, who interviews you.

Let’s break down the acronym AGENDA, so you can really prepare and have all of your key points, stories, stats and sound bites ready and be mindful and present during your media interviews:

For this acronym, you have to identify your AGENDA as well as your interviewer’s:

AGENDA stands for:

What is your “Attitude” vs. the attitude of your interviewer? Social media conversations and past articles, blogs, comments, tweets, etc., will help you to figure this out.  When attitudes differ it’s important to check your ego at the door, listen carefully, and be open to different perspectives. Also, be aware of the non-verbal cues including body movements and facial expressions that quickly uncover an attitude toward a topic.

What is “General Bias” or slant? What is your view vs. theirs and how can you be objective and ready for a conversation that will have various opinions, and, quite possibly, be wrapped in personal feelings?

What kind of “Education” is needed around the topic? If you are an expert, does your interviewer have the same level of knowledge and what about their audience. Nailing down the education part means coming across clear and in a way that people will understand you.

What’s the current “Narrative” on the topic? What have you been sharing vs. your media host and their audience? What topics in the news relate directly to your topic? They can, and, usually will, end up as a part of the conversation? So be ready!

What does “Data” tell you about your topic? Do you have your stats ready to share? Do your stats match the stats that the media outlet has offered and are they credible sources? For example, political polls and sources vary depending on the media outlet. Fox News shares one set of poll numbers and CNN will share another. Your accuracy matters.

Lastly, how does your story “Affect” your work or your life, and that of your interviewer and the people interested in your story? If you uncover how people FEEL, then you will enter the conversation with a higher level of emotional intelligence and an opportunity to make deeper connections.

Showing up prepared and being more present or aware of the AGENDA, will not only lead to a better discussion, but chances are you’ll also be asked to come back for more interviews.

Building a genuine relationship means becoming a trusted go-to source. You’re moving from pitching the media to being a regular authority or subject matter expert available for commentary.

Do you know the AGENDA before your media interviews?

If you’re interested in learning more about how to FEEL first and knowing the AGENDA before your interviews, here’s a video about a workshop on speaking and media interviews that may help you.

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Survey: Most PR Pros Say that Media Relations is Getting Harder – Here’s What You Can Do About It

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By Frank Strong, Founder & President of Sword and the Script Media

Media relations is hard and getting harder.

That’s according to 223 PR professionals polled for the 2019 JOTW Communications Survey.

A majority (68%) of respondents said media relations is getting “harder” (53%) or “much harder” (15%). That number was up sharply – 17% – from the same survey the previous year.

But, why?

We solicited commentary around this question from PR professionals that took the survey to find out. Some of the written responses are what you might expect – comments like these:

  • “There are fewer reporters and getting their attention is harder.”
  • “Journalists, like everyone else, are increasingly seeing their time splintered, their resources [getting] cut and responsibilities increase.”
  • “Journalists are bombarded with email pitches, many which stink, and there seems to be less opportunity to build an actual relationship with journalists.”

Yet some of the other answers might surprise you:

  • “Journalists are increasingly strident toward, instead of partnering with, PR professionals. It’s virtually impossible to have an actual conversation with a writer.
  • “Journalists are no longer objective, they are much more subjective and if you do not fall within their lane or their bias, they are not interested, and you are left by the wayside. The days of objectivity are gone and the days of combative, aggressive, argumentative ‘in your face’ journalism has taken its place.”
  • “It’s harder to know who is [the] media and who isn’t. And there used to be rules of engagement – behavior, fairness. Now, it’s say whatever you want about whomever you want.”

Strident? Combative? Say whatever you want?

Media relations isn’t just harder, it’s beginning to sound like a sparring match.

The Intersection of Bias, Ethics and PR Stunts in Media Relations

Whether bias is real or perceived, in my assessment of the data and sentiment, there are few realities:

  • There are fewer opportunities to earn bona fide media coverage;
  • There are more pitches vying for those fewer opportunities;
  • It’s more challenging to get good and relevant ideas considered; and
  • When an idea is considered, the environment today can be more flammable.

When you combined these realities with the fact that news skews toward the anomaly – news by definition defies expectations – you start to come to the idea that manufacturing the exception is a path to earned media.

This idea reminds me of a clothing retailer, who years ago put up controversial billboards and then an employee intentionally – and surreptitiously – defaced them. A high profile blog was “tipped off” to the feigned outrage and the rest of the media then picked up on it and duly reported the incident as controversy.

