PR Start by Nick Lucido

Note: I apologize for the lack of posts, but some great things have been keeping my active lifestyle as active as ever.

This evening, I attended a media relations panel held by MSU PRSSA. I figured I would be able to double-up and get some blogging done while learning more about media relations. This topic is particularly interesting to me since I’m helping teach a course on the subject. As a public relations professional, you can’t learn enough on how to work with the media and this aspect of the job won’t ever change, though the media landscape is dramatically changing.

Overall, there was a lot of great information discussed during the panel, which included Jam Sardar, news director at WLNS-TV; Michael Patrick Shiels, Michigan Public Radio; and Stephanie Cepak, Gongwer.

All panelists agreed the most important aspect of media relations is relationships. Getting to know someone on a personal level will give you greater access to reporters. That was the theme of the discussion, and as you can tell, many of the tips below revolve around the idea of building a mutually beneficial relationship with members of the media. The key there is mutually beneficial, so if someone does you a favor, return it in a bigger way.

Below are some tidbits from the event:

Pet peeves:

• Sardar: If you’re going to make a pitch, make the person listed on the release available to take questions.
• Sardar: Know how the organization you’re pitching to works. Example: TV stations have a meeting in the morning to go over press releases and often decide on stories for the day. If PR folks call before the meeting, chances are that release will be on top of mind during the meeting. However, don’t follow up later in the day when stories have been decided for the day.
• Cepak: Know the medium and know the publication itself. If you don’t know who you’re pitching to, you will come across as spammy.
• Sardar: One of the worst things you can do is say “no comment.” That leaves interpretation up to the journalist.

Tips and advice:

• Cepak: Be the proactive public relations person who offers sources and ideas, instead of the person who just hands over the media packet.
• Shiels: Future PR people are going to have to best their own best PR person. Send follow-up notes, give calls that aren’t necessarily business related, and overall, be a person before a public relations professional.
• Sardar: If you’re pitching to TV, think visually so the reporters have something to film.
• Cepak: Start press conferences on time. Media organizations don’t have time to sit around and wait for you to start. Be considerate with a journalist’s time.
• Shiels: You might be able to get your client on the air in ways you never thought of before. By following the news and analyzing trends, you’ll be able to do the media person’s job for them. Media folks don’t have time to do their jobs anymore, so by giving them the entire package, your chances of getting coverage will increase.
• Sardar: Look for opportunities. Many clients will have boring, crappy stories for you to pitch, but be creative and look for opportunities to find different angles. This is what journalists do for a living, so try to put yourself in their shoes.
• Cepak: Find a better way to say “no comment;” try to explain why you’re not able to go in depth. Anything is better than not answering the question.
• All: Getting a hold of a reporter will not be easy, but it’s important to make a solid first impression and start a trusting relationship right off the bat.

Overall, Jam Sardar summed it up nicely: Journalists are looking to write about something that affects peoples’ lives. If PR folks can fit in there, that’s when the two work best.