Menu

PR Expanded

CommunicationsMatach PR Agency Search

How to Get Your Agency Hired in a #PR Expanded World

, , , , , , , , , 0

A Guest Post by Simon Erskine Locke, Founder & CEO, CommunicationsMatch™, and Steve Drake and Robert Udowitz, founders, RFP Associates

Having just written “A Client’s Guide to Hiring PR & Communications Agencies,” we’ve turned the lens around to provide insights into getting hired in a PR Expanded world.

Agency Hiring ImageOn our journeys we’ve hired agencies, fired agencies, been hired by companies as communications agencies and consultants, and been rejected. As providers of agency search services, we’ve consulted with companies and agencies on what it takes to get hired and the reasons agencies or consultants don’t get hired.

We’ve watched this show from a lot of angles.

In this article we’re not going to focus on marketing, but rather assume that you are actively in the running for a piece of business, are considering a response to an RFP, and/or have a meeting set up with a potential client.

Here are some keys to increasing the odds of getting hired in world in which companies are looking for a range of capabilities that go beyond public relations. Some or all of these may seem obvious, but in our experience, these truisms often get lost in the chase to win business, the rush to prepare presentations, the despondency of failure, and the hubris of success.

You Have to be In It to Win It

Don’t waste your or your potential client’s time with half-hearted proposals. With all the complaints out there about RFPs – from short deadlines, to low budgets, to fixing the process for an incumbent – if you commit to creating a proposal, go all in. If you aren’t confident that a fair playing field has been created for all competing agencies, you probably don’t want to pitch.

Do More Than Your Homework

A minimum amount of due diligence may demonstrate superficial knowledge of a client, but a deep dive and research will ensure that you can demonstrate a thorough understanding of both the company and industry. This isn’t something that can be faked. Clients who live their industry will see through half-baked ideas and answers.

Ensure Your Materials Match Your Story

Communicators are often better at telling other people’s stories than their own. We also may invest more in client projects than our own websites or marketing. You will be judged by your materials and content. If you say you build websites – make sure yours is world class. If you are pitching on the strength of your social media capabilities, expect the client to evaluate you on your feeds and followers.

Bring Ideas

PR Agency Search Got EasierIf a client is looking for ideas, share them — because they illustrate how you think. But be careful!  Because if they’re far-fetched, overly ambitious or demonstrate a lack of knowledge of the company or industry, they’ll just as easily highlight what you don’t know as much as what you do know. Holding back on ideas because you fear that clients might steal them is misplaced. In general, it’s not the ideas that are important – it’s the client’s confidence that you can execute them.

Be Responsive

Your interactions with the prospective client say a lot about work styles and most important – that you will do what you say you will do. Communicate proactively if you need more time and provide reasons, not excuses. Being responsive also means making sure that you deliver within the time that is allocated and provide what is asked for.

Ask Questions

In agency searches or RFPs, asking questions is critical. If there is a defined time and place for them, respect this. Clients will evaluate the questions you ask for what they say about you and your team’s knowledge of the company and industry. Smart questions will help you get hired.

Bring in the Team That Will Work on the Business 

Don’t do a bait and switch. There’s nothing worse than bringing in the big guns and not the people who will work on the business. Clients see through this. They want access to senior people but also need to feel comfortable that they’re seeing people who will be day-to-day contacts.

Be Authentic

In a highly competitive and increasingly specialized marketplace, clients are looking for agencies and consultants they can relate to, with the skillsets to do the best job for their business.

While it may be tempting to try to shoehorn your firm into a pitch that’s not a great fit, the chances of success are low. It’s important to keep in mind that there’s an approach, person and agency for every business. It’s not one size fits all.

Can you fake it until you make it? Maybe, but it won’t last. It’s important to have the discipline to pitch business for which you are qualified or qualify yourself for the business you pitch. The point is, there’s an opportunity to adjust, change approaches, hire people, train, learn, manage your business and how you communicate to fit the needs of clients.

You don’t need to be reminded that building a business is hard. Success is more likely to come when we banish egos and keep in mind the choices companies have in a competitive landscape.  It will make it easier to do what it takes to ensure that your firm is positioned to win.