That particular company grew a reputation for manufacturing controversy. I’d hasten to point out it also went bankrupt twice before finally closing forever. Those two facts may not be causal, but they are almost assuredly related.

To be clear, this may not unfold in such a calculated or nefarious fashion. It’s more likely to evolve as the result of one-upmanship – where PR pushes the boundaries a little more, and then a little more, without stopping to realize just how far the boundaries have moved.

4 Ways to Make the Most of Media Relations Without Selling Your Soul

The temptation to replace thoughtfully considered and strategic communications with foolish antics (link may not be NSFW, but it is relevant) feigned outrage, or manufactured controversy is shortsighted. In the long run, people will see through it and PR will have failed at its mandate as keeper of the organizational reputation.

It’s also entirely unnecessary. You can still drive news coverage with without losing, or worse, selling your soul. Here’s how:

1) Be the voice of reason.

PR has long positioned itself as the conscience of an organization and there’s a clear advantage to it: the truth is often more interesting than fiction. A voice of reason implies transparency and candor. As such it’s helpful to invoke the vulnerability of being human in the stories we tell.

My friend, Lou Hoffman calls it the “F word” in storytelling – failure. It’s essential to teasing out the tension that’s a prerequisite for good stories. The challenge with this is, that leaders typically only want to put their best foot forward – to discuss all the success without all the strife.

Yet the voice of reason isn’t just ethical, it’s an inspirational way to communicate. More importantly, it’s one with which people can identify. It builds trust along with intrigue. You don’t need stunts to appeal to the media, you just need good honest stories.

2) Truly study the media.

Too many overlook the basics of media relations – investing the time to truly understand a reporter, what they cover and why. For many, media relations is just an exercise in exporting a spreadsheet of contacts and hitting the send button.

The paradox is that fewer pitches, that are personalized, highly relevant and timely, will generally outperform mass emails and high volume. It’s not rocket science: a good pitch should, in a couple of hundred words or less, show the reporter you understand them by linking your pitch to their audience.

This isn’t just a tactical application. If you are involved in media relations, studying the media is imperative. It is your job to know who is covering what and why.

3) Augment media relations with content marketing.

As I wrote for an IABC feature in Communication World, my epiphany with content came years ago, when a pitch I thought was timely and relevant fell on deaf ears.  I took that pitch, transformed it into a blog post which in turn, took off once it was published. It gained traction to the extent it wound up capturing the attention of very publication that had ignored my pitch in the first place…and earned coverage anyway.

There are a lot of PR myths about content marketing, but the fact remains, it’s a genuine opportunity to fill an information gap and build an audience. This is PR at its finest – relations with a public community. In the course of doing so, your audience will naturally help surface those ideas that have broader appeal and may merit broader, or more traditional coverage.

In other words, well-executed content marketing helps you develop an additional platform to communicate with reporters. At the same time, you’ll also be honing skills – editorial and audience building – that allow you to better identify with reporters and add value to your organization.

4) Make the most of the coverage you do earn.

The typical inclination in PR is to look forward to the next piece, without truly appreciating what you’ve already earned. Yet what you do with earned media is just as important as getting it in the first place.

There’s a long list of things you can do to amplify a media mention, including:

  • Share it internally – really get the word out in your organization;
  • Weave parts of the interview that didn’t make it into blog posts and other contributions;
  • Post it to social media; then pay to promote it once organic reach is exhausted;
  • Pitch it to an industry newsletter;
  • Send a link to sales; they appreciate an excuse to contact customers and prospects;
  • Buy reprints and mail them out to key stakeholders; and
  • Bring copies of the reprint to your next tradeshow, among others.

There’s a side benefit to all this too – that coverage tends to beget coverage. Nobody watches the media like the media.

* * *

The 2019 JOTW Communications Survey polled 223 communications and public relations (PR) professionals. Most (68%) respondents report holding in-house communication roles and 90% have 10 years or more experience in the industry.

The second annual survey was conducted by yours truly in collaboration with Ned Lundquist. Ned launched “Job of the Week” (JOTW) email newsletter in 2001 as a free resource for PR and communications professionals looking for work.

An analysis of the survey along with a link to SlideShare where you can view or download the complete report can be found here: Corporate Communications is Taking More PR Work In-House, finds Survey; Media Relations Gets Even Harder.

