Working With The Media: They're Doing a Job Just Like You

If you want to get good publicity, respect the media.

That means answering their phone calls and acknowledging their inquiries. You can't have a “relationship” with the media if it's all one-sided. Someday, you'll want to make a press announcement that will cast your company in a good light. But don't expect great coverage if you've got a reputation for snubbing the media or treating them unprofessionally.

Like any relationship, media relations is a two-way street. There will be times when they ask you questions you don't want to answer. Before you rush to “no comment,” consider crafting a reply that shows you cared enough about their inquiry to actually think about it.

That doesn't mean you have to give away the store. “Acknowledging” a reporters inquiry is not the same as responding to it. You don't need to provide a direct response to the question at hand. But relationships begin with interaction and respect for each other, so step back and think about how you will respond.

Remember, the media is doing a job just like you. You might feel they are adversarial when they are being inquisitive. You could feel their approach is confrontational when they see themselves as aggressively pursuing a story. But you don't have to choose between fighting or taking flight with a “no comment.” You can interact with the media in an intelligent way that will build you some capital with them for when you need them to help you get a story out.

If you don't know how to do this, get with a good PR firm and get some advice and counsel and some media training fast. You'll be glad you did.

The World Of Social Media Is All Around You: Use It To Your Advantage

Everyday it seems another social media site is created. It might feel overwhelming as you try to keep track of the ever-changing landscape of the Web.

But in this age of online business, it's more important than ever to be aware of the changes that are taking place and learn how they can help you and your business grow.

“Social media” to many folks means Facebook, Twitter, and maybe LinkedIn. But, believe it or not, these three sites are just the tip of the iceberg.

There are thousands of sites out there that can be considered social media sites. These online communities offer a great opportunity to make connections through mutual interests in a personal hobby like golf, cooking, or exercise. You name the topic and there's probably a social media site for it. There are stand-alone sites and sites connected to the Web sites of niche magazines. Nearly every day a new community springs to life on the Web.

And, these new social sites offer great opportunities to expand your business.

Don't feel overwhelmed. It really only takes some time and old-fashioned detective work to connect to hundreds of communities where people are interested in discussing your interests. Take a few minutes each day to explore sites that might help you expand your reach. Maybe you'll even discover places where you want to buy some “targeted” advertising.

Tackling this ever-changing new dimension of the business world might seem like a daunting task, but its vastness shouldn't deter you from jumping in. View it as an opportunity to make more contacts, have some fun, learn, and share your expertise.

Your hard work might even turn up some new customers. The ball's in your court; the information is out there. It's up to you to take it and run with it.

The Conversation Turns Ugly Online. What's Your Next Step?

Facebook is an inexpensive and effective way of spreading the word about your products and company. It's a great tool for gathering input from your customers, for hearing what they have to say. But be prepared. What they have to say may not be all good.

With social media like Facebook and Twitter, you've got to be willing and prepared to receive and engage with folks about the good and the bad. The scathing criticism. The negative critique of your product. Even the unsubstantiated rumor.

When those kinds of comments appear on your Facebook page, do NOT delete them. Remember, social media is a conversation. It's an open forum that needs to be respected as such.

Don't ignore negative comments. (And, a word of caution here: you can appear to ignore negative comments because you're not paying attention, so keep a watchful eye.)

Think of negative comments as an opportunity. Step back, seriously analyze what the negative comment is really saying. Develop a strategy for addressing your critic. And jump into the discussion.

Don't be defensive. Realize instead that this is a great opportunity for you to demonstrate that your company really cares about what its customers think. If you're really interested in serving them better, this is the time to show that.

As you engage in an open, online discussion with your critic, you might just discover something that could be done better. When you do, take steps to improve your product or service, then go back online and tell your fans about it – and thank the critic for bringing it to your attention.

A critical comment could be the beginning of many interactions with your fans/customers as they see that you not only “talk the talk” of social media engagement, but “walk the walk” of truly engaging in a conversation. And, as other customers chime in with their unsolicited, positive comments about your company, you'll benefit from a third party endorsement that is invaluable.