Simon Erskine Locke, Founder & CEO, CommunicationsMatch™

Locke developed and launched CommunicationsMatch, an agency search and engagement platform with 5,000 listed firms and professionals in 12 countries, to help companies find and engage agencies, consultants and freelancers that match needs. A founder of communications agencies and startups, he previously headed communications functions at Prudential Financial, Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Bank. Become an agency or individual member of CommunicationsMatch. Click here.

 Steve Drake and Robert Udowitz founded RFP Associates in 2011 after observing the agency selection process from “both sides of the aisle” and recognizing the need to streamline and improve the way searches are made and agencies are selected from an honest, unbiased approach. Between them, over the course of their careers Robert and Steve have worked at agencies, corporations, and trade associations in New York, Washington, and, for Steve, in Beijing and Shanghai, where he opened Fleishman-Hillard’s first offices in Mainland China. In recent years they have also been sole practitioners for a variety of clients seeking media, crisis, and strategic communications counsel.

2015 Creative PR post

5 Tips to Get in Your #Creative #PR Groove

, , , , , , , 10

Untitled-2Years ago, I was a PR person working at a creative marketing communications agency. The company had three distinct divisions: PR / Communications (that was my area), Creative Marketing & Advertising and Web, Multimedia & Video. At the time, I was not intimately involved in the brainstorming, creative design and the development of innovative marketing concepts at my firm. However, when a client from the PR side of the house needed some branding work, creative design for a media kit, or a newsroom, it was so much fun to work with the marketing and web teams. We shared ideas, concepts and I was able to watch how creative ideas came to life.

Fast-forward 15+ years, and the scope of my day has most certainly changed. The role I play creatively is distinctly different. What happened between then and now? PR has EXPANDED.

Today, PR is very much involved in different types of creative work. It’s most apparent with PR agencies that are changing their structures. Some are hiring in-house creative professionals and building creative teams or finding great creative partners. Because of social media, we’re able to use our creativity and apply our skills in other areas that were not traditionally in our wheelhouse. At the same time, we’re working more closely with marketing, branding, digital and web teams. We’re learning to think and develop creatively for our own programs. It’s the best thing that has ever happened to PR and we need to take advantage of all of the new responsibilities.

If you’re seeing these new opportunities and you really want to get into your creative PR groove, then here are a few areas for you to explore that may help you to expand your creative practice:

Tip #1: PR Tech Test and Use Creative Tools. There are so many creative tools that allow you to build visuals to make your content come to life.  PR pros are “tech testing” by rolling up their sleeves and learning how to develop infographics with the help of tools including Piktochart and Vizualize.me.  There are also resources such as Canva that allow you to use simple design software to create presentations, brochure covers, posters and photo collages.  Of course, if you’re looking for a reasonable design solution where you can manage the creative process, then services such as eLance are cost effective. You can have designers bid on your project and create designs for you.

Tip #2: Learn More About Color. Color is an important element in the development of your brand and the customer experience. You have to make sure that the colors you use in your designs and imagery are consistent across a number of platforms and formats. The colors you use on the web are not the same colors you use for print.  There are tools and resources to learn more about color. For example, Adobe Kuler lets you to explore the rules of color, what colors are complementary and how to make custom colors. With Adobe Kuler you can generate color schemes and use them for your creative projects.

Tip #3: Open up Your Brainstorm. Don’t limit your brainstorm to people who are always familiar with your projects and who will have biases based on what they know. It’s great to open up your brainstorm to get a new perspective. There are companies that go far beyond the marketing and PR departments to get input on a creative concept, project design or visual experience. You can take your brainstorm to the next level by involving other people in your company, the folks who are not limited in their thinking and will offer you a fresh set of eyes.

Tip #4: Dive into Data for More Creative Angles. Take the time to look at different types of data. From website traffic and social media analytics to interesting sales trends about your customers, the data you have may help you to pitch interesting story angles to the media. Show your journalists that you have more insights than they do about customer behavior and emerging market trends. When you start comparing data sets from different areas of your company, you may walk away with some interesting observations that can lead to great creative pitches and stories.

Tip #5: Read Creative Blogs. It’s time to expand your reading into the creative realm. If you’re looking for the best blogs, then you should check out Alltop.com, which is still my favorite online magazine rack. At Alltop you can search for design bloggers right down to the ones that focus on “Just Creative” or “Think Design.” You can also look for creative marketing and advertising blogs to expand your frame of reference. In addition, there are a number of art blogs to spark your creative juices. Tapping into creative communities is a great way to draw out your own creative PR thinking.