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Frank Strong is the founder and president of Sword and the Script Media, LLC, a veteran-owned PR and marketing agency based in Atlanta. Find him on Twitter @Frank_Strong.

Featured Image Photo Credit: Sam McGhee on Unsplash

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Six Tips on Building Positive Relationships With Journalists [Infographic]

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A Guest Post by Amanda Levenson, UMASS at Amherst Student, PR Expanded Infographic Contest Winner

For the PR Expanded Infographic contest, I chose to offer insight on how to build and preserve successful relationships with reporters. I selected this topic because I am a Journalism major with five internships under my belt. Media relations interests me because of the relationships I have personally had with public relations professionals. I was intrigued as I sat in class and learned about what happens on the other side of these interactions. I had never stopped to think about the objectives and intentions on a public relations specialist’s end. It also made me look deeper at my experiences working with PR professionals and how my relationships with them varied. Some people became my go-to resources because I knew I could depend on them to answer quickly and with helpful, relevant information. Others became notorious to me as slow-to-respond, unfriendly, or too pushy. These people became the sources I tended to avoid. When the time came to start my infographic, I felt it would be fitting to educate PR pro’s about how to make their communications with the media positive.

The target audience for my infographic is PR pro’s who specialize in media relations and trying to win earned media for their client. I wanted to communicate best practices for these interactions, so that my audience can learn to create mutually beneficial relationships between themselves and the journalists they work with. The purpose of the infographic is to help PR practitioners understand how to build meaningful relationships with journalists and make the most out of their time and effort. I hope to educate people on how to leave a positive lasting impression on reporters and how to be useful to these journalists.

I went about selecting tips by prioritizing points that Deirdre Breakenridge emphasized in Answers for Modern Communicators, and also aligned with tips Professor Jennie Donohue focused on in class and things that have mattered to me during my internships. I took notes as I read the book and made a list of the advice for working with reporters. I proceeded by looking over the list, combining points that related to one another, and deciding which held the most weight. By compiling information from the reading, in-class lessons, and personal experience, I was able to create a useful infographic.

Six Tips on Building Positive Relationships with Journalists

My Infographic connects back to class content because we have discussed media relations at-length and what practices are best when planning and executing these interactions. We have discussed how media relations must be strategic because it means seeking a third-party endorsement, or uncontrolled media. When working with the media, there really are no guarantees, and public relations professionals must know the potential benefits and consequences of that. Whether it is a newspaper, magazine, television channel, online publication, etc., earned media continues to be the most credible way to create awareness, and so public relations practitioners must understand how to work well with journalists. They need to know how to develop, maintain and improve relationships with reporters, and I strived to deliver comprehensive advice on how to do this with my infographic.

Amanda Levenson, UMASS at Amherst Student

Amanda Levenson is a senior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst pursuing a BA in Journalism and a minor in Political Science. Amanda can be reached at alevenson15@gmail.com and followed on Twitter at @Amanda_Levenson.

Richard Bistrong and Deirdre Breakenridge, FPRA Annual Conference

Rebuilding Your Reputation: From White Collar Crime to Industry Thought Leader

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I’ve been writing a lot about the Modern Communicator and answering questions that have flowed in through Twitter, Skype, LinkedIn and Facebook. Who is the Modern Communicator? What does it take to become one, and how can you be more effective with your communication, whether it’s for your professional brand or your business? All great questions. My article, “If You’re a Modern Communicator, Then You THINK AHEAD” addresses these questions.
However, there’s one fundamental quality of the Modern Communicator that has to become an automatic part of your practice. It’s your ability to make tough choices, and to move outside of your comfort zone, as the communications landscape continues to evolve. Here’s where you have to trust your gut and know when to shift into your “uncomfortable zone.”
I’ll share a little story with you. In 2014, Richard Bistrong, a former international sales executive, contacted me after he was released from prison. He had read my books while he was incarcerated for 14 months. When he reached out, he asked if I would help him with his messaging for the media , work with him to navigate social media, and to rebuild his damaged reputation.
Here’s where, as a Modern Communicator, I had to make a choice. Should I step out of my comfort zone to take on this account? Should I align my work and brand with someone I had never met before, and I’m only first learning about his story? Even some of my closest colleagues said I shouldn’t take the assignment (all good intentioned professionals). I rose to the occasion and decided to work with Richard.
Richard and I will be discussing the details his journey in a Fireside Chat at the FPRA 80th Annual Conference on August 7th in Jacksonville, Florida. Until then, here’s a little bit about the Richard’s story (from the Modern Communicator’s perspective).

