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MediaRelations
Do’s & don’ts for dealing
with the media
Good practices can
lead to good PR
By Pam Lontos
As a business owner or manager,
you probably know how important
publicity is to the success
of your company. But the truth is,
many entrepreneurs, high-level executives
and even marketing managers
make crucial mistakes when dealing
with the media. The good news is, by
being aware of the more common do’s
and don’ts of dealing with reporters
and editors, there are many steps you
can take to avoid the pitfalls.
Reporters, editors and producers—
whether they work for television,
newspapers, Web sites, magazines or
other forms of media—are deluged
with requests from hopeful business
owners, corporate public relations
professionals and other people seeking
coverage. Their days are spent
meeting deadlines while doing everincreasing
amounts of work, all the
while constantly communicating with
those publicity-seekers.
If you’re ready to receive the publicity
your business deserves, here are
several tried-and-true ways to get the
most out of your media contacts:
www.sleepproducts.org/bedtimes
1
DON’T call the journalist and then
forge ahead with whatever is on
your mind.
DO ask if the reporter or editor is
on deadline. Journalists’ time is as
important as yours and their deadline
pressures are horrendous. If
they are on deadline, ask for a good
time to call back.
2
DON’T emphasize self-promotion
over news.
DO make sure you have valuable
information to share with viewers or
readers.
DO give value-added tips, advice
or information so that you will
help improve people’s lives (i.e., the
importance of sleep), offer insights
(i.e., how stress interferes with
sleep) or entertain (i.e., a list of odd
sleeping habits). If you can achieve
that goal every time, the media will
make time for you and may even
actively pursue you for interviews
and articles.
3
DON’T say, “The answer is on our
Web site/in our brochure/in the
report” instead of giving out the information
during radio, TV or print
media interviews. You can point
journalists to that information as a
way for them to double-check facts,
but provide them the Web link, brochure,
etc., to make it easier.
DO consider your interview as a way
to show how valuable you and your
ideas are. That’s the best possible
advertising for your business.
4
DON’T ask the reporter to send you
the article so you can review and
approve it in advance. Most news
outlets have policies prohibiting
that. Prior review of every article by
every person interviewed is too time
consuming and would essentially
halt production. Additionally, if you
are one of several people being interviewed,
it is generally not appropriate
for you to review facts about
or comments by your competitors.
DO provide your contact information
for follow-ups and make yourself
available to clarify any confusing
points or answer additional questions.
Offer to help the journalist
check facts or review small sections
of the article for accuracy.
5
DON’T forget to prepare for interviews
or fail to familiarize yourself
with the readership or audience.
DON’T assume everyone should
be interested in every tiny detail of
your subject just because you are.
DO make sure your subject matter
appeals to the target audience. If you
are calling an editor at Better Homes
& Gardens magazine, make sure
you’re pitching an article that fits
with the homey, consumer-oriented
material the magazine specializes
in. Read the Web sites you want to
be quoted in; watch the interview
shows where you want to be a guest.
BedTimes | May 2009 | 59