There are so many ways to enhance your creative PR.  Getting in the groove may take some time and effort, but it’s definitely worth the investment when you’re able to create compelling stories but that you can visually bring to life through various channels and formats. At the same time, what you’re learning helps you to work with other areas of marketing. You’re also speaking an integrated language, bringing your PR out of a silo and into a larger world of creative communication.

How do you get into your creative PR groove?

 

Deirdre Breakenridge PRSAICON 2014

PRSA Expert Express Talk : PR Expanded ( Global, Disruptive Tech, Big Data )

, , 0

Deirdre Breakenridge PRSAICON 2014Somehow, trends, topics and making connections in social media ( PR Expanded ) sounds like it would take a lot more than 20 minutes to explain. However, I managed to share three big trends along with three new practices for PR professionals in an Expert Express Talk at the PRSA International Conference in Washington, DC ( #PRSAICON ).  My goal for session was to challenge communicators and push the envelope with new roles and responsibilities, as a result of our continuously changing landscape.

Here are the THREE big trends that communications professionals need to pay attention to closely, as they sharpen their skills to handle 21st century communications:

  1. Embracing Disruptive Technologies: Social, Mobile, Cloud, and Sensors. The disruption is never-ending.  It’s not that you want to solely focus on the technology. Instead, you want to understand and counsel businesses on why and how the public uses these technologies. We can’t afford to be reactive anymore. We have to proactively be ahead of what our companies need to know with respect to their audiences to build stronger relationships through communication. It sounds like a tall order but it takes a NO COMPLACENCY mindset. I can’t remember the last time I felt comfortable or complacent about technology. You’d have to go all the way back to the days of my early career when I was behind a typewriter and faxing news releases to newspaper editorial departments. There was always a chance of not be able to manage the message, but not to the extent we face today!
  2. Serving the global organization. You must think “global” in a number of ways. Knowing that communication has no borders and boundaries. Understanding diverse environments internally and externally. Working with speed, flexibility and accuracy outside of your normal communication zones. This extends beyond the four walls of your communications department in your company. And of course, you also realize the extended reach of social media with a network of networks and an audience of audiences. Where you think you’re communicating always goes so much farther than intended. You’re connecting and building relationships with people in different areas of the world. Doing your homework on different cultures and their customs is more necessary than ever. Even something as simple as saying, “Good Morning” on Twitter will set off a response of good afternoon, good evening and goodnight from your network.
  3. Keeping an eye on Data and Data Education. This is HUGE on a number of different levels. One of my best examples is from the early days of my career when I was an intern.  Let’s go back to 1987. My SVP said, “If you want to build a relationship, then you have to think like a journalist.” We had a lot of financial clients, so I would read the office copies of Barron’s and Investor’s Business Daily and scan the office copies of The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal). I wanted to understand what was important to my journalist “friends” and needed to see how they reported on matters that affected our clients.  Fast forward to 2014, data fuels their stories today.  If journalists are learning about data journalism, then shouldn’t PR people be educated as well? Journalists are increasingly using data and PR people will be poised to offer interesting insights to them. There is no shortage of tools that can collect and filter information about your customers and market so you can creatively pitch to journalists to help them with their stories.

As a result of these three important trends, you have to shift or morph into new roles and responsibilities.  I wrote the book about the eight new practices, but they too have EXPANDED. Each practice is expanding. Here are three roles that will help you with the three trends I’ve identified.  They focus on Technology, Global Collaboration and the Data Education.

