Tag Archives: media relations

Sensitivity Training is Key For Effective Interviewing Skills

"Jungle Bird" (Photo by Ron Chenoy, US Presswire)

Spurred by this week’s post over on PR Daily about when should a PR pro interrupt an interview, I was motivated to write something about last Sunday’s interesting and rather amusing interruption by “Jungle Bird” during the Bob Costas interview with U.S. Open Champ Webb Simpson. In case you live in a cozy apartment at the bottom of the Marianas Trench and missed this video clip, it is rather amusing.

Here is a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7z00nX1zqo4 Continue reading

If You are Going to Help a Reporter, Remember to be helpful

Help a Reporter, as it says was designed to be helpful to both the PR pro and the reporter. I know that as a PR pro I have scored many cool PR opportunities for my clients by answering queries. As a contributing writer for PR Breakfast Club, I have often used this service to get quotes and answer topics for stories that I am writing.

Being the recipient of pitches has been very interesting to say the least. I have quickly learned that there is a huge difference between the helpful query response and the annoying query response. Continue reading

The Myth of Advanced Media Relations

In the past several years I’ve attended seminars, webinars, and a couple of conference sessions about “advanced media relations.” You’d think after the first one I would have learned, or you’d think after spending dollar-after-dollar and hearing the same thing over-and-over,  I would have figured it out: advanced media relations is a myth.  Yet, I kept attending, focused on professional development and perhaps hoping that I’d find that magical key to making media relations easier. I didn’t.  Continue reading

How to Become a Reporter’s Best Friend

A few weeks ago, I was pulling into my driveway, after a long week of work, when I received a phone call from a reporter I work with wanting a quote for a story. I spent the next two hours calling and e-mailing clients trying to gather a comment. I never did get a comment, but the reporter did express gratitude for the effort.

This little exercise reminds me of why some PR practioners maintain good relations with the media, and others don’t. Here are some points to remember for young PR executives. Continue reading

Reminder: The Importance of Research

We’ve all been told since our first day in PR to make sure to do your research before pitching.

But how often is it overlooked for the sake of getting a pitch out before [insert deadline from supervisor]?

Case in point: The Bloggess vs. Brandlink Communications.

Jenny Lawson, aka “The Bloggess” posted about her receipt of an irrelevant pitch more than once, and replied with her standard response for pitches sent from people who clearly did not do their research. Continue reading

Journalist Relationships

There have been an unbelievable number of articles circulating lately about the horrible relationships between PR pros and reporters. This is of course is based on the countless bad PR professionals out there who are making it hard for the rest of us and the reporter who has to deal with them.

However, when we are not hating on each other, sometimes friendships are formed. Not all reporters and PR pros are at odds, some work well together. Let’s face it, we work together daily and sometimes talk more frequently than you do with the co-worker in the next cubicle over. Forming relationships are almost inevitable if you are a quality PR pro.  Continue reading

Is Traditional PR Even Worth It?

Any PR pro knows that PR is entirely different than marketing and advertising. So how much should be done online and how much should be done through more traditional styles? That depends; how much what? The answer to this question differs depending on if you are discussing marketing, advertising, or public relations.

Every company should capitalize as much as possible on new, online forms of PR. This is the latest rage in the world of PR, and for good reason. Online PR is often cheaper, allows for better targeting, reaches a wide variety of people, and is flexible. However, this does not mean that you should forget about your old, traditional PR ways. Continue reading

PR – In Media Relations, the “P” stands for “Personal”

I don’t watch much TV, and when I do it’s usually programs I have recorded so I can skip the commercials, but the other day I saw a commercial that caught my eye and got me thinking about PR.

The commercial depicted a couple approaching their local bank in an attempt to walk in and talk to a live person only to be stopped at the front door by a bank employee to let them know that if they were looking to perform a transaction, the ATM machine was just down the block.  Pressing on, they reiterate their intention is simply to speak with a live person when another bank employee comes out and states, “Is there a problem here?”

Frustrated, the couple walks away as the voiceover reminds the viewer that in a world of impersonal banking largely done online, their bank is always open and live people are available to talk to you at any time. Continue reading

Tips for Ten Minute Interviews

Clock works' gear wheels, close up, studio shotTen minutes.  That’s all you have to influence your audience.  How do you make sure your messages are communicated efficiently?

One of the most valuable things I learned from my previous job was how to own a five and,  if Iwas lucky, ten minute interview.  I worked as a publicist for a book publicity firm and scheduled  Radio Tours.  For those of you who don’t know what that means, imagine having twenty back-to-back interviews with radio hosts all over the country for approximately six hours….starting at 7:00 a.m. EST.  Sounds exhausting and intimidating right?   Continue reading