Social Media... Leave It To The Professionals....

Your business is ready to develop a Social Media plan. You know you need one. But just how do you come up with a plan and then put that plan into action? Researching the efforts of similar businesses is a good place to start, as is doing a thorough audit of your own company's needs.

Your social media plan is an essential first step if you want your social media program to be successful. But you don't have the time or expertise to develop one. What are some options? Professional help? An intern?

Once the plan is formulated, who will implement it? Options again: professional help or an intern.

We're all cost-conscious today. So some companies opt for the intern. Okay, you won't get the benefits of professional experience and expertise, but it's certainly a cheaper way to go. An intern can post updates on your Facebook and Twitter pages and maybe even write a blog for you. Choose an intern who's enthusiastic about your product or the causes you support and the intern may fit seamlessly into your organization chart. Problem solved.

But, social media programs are not that simple. There's a lot to think about first.

Sure, college kids today have grown up with computers. As “early adopters” of social media, they can bring you a vast knowledge of the workings of social media Web sites. They probably feel way more comfortable with the medium than you do. They've been tweeting, using Facebook and blogging since those sites were launched. They probably even know of some sites you've never heard of.

But a knowledge of the use of social media doesn't necessarily mean a person is ready to be put in charge of your company's marketing message and reputation. Remember, while the intern may know “how” to interact with others on the social media sites, he or she is unlikely to know how to best utilize social media for you and your business. Life experience and business experience are just as important as social media experience.

Should you be thinking about bringing in the pros?

The heart of public relations is communications. A good PR team is experienced at working everyday to cajole positive editorial coverage for clients out of the media. They know how to forge and build relationships that produce results. Social media is just another extension of those kinds of communications, of conversations.

Writing comes naturally to PR pros. Engaging blog postings, Facebook updates and Tweets flow easily.

In addition to writing and communications, good PR professionals think strategically. That really comes in handy when a Facebook status update could be the beginning of a possible PR problem. Would your intern recognize when to address an issue or when to leave it alone? What experiences would your intern draw upon to handle the issue in your absence?

A good PR team will bring life and business experience to the table — plus they'll have made it their business to understand yours. That leads to strategic decisions and appropriate actions when the need for fast thinking arises. PR pros have been handling such challenges since long before the dawn of the Social Media era.

On the surface, an intern might seem like a logical and cost-effective way to maintain your presence on the Social Media landscape, but before you choose that path, ask yourself the big
questions.

Who do you want to represent your company when customers come to call? Would you send an intern out to represent your products to your customers face-to-face?

How would you have your company's spokesperson handle any important customer interaction?

Would you put your brand in the hands of someone who's inexperienced?

Would you rely on the counsel of an intern when making marketing or sales decisions?

Would you ask an intern to resolve an issue that could have important PR implications for your company?

Or would you rather entrust your brand and reputation to a seasoned professional experienced in the real world of PR and marketing?

Social media provides the biggest opportunity your company will have to reach people directly and make an impression.

Is that a job for an intern?

TEN THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE YOU LAUNCH A BUSINESS BLOG

Blogging for business.

It’s so easy to get into— and just as easy to get wrong. A business blog is a vehicle for you to develop relationships with consumers. To educate them about your products and services. To build a community of people who are involved in a conversation about your company.

Designing, maintaining and updating a blog should not be taken lightly.

Here are ten things to consider before you launch a blog:

1. Is your company ready to make the commitment to doing a blog?

2. Will the blog be an integrated part of your marketing program?

3. Do you have a plan for your blog? What do you want your blog to accomplish?

4. How frequently will your blog be updated?

5. How will the blog meet the needs of your customers? How will you keep customers coming back to the blog for more information or to interact with the company? What business-related topics are most engaging? Why?