  1. So, you may already be familiar with what I call a “PR Tech Tester.” Experimenting with new resources, tools, platforms and various apps on your smartphone.   Every week I continue to learn and tech test. It was Snapchat and Tumblr yesterday, and now it’s Ello and YikYak. However, today you have to be PR Tech Specialist, knowing why you should use these platforms, who is already there participating the most and what they like to do, how to engage your audiences appropriately and measure the engagement as well. You should be able to strategically recommend and incorporate new technologies into our planning long before someone asks you if you’re familiar with a particular resource. You’re there and you already know!
  2. You may already be familiar with the Internal Collaboration Generator, who is the professional who makes sure the team or department is connected via social media on the inside of the company. You already know the importance of internal communication and being collaborative. If everyone is on the same page internally, then think of how much better your external communications will be. No more emails that get lost in a black hole.  Now, we have to be Global Collaborator. You need to work more globally within the organization, sharing, collaborating and innovating across departments, specializations, and businesses to create the external communication that transcends borders and boundaries. You have a responsibility to understand different cultures, to be more timely and flexible with our connections, as a result of more global communication.
  3. Education (my passion), whether it’s on a higher level (college and university) or it could be in our virtual classrooms mentoring younger professionals. Just keep your eye on data. That’s right, it’s the science part of what we do. Social media has exposed you to an explosion of data. It’s not someone else’s job anymore. At first, I labeled our new measurement practice, the “Master of the Metrics.” What did this mean? It was a PR wake up call for professionals to understand and use different types of metrics that were available through social media and how to report them. The goal was to match the metrics to the program objectives, knowing who would be interested in business metrics vs. community metrics. Of course, now you have to advance so that data education is not just about capturing metrics for your programs. It’s using data in PR to pitch journalists, know your markets better, comparing your PR data to other data in the organization seamlessly to better understand customer needs and issues, and the list goes on. I believe that being data educated will be in the physical classroom in our certification programs and will also appear in our social communities where we share and learn. We have now moved to PR Analytics Engineers, a new innovative practice that has morphed out of our use of data.

So now you have it … three trends and three new practices for you to embrace!  So, ask yourself, are you ready for the Future of PR and to be a PR Tech Specialist, a Global Collaborator or a PR Analytics Engineer who leads PR into the Future?

Brad Phillips

The Three Things To Kill In Your Media Interviews

, , , , , , , , , , 4

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.

 

PRStudChat

PRStudChat April Session: Technology & Data Allows You to Target & Amplify Grassroots Efforts

, , , , , , , , 0

PRStudChatToday, with instant access to technology and an abundance of data, sharing information with audiences is quick, easy and can cross borders in an instant.  The online grassroots effort has the potential to be highly targeted, achieve a greater reach, and create more impact than in year’s past.

On Tuesday, April 22, 2014 at 8:30 p.m. ET, the #PRStudChat community will take a deep dive into how technology and data can help marketers better target and then amplify a grassroots initiative.

The discussion is open to those in public relations and marketing, who are looking to take their grassroots efforts to a new plateau. Questions to be answered by the community include:

1.     How does a grassroots communications campaign differ from other types of PR campaigns?

2.     Have you ever participated in or managed a grassroots campaign? What resonated most?

3.      What are the strengths of grassroots marketing ? Why should companies bother?

4.      Are local initiatives helpful for a national or global brand?

5.      What are some of the key tactics for implementing a grassroots initiative?

6.      How can technology help facilitate your grassroots marketing?

7.      What considerations should you have in measuring a grassroots campaign?

8.      Which is more important- reach or passion?

9.      When narrowcasting, as opposed to broadcasting, is it possible to scale?

10.   What are some examples of successful grassroots efforts?

11.   What are the biggest challenges in successfully launching a grassroots initiative?

If you have any questions around the topic or thoughts you want to share, in advance of the session, feel free to DM us or post your questions in our LinkedIn Discussion Group.  We hope you’ll join us for a dynamic Twitter chat session focused on technology, data and the grassroots effort.  We look forward to “seeing” you on the 22nd!

More About PRStudChat:

It began with a simple question asked by Angela Hernandez, then President of PRSSA at Central Michigan University (CMU). “Is PR Right for me?” A follow up blog post by PR 2.0 expert Deirdre Breakenridge inspired a series of direct messages on Twitter between Breakenridge and fellow PR industry pro, Valerie Simon. This was an important question and one that should be explored beyond one student or one blog post. Why not build a community to help students across the country, and even the globe, learn from the experience and perspective of industry professionals… A community where everyone can learn and grow together. Read more

Gen Y

Generation Y: Overcoming the Stereotypes

, , , , , , , 0

A Guest Post by Drew Slater

Screen Shot 2013-10-15 at 8.53.09 AM

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” – Thomas Jefferson

What does this quote mean to you? Do you find it amazing that a quote said by a man who was born over 250 years ago is still relevant? Psh…I know I do.

