Read the text and trace the development of press releases.

What is “Media relations”?

“Media relations” involves working with various media for the purpose of informing the public of an organization's mission, policies and practices in a positive, consistent and credible manner. Public relations firms and agencies can: advice clients on media relations, giving advice on how to build good working relationships; provide media training, teaching people how to work effectively with media; design media kits to give journalists background information; organize press conferences or media briefings to answer questions from journalists; write fact sheets with information about a specific topic; prepare news releases or press releases. It allows access to both large and small target audiences and helps build public support and mobilizing public opinion for an organization. The goal of media relations is to maximize positive coverage in the mass media without paying for it directly through advertising. Typically, this means coordinating directly with the people responsible for producing the news and features in the mass media. Dealing with the media presents unique challenges in that the news media cannot be controlled — they have ultimate control over whether stories pitched to them are of interest to their audiences. Because of this, ongoing relationship between an organization and the news media is vital. However, nothing inspires more fear and trepidation in public relations professionals than media relations.

Tips to help you build sound relationships with journalists:

1. Have a Good Story Ready to Go. Whether writing a book or a news article, a good story must have certain elements such as a theme, a hero, and a beginning, middle and end, to make it compelling. Journalists recognize a strong story within seconds, so learn how to tell yours quickly and succinctly. That's good storytelling. If you're going to set up set interviews with the press, make sure you have a fully developed story that the reporter will be interested in hearing. Don't expect a reporter to have a list of questions. Instead, make sure you tell them a story so unique and colourful that the reporter can't help but want to ask more questions.

2. Know Your Audience. You wouldn't call potential clients without knowing something about their business, so don't call the media blindly. Before you pitch any media outlet, study it.

3. It's All About Relationships. Whose call are you more likely to take? A vendor you've never spoken to before or one who has taken the time to develop a relationship and truly understands your needs? It is no different with the media. As with any relationship, building trust is critical. If you are upfront about what you can and can't do, reporters will appreciate it and remember.

4. Create the Unexpected. Look for out-of-the ordinary partnerships for spurring media interest. For instance, at Vorhaus, we wanted to position one of our clients, Buick, as a contemporary car company for younger consumers. To do that, we decided that we needed to generate publicity for Buick beyond traditional automotive press. We leveraged Buick's relationship with American fashion designer, Joseph Abboud, to create a joint fashion show/car unveiling. Attending media was far from ordinary: GQ, Men's Health, Vanity Fair and more.

5. Pitching is Fun. When you land your first big story, you suddenly get pitching fever. Here are some quick tips to make those calls easier:

a. Use this effective introduction: "We haven't spoken before." Forget the days of pretending to be a reporter's best friend. Journalists don't fall for it and they actually miss the first valuable minutes of your pitch trying to figure out who you are. Be upfront.
b. Hone your pitch to a 15 second elevator speech.

c. Always ask if a reporter is on deadline. If so, find out a good time to call back, and do.

d. Know your story inside and out. This allows you to revise your pitch as you hear objections instead of folding instantly. Know enough to pitch other clients too.

e. Try different approaches. All journalists have personal preferences about how they like to be contacted so try a variety of techniques. Often a brief, compelling paragraph sent via e-mail is an effective yet unobtrusive introduction.

f. Follow-up. Many potential leads are lost simply because PR people don't follow through on them. If a reporter tells you to call back another time, make sure you do.

g. Persistence. There is a fine line between being persistent and annoying, but if you truly know your story and your audience, there is no shame in steadfastlymaking contact attempts until you get the reporter on the phone. (Just don't keep leaving messages.)

6. Be Creative. While it's easy to recycle the same old press releases and fact sheets, infusing your media plans with some innovative thinking will produce stronger, more effective results. For instance, when introducing Peanut Butter & Jelly Cups from Russell Stover Candies, we positioned the product as part of the growing retro trend and tied into adult nostalgia for childhood. We sent out "Wouldn't You Like to Be a Kid Again?" personalized purple lunch boxes filled with jacks, jump ropes and product to media nationwide along with compelling video footage. We reached more than 15 million consumers with the message that our new candy is fun for all ages. Media as diverse as The Rosie O'Donnell Show, Today, Seventeen and Time all covered the product.

7. Good Writing Counts. Adopt a journalistic approach. Look carefully at how reputable publications such as The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal write a story: the lead and quotes they use. Study different types of stories -- features, executive changes, news articles. For the most part, you'll see the inverted pyramid style where the most important information is in the lead and the rest of the story flows from there. Despite recent e-word mania, it's time to eliminate jargon and buzz words. Say what you want, but say it simply and plainly.

8. Have a Strategy. Don't use the same media strategy for every story. Think about whom you want to reach and how to create excitement.

The power of the media is unquestionable - the dramatic effect it can have on public opinion and decision making is quite unique. Knowing how to use the media effectively is an essential skill for the public relations practitioner. Success with media relations is a sure way to show that you are at the top.

Дата добавления: 2015-07-14