6. What will be the tone and “voice” of your blog?

7. Will one writer provide postings or several? If more than one, how will you insure the “voice” is consistent?

8. Will you provide for “guest” bloggers? How will they be identified/positioned?

9. Is there sufficient in-house writing and marketing expertise to do the blog correctly?

10. Is it more cost-effective and efficient to contract with someone to write blog postings regularly?

CLIENTS AND PR FIRMS: RELATIONSHIPS NEED TO BE BUILT ON RESPECT AND TRUST

It's the age-old story of people who make their living selling their time.

PR pros pretty much know how long a particular kind of work assignment might take, but they also know that unexpected variables can shrink or stretch timelines. Clients who haven't worked with PR firms, often seem surprised about all the steps that consume time, as well as what it really takes to get good results.

For any time-based relationship to work, there has to be a basis of trust. Any good — and successful — business relationship has to start there.

Clients, you need to realize that the PR pro you hire wants to get good media coverage for you. It's in our blood. We live to secure strong, positive feature coverage. With pictures. We get a thrill every time we're successful.

If we're unsuccessful, we don't need threats to motivate us. We don't need to be verbally dressed down. Believe me, we're already beating ourselves up.

PR pros, you need to keep track of how you spend your clients' time. Yes, it's their time, not yours. They're paying for it and you're on their clock every time you work on their behalf. Guard that time as if you were paying for it out of your own pocket.

Remember, time is money in this business. Keep careful time logs of your activities for each particular assignment. Careful record keeping will pay off when you need to estimate time for similar future assignments. Tracking will also be your first line of defense if a client inquires about the time you've invested — or if a challenge about results rears its head as a prelude to a client seeking to avoid payment for services rendered.

PR is not a science and, most times, you can't predict results. You can have all your ducks in a row and be the best PR person in the world, but, in the end, you're not in control. A third party makes the decision on whether your news runs and when. It's an uncontrollable.

But you can try your very best. That's what professionals do.

How to avoid a future dust up? Before entering into an agreement with a client, be clear about expectations.

Are you being hired to write a press release and dedicate a set amount of hours to follow up and pitch to targeted media? Have you and the client outlined goals? Does your client trust you as a professional who will do his very best to achieve the desired results?

Or do you have a “results only” agreement? Do you have a clear understanding and mutual agreement that payment will only follow the appearance of coverage in specific media? In short, no story in USA Today, no check?

Either kind of arrangement is fair — if both parties are in agreement.

But few professional firms will work on a results-only basis and those that do charge a premium for getting coverage in your target media.

So what's best for you? We like to be partners with our clients and that means we establish a basis of trust. We're treated fairly and we treat them fairly. We work our tails off to get great results for them. And, most of the time, our results are so good that we go way beyond their expectations.

There's an atmosphere of trust and a commitment to performance. Everybody wins.

WHY WON'T THE MEDIA COVER MY NEWS?

You've taken a lot of time to put together a press release announcing the opening of your store. You've sent it to the local media. And, yet, not one reporter has called you. Not one media has covered your news. What went wrong?

Here are some tips for getting your news in the news:

Don't use exclamation points to proclaim your news. If what you're announcing is really news, the editor will recognize it.

Be sure your press release doesn't sound like an ad. Don't insult editors by sending them a press release that is really an ad in disguise. Put yourself in their shoes. Would you just turn this over to the sales department? What makes this news?

Check your grammar and style. Think of your release as a representation of yourself and your business. Put you best foot forward. Spelling and grammar count.

Get familiar with a media outlet before you send them your release. If your store is a clothing boutique and you send it to a golf magazine, chances are you've wasted your time and distribution money.

Send your release to the right person. Take the trouble to find out who is following your type of business and send the release directly to that reporter. The banking reporter is never going to cover your golf store, and unless you are announcing really big news, he'll just put your release in the trash.

Don't give a release to your ad rep and expect editorial because the ad rep says she'll pass it along to the editor.

Don't just send out the release and then sit back and wait to be called. Follow up and pitch your story. A release is merely a door opener.

Be flexible. Smaller publications may ask you to adapt your news to their style in order to consider publishing it. If they reach your target market, step up and do whatever they want to make your news fit.

If you don't feel comfortable writing a release or calling a reporter, hire a professional to do it for you.