Our generation, Generation Y, gets a lot of flak for being entitled and not truly knowing what hard work really means. Whether or not you believe the assumptions to be true or not, your beliefs are a moot point because the reality is, the assumptions are out there. The question is, what are you going to do about it? Prove them right or prove them wrong?

I for one love to prove people wrong and don’t like listening to people group me into something not based on my own actions, but rather group me into something based on the actions of others. Honestly, it kind of ticks me off because I know I have worked hard to get where I am and how hard I continue to work to get where I want to go. I would like to assume most people in Generation Y feel the same way (sigh…I hope so…), so I’ve tried to identify a few ways to help alter the perception about us.

–  Just Do It. – This should be your motto. Chances are you didn’t start with direct reports or in the corner office and you are swamped with a lot of work which you feel is beneath you. Look around, there isn’t anyone beneath you. Once you realize that, the better you’ll be. If your colleague or boss tells you to do something that you don’t really want to do it, wait for it…just do it. Show him or her you can do it because whether or not you realize it, everyone starts from somewhere and everyone has been in your shoes before.

–  Stay Quiet – Considering I am such an extrovert that it sometimes pains me to stay quiet, this one is huge. It’s quite simple. First off, no one wants to hear you complain. Second off, no one wants to hear you brag. It’s that simple. You might be frustrated because a client did this or that and you think it’s a big deal when in reality, 9 out of 10 times, everyone else has experienced it and then your rant simply amplifies your inexperience. On the flip side, don’t brag out loud. If you are in a 1:1 with your boss or small group, maybe share it, but otherwise keep it to yourself.

–  Dress Up – You are a professional, so you need to dress like a professional. Dressing like everyone is okay if you want to be like everyone. Take a minute and look around. I’m willing to bet you will notice something funny. The people in the offices and with the direct reports are normally some of the nicest dressed people day in and day out. Coincidence? Maybe, but I don’t see how dressing nice can be a bad thing anyway.

–  Stay Focused – Nowadays, there are a ton of distractions around us – social media, news, music, texts, etc. You need to practice staying away from as many personal distractions as possible during the day and stay focused with the task at hand. Just because you work hard for 15 or 20 minutes, doesn’t mean you can search through your news feed on your phone for fun. It means you still have several more hours of work ahead of you. You will also be amazed at what you can do if you stay focused and simply pump out work.

Being in Generation Y comes with a lot of negative stereotypes, but the truth is, stereotypes normally come from somewhere. While I do believe a good chunk of the generation works hard and has a good head on their shoulders, there are those who don’t and unfortunately they tarnish our image. The tips above can help you either mend or keep your image intact in the workplace. Don’t be afraid to roll up your sleeves and do whatever the job or project is and prove someone wrong. It’s fun, I promise.

1148987_10103384732500783_1169890818_nDrew Slater is a Miami native who graduated from the University of South Florida and is currently an account executive in the marketing departments for a Fortune 500 company. He has a strong passion for education, whether it is learning or teaching, and sees education as the key to success. In his spare time you can find Drew marathon training, soaking in the sun at the beach or cheering his hometown Heat or Dolphins on TV. 

You can follow Drew on Twitter @drewhslater

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brad Phillips

Six Ways to Prepare Office Staff For a Reporter’s Visit

, , , , , , , , 2

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

Brad Phillips HeadshotA local reporter is scheduled to visit your office in a few days to conduct an interview with you.

It’s a critical interview for your company, one that will impact your growth, your reputation, and your bottom line. You prepare for it carefully, huddling with your leadership team and preparing highly memorable media messages that will gain the audience’s attention—and trust. You may even conduct a mock interviewing session to gain comfort when answering challenging questions.

When the interview date arrives, you feel well-prepared. But you forgot one critical fact, one that threatens to undermine all of your efforts. Having a well-trained management team isn’t enough.

Journalists know that many executives and managers have received media training, so they occasionally circumvent the official chain of command in order to speak with a less trained (and more candid) junior staffer. With just a few careless words, those subordinates can undermine all of your media training and carefully plotted communications strategy.