Of course, if  you’d like to know more about my journey with Richard, you can email either of us at Deirdre@PurePerformanceComm.com or RichardTBistrong@gmail.com.

 

Brad Phillips

The Three Things To Kill In Your Media Interviews

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A Guest Post By Brad Phillips, Author, The Media Training Bible

Brad Phillips HeadshotMemory studies consistently find that people forget the vast majority of what they read, hear, or see, especially if they are only exposed to the information one time.

One early study by Herman Ebbinghaus, the 19th-century German psychologist who was among the first to study human memory, found that people forget most of what they learn within days. Although his pioneering research was conducted more than a century ago, it still rings true for those of us who can never quite remember where we left our car keys.

Therefore, successful messages must remain unburdened by three things: wordiness, jargon, and abstractions. The more a message tries to say—and the more abstractly it tries to say it—the less likely it is to be memorable.

As a general guide, aim for messages that: have no more than two commas; contain no more than 30 words; and evoke concrete images.

1. Too many words: Resist the temptation to jam everything you can into a single message—omitting less important details makes good sense. After all, if editors are only going to include two of your quotes in a finished news story, don’t you want them to choose your two most important messages? If the editor decides to run your fourth and seventh most important messages instead, I’d question whether your interview was a success.

2. Technical jargon: Unburdened messages require you to throw jargon overboard. Our clients in technical fields—such as scientists, physicians, and engineers—are the worst offenders of this rule. In fairness, their professional lives are spent awash in technical gobbledygook, their office conversations littered with words rarely used and barely understood by the general public. But considering that the public suffers from information overload, any words that prevent people from quickly grasping your meaning will result in messages that are quickly forgotten.

Even if you think your audience will understand more complicated terms as long as you use them “in context,” don’t use them (or at least define them if you do). They won’t hear the end of your sentence if they’re still trying to process the unfamiliar word you uttered at the beginning.

As an example, here’s an actual quote from a real press release: “The gradualness (oriented primarily towards actual users) of the new Handy Backup is the succession of interfaces. With all the maximal simplicity and refined usability, the new one is designed to look structurally associative to the previous version…”

3. Abstractions: Abstractions, or broad concepts or ideas, are difficult for people to visualize. “Justice,” for example, is an abstraction—just try instantly conjuring up a detailed image of that word. A more concrete message about justice might mention the need to punish thieves who rob old ladies by imprisoning them for the next 20 years. That type of concrete message is much more memorable, and therefore works better for media messaging than an abstract one does. Chip and Dan Heath, the authors of the excellent book Made to Stick, write that “trying to teach an abstract principle without concrete foundations is like trying to start a house by building a roof in the air.”

The goal of most communications is to move an audience from lack of awareness to awareness to action. The more unburdened your messages, the more likely you are to achieve that goal.

Brad Phillips is the author of The Media Training Bible: 101 Things You Absolutely, Positively Need to Know Before Your Next Interview. He writes the world’s most-visited media training website, Mr. Media Training and is the president of Phillips Media Relations, a media and presentation training firm.

 

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Six Times You Should Call a Press Conference

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By Brad Phillips, Author, The Media Training Bible

Screen Shot 2014-04-01 at 8.47.55 AMPress conferences aren’t as common as they used to be. Technology has allowed companies to disseminate information to reporters (and the public) without gathering the press in a single place—and that’s a good thing, since reporters have less time than ever to leave their desks to attend a press conference (and many won’t).

Press conferences can also be tricky, since reporters in packs sometimes play a game of one-upmanship, in which each reporter tries to ask a tougher question than the last. Still, press conferences can play an essential role in media communications.

This post will help you identify six times to call a press conference.

1. When There Is High News Interest

Since many reporters are reluctant to attend press conferences, your news story must rise to a certain level of newsworthiness before it makes sense to arrange one. If you’re an attorney in a high-profile case, for example, odds are good that the assembled reporters will appreciate your on-camera statement. Doing a press conference may also help prevent you from spending hours doing dozens of one-on-one interviews (which, in some cases, might be a better option).

