Bay of Plenty Business News August/September 2018

24 BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS NEWS August/September 2018
How to make yourself
part of the story
Sometimes making news headlines means being willing and
responsive to seize on major news stories and other opportunities
as they arise.
TELLING YOUR STORY
> BY JAMES HEFFIELD
Director of Bay of Plenty marketing and PR consultancy Last
Word. To find out more visit lastwordmedia.co.nz or email
james@lastwordmedia.co.nz.
The chief executive of a
fledgling national association
recently told
me how he had inserted his
organisation into a breaking
national news story by simply
picking up the phone and
asking if they wanted comment
from an industry expert.
Another organisation I work
with secured a spot on the AM
Show’s Carpool because they
had the gumption to call in and
ask to be part of it.
In both cases, the resulting
coverage was seen by hundreds
of thousands of New
Zealanders, helping to raise
awareness of the respective
organisations and position
them as experts in their industries.
In the case of the national
association, it also resulted in
new members signing up as a
direct result of seeing the association
in the news.
Being able to add your
voice to a breaking or ongoing
news story is as much about
attitude as it is about ability.
If you’re across a topic and
willing to speak to the media
at short notice, you hold a significant
advantage over those
who are gunshy in front of the
media, require time to research
a subject, or need permission
from others in their organisation
before they speak.
That’s not to say you
shouldn’t be prepared – it’s
Being able to add
your voice to a
breaking or ongoing
news story is as
much about attitude
as it is about ability.
always important to go into an
interview knowing the facts
and the key messages you
want to get across.
But if you’re quick on your
feet and willing to prioritise
media opportunities when they
arise, you can secure some
amazing coverage.
Knowing who to contact
and having existing relationships
with the media is also
helpful. You don’t need to be
on first-name terms, but if
you’ve previously spoken to
a particular journalist and they
know who you are, they are
likely to be more receptive.
Having their contact details on
hand also makes things easier.
Keep the business cards or
details of journalists you deal
with.
And consider subscribing
to a media database service
that allows you to look up
the contact details for media
organisations and specific
journalists quickly and easily.
Keep in mind that not every
trending news story should be
considered a publicity opportunity.
Never seek to comment
on disasters or sensitive
subjects for commercial gain,
and stick to topics where your
commentary will add value or
provide an angle that hasn’t
already been covered.
Tesla’s chief executive Elon
Musk learnt that lesson in painful
fashion recently when he
publicly offered the use of an
experimental mini submarine
to assist with the rescue of the
boys’ football team that was
trapped in the Tham Luang
cave in Thailand for more than
two weeks.
When his offer was rejected
as impractical by the rescue
team, Musk would have been
wise to accept their word rather
than publicly suggesting he
knew best, when he was not
directly involved in the rescue.
Also remember that making
the news is just the first step.
Once you do secure positive
coverage, make the most of it.
People are absorbing information
through a wide range
of channels, so make sure to
maximise its reach by sharing
it through your communications
channels, particularly
your social media accounts.
Recent figures from
Facebook show it has 3.2 million
monthly average users in
New Zealand, which makes it
an important platform for any
message you want to share.
Securing media coverage
can have a big impact on your
brand. Next time you see a
trending media topic that you
have expertise in, consider
reaching out to media to let
them know how you can add
value to their story. You might
be surprised by the results.