When reporters visit your office, any interaction they have with employees, interns, and receptionists are considered “on the record.” Unless you reach an agreement otherwise, reporters can use their comments—and they will, especially if the quotes your employees utter are more colorful than anything a well-trained manager said. Therefore, it’s up to you to make sure your staff knows what to do and say when they’re in the presence of reporters.

This article will arm you with six specific things to do next time you’re expecting a visit from a journalist.

1. Assign an Escort

Assign an escort whenever journalists visit your office. That will help prevent reporters from “accidentally getting lost” on the way to the restroom, wandering the hallways, and striking up a conversation with the wrong person.

If the reporter is visiting your office to interview your Chief Executive Officer, for example, you can assign the CEO’s assistant as the escort. But if that assistant hasn’t received media training and isn’t familiar with your company’s main talking points, you might consider assigning an experienced media representative from your communications department instead.

2. Forge an Agreement With The Reporter

To help prevent the problem of “wandering reporters,” some organizations negotiate the terms of the interview prior to the reporter’s visit. You might consider restricting their access to personnel by asking them to agree to speak only with the previously agreed upon subject(s) of the interview.

You can also negotiate what reporters are allowed to film prior to visiting your company. For example, you might ask them not to shoot employees’ computer screens or papers on their desks.

Although many reporters are happy to comply with such terms, some may bristle at your request and disclose those agreements (or requests for those agreements) to their audience.

3. Notify Your Staff

One week before the reporter visits—and again on the day of the visit—send an email to staff alerting them to the impending visit and reminding them of your media policy.

Your media policy might allow only authorized spokespersons to speak to the press, especially when dealing with a hostile reporter or a particularly challenging subject. In those cases, instruct unauthorized employees who are approached by reporters to say that they’re not the best person to answer their questions and offer to connect them with a member of the communications department.

Although that approach may be best in some circumstances, keep in mind that reporters may note in their stories that your employees seemed “nervous” and refused to speak with them. Plus, as a practical matter, it may be difficult to prevent journalists from speaking to someone they encounter in a hallway or common area, especially if the interaction is being filmed (your on-camera intrusion would be noteworthy and could become part of the story).

Don’t leave confidential documents up on your computer screen when reporters visit, or that information may end up in the final story.

4. Brief Staff with Key Messages

In some circumstances, it’s better to allow your staff to answer basic questions about their work and your organization. That’s especially true if the reporter doesn’t typically write hostile stories and the focus of the interview with your company is about an uncontroversial topic.

If you plan on allowing your employees to speak with a reporter who approaches them in a hallway or during a tour of the office, you should prepare basic media guidelines for your staff, and provide them with your key messages so they know what the “company line” is.

It’s also a good idea to remind employees to “stay in their lanes.” It’s okay for engineers to discuss the technical details of your company’s new software, for example, but they should refuse questions that are “outside their lanes,” such as those about global marketing strategy.

5. Remind Them to Avoid The “Seven-Second Stray”

Some reporters put their subjects at ease with a warm smile, friendly demeanor, and conversational style. So if you’re going to allow staff to speak with reporters, remind them to avoid the “seven-second stray.”

The “seven-second stray” occurs when a spokesperson who is “on message” for nine minutes and 53 seconds of a ten-minute interview delivers an “off-message” quote that lasts just a few seconds. Journalists recognize those unplanned moments as newsworthy, and often use them in their news stories. So if your employee shares a wacky anecdote, disparages a competitor, or criticizes a management decision, you can bet it will make its way into the segment.

6. Ask Them to Tidy Up

Instruct your staff to remove any confidential or sensitive papers from their desktops and to avoid displaying sensitive documents on their computer screens. Ask them to remove overtly political messages from their work areas (e.g. posters and bumper stickers) that, in some cases, can endanger an organization’s tax-exempt status. You might even ask them to do a little housekeeping to leave a neat appearance.

In order to add “color” to their stories, good reporters pay attention to interesting details within eyesight or earshot. As an example, I know of one executive who decorated his office rather lavishly, largely at taxpayer expense. When a scandal erupted at his organization, reporters were quick to note the expensive rug and antique chair in his office. So before a journalist visits your office, walk through the entire office space, try to see the workspace through the eyes of a skeptical journalist, and make any necessary adjustments.

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