2. When Reporters Are All In The Same Place

If reporters are already gathered in one place or locale, it might make sense to hold a press conference. As examples: a few dozen reporters are attending your scientific conference; you’re a New York financial firm making a major announcement to the financial press; or you’re a sports coach debriefing with the press following a game.

3. During Political Campaigns

National and many state political campaigns come with a trailing pack of reporters. If you’re running a competitive Senate race in California, for example, odds are that your candidate will have several reporters nearby at any given time.

4. When Public Safety Is Involved

The media are rarely a greater ally than when you need to disseminate critical safety information to local communities quickly. As an example, imagine you’re the public safety officer for a municipality when a gas line erupts, jeopardizing local lives. It’s probably a good idea to hold a press conference (outside the “danger zone,” of course).

5. In a Crisis

You won’t call a press conference in every crisis, but if it meets some of the criteria listed above, you might consider doing so. A press conference in a crisis not only satisfies many of the reporters’ questions, but sends a strong message that you’re in control, willing to talk, and not in “duck and cover” mode. For some scandals, a press conference can help shrink the news cycle, as it did in this case.

6. When Announcing a Loss of Life

In many cases, it’s a good idea to put a human face on tragic news. If you’ve lost a colleague in an explosion at your plant or you’re a public safety officer who knows how many students died in a bus crash, you might consider telling the press in person and on camera. Be careful to notify immediate family members before releasing names through the press.

Brad Phillips is the author of The Media Training Bible: 101 Things You Absolutely, Positively Need to Know Before Your Next Interview. He writes the world’s most-visited media training website, Mr. Media Training and is the president of Phillips Media Relations, a media and presentation training firm.

 

Media Training Bible

Seven Reasonable “Pre-Conditions” For an Interview

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A Guest Post By Brad Phillips, Author, The Media Training Bible

Media Training BibleI recently received an email from a reader who was arranging an interview for a client.

He wondered whether it was possible to put a written agreement in place with the producer prior to the interview that would prohibit the crew from using any ‘gotcha’ moments in which an unexpected document or video clip might be produced during the interview.

My answer was no. Not only could that request be disclosed on the air, making the audience suspicious, but it would make the producer wonder what big controversy he was missing.

Still, the question made me wonder: What pre-conditions are reasonable when negotiating with a reporter prior to an interview? Here are seven that came to mind.

1. Spokespersons

If a reporter is visiting your office, you can reach an agreement that the reporter is only allowed to quote the agreed-upon spokesperson(s). In other words, if reporters strike up a conversation with random staff members in the bathroom, they wouldn’t be able to use those comments in his story.

2. Shots

You may be able to negotiate what the reporter can and cannot shoot. For example, you might ask the reporter not to shoot any employees’ computer screens or papers on their desks, since those shots could reveal private customer information.

3. Photography

Depending on the story, you might not want to allow photography. If you work for a car company that is creating a new prototype, for example, you might allow the journalist to see it without allowing any photos of the vehicle.  

4. Terms

Although most interviews should be on-the-record, you may occasionally face circumstances that require an “on background” or “off-the-record” interview. You should reach any agreements prior to an interview (these guidelines will help). And you can request to be identified in a specific manner.

5. Length

If you suspect that a reporter is going to go on a fishing expedition, you can negotiate the length of the interview in advance.

6. Topic(s)

Here’s where things get tricky. You can request to limit the interview either to topics you do want to discuss (e.g. a basketball coach who wants to discuss his team’s latest game), or to avoid topics you don’t want to discuss (e.g. your star center’s recent drunk driving arrest). But even if reporters agree to such a pre-condition, they often disclose the very pre-condition to their audiences (in some cases, they’re ethically bound to do so). So before you make such a request, ask yourself whether that disclosure could be more damaging than answering the tough questions.

7. Sensitive Information

Occasionally, reporters may be willing to exclude certain information from their stories—if there’s a legitimate reason to avoid such information. For example, many reporters would be willing to exclude information that could humiliate an innocent person or that contains sensitive national security details. But I’ve also worked with reporters who agreed to kill sensitive parts of a client’s story today in exchange for an exclusive when we were ready to release the story at some future point.

Brad Phillips is the author of The Media Training Bible: 101 Things You Absolutely, Positively Need to Know Before Your Next Interview. He writes the world’s most-visited media training website, Mr. Media Training and is the president of Phillips Media Relations, a media and presentation training firm.

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