Media Relations: Trust Me!

No matter how technology driven the world becomes, no PR news distribution seems to work better than when utilizing a trusted relationship. So how do you differentiate yourself from the “spin doctors” and become a trusted PR practitioner with good, relevant stories? You will not gain the trust of a reporter by inserting “Mass Murder” into the subject line of a distribution for your exterminator client’s recent success.

What will help is making an effort to find out what works best / what makes a particular media representative’s life easier. You must take the time to earn a media outlet’s trust. It could start with an introductory call. Is your client’s news something their beat would even cover? How do they like to receive news? PDF? Fax? Carrier pigeon?

One of the many reasons PR practitioners are so valuable is their access to relevant publications. Especially during timely situations, it is important to have that established trust…to have the ear of a reporter. Unfortunately, some reporters simply do not trust PR professionals due to bad experiences and bad pitching. You can avoid this by speaking the truth and being professional.

It has been done for decades, but sometimes we need reminding: Stop in, have lunch…become someone the media not only picks up the phone for but uses as a resource. Give them good stuff, have the facts and be responsive! Finally, assume their deadline is now, since it probably is.

News that Gets Noticed: Distribution Techniques

Technology enhances the techniques public relations professionals utilize to communicate with the media, but it can be challenging to keep up with the many innovative methods of disseminating news. Sure, dropping media kits attached to tiny parachutes from planes will get some attention, but there are much less expensive and more accurate options. It’s a matter of selecting the most appropriate method for your newsworthy information, target audiences and media outlets.

More recent online “innovations” for connecting with the media include PitchEngine and HARO. PitchEngine takes a nontraditional approach by creating a “social media release,” eliminating e-mail attachments and allowing the user to create a customized newsroom. Help a Reporter Out (HARO) allows you to connect with journalists looking for particular sources for their stories. From daily updates, HARO users can peruse legitimate reporter “queries” for which their PR news may be a perfect fit.

From video pitches and Twittering to the more traditional news release and press conference, it’s good to use a variety of techniques. It’s helpful to take advantage of live, online pitching workshops and “Webinars” to stay up-to-date. Whichever technique you use, the pitch itself has to be good, which leads me to another topic all together: the pitch. Look for more on pitching in the coming weeks. In the mean time, I am interested in hearing what you have experienced: new distribution methods, tips or disasters we can all learn from?

Communicators, Prevent Awkwardness through Etiquette

As a public relations practitioner (and generally appropriate person), etiquette is one of my favorite topics. While I’ve encountered many uncertain situations, I find having some knowledge of etiquette provides confidence, especially as a communicator.

The inevitable “oops” is bound to happen, but for communicators, knowing your stuff will help both clients and your company. For instance, on which side of your shirt do you where a nametag? What do you do with that used Splenda packet at the table? Who do you introduce first…your boss or your father? Is that my water on the right? It’s enough to make you avoid social situations all together.

Here’s one trick for that eternal bread vs. drink directional question. The easy-to-remember solution lies in your hands – Make a circle with each hand using your thumb and index finger. You’ll create a “b” and a “d” shape, indicating bread to the left and drink to the right. Outstanding! That’s one problem solved.

To prevent snafus, every PR pro should own an etiquette book (great gift for recent grads). There are many to choose from, covering everything from Twitter to Triathlons, but Emily Post is tried and true. I prefer the condensed version (small enough to fit in my Poppins-like purse).