I could easily write a 20-page blog that discusses common mistakes when working with the media to generate media coverage for a company or product. There are so many potential pitfalls to avoid and each could be described in great detail with countless examples of things I have seen happen over the years. Consider this post just a few pointers in brief form.
Why should you even care what I have to say? For starters, I have more than 30 years of media relations experience. During that time, I have negotiated and participated in at least 1000 media interviews, participated in at least 50 press tours and worked with countless executives, including more than 40 CEOs.
I have also worked with an abundance of prestigious national and international media and have negotiated thousands of pieces of coverage, including in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Associated Press (AP), Businessweek, Fast Company, USA Today, BBC, PBS NewsHour, CBSMarketWatch, CNN, TechCrunch, Quartz, Vox, Saturday Night Live and many, many more.
And, lastly, I have led Media Training workshops for executives all over the world including in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Frankfurt, Munich, Prague and India.
I hope that convinces you. Now on to the list. Again, this is not even close to exhaustive. These are just a few of the common mistakes.
1. Not being responsive to the initial request. Too many people mess up an awesome opportunity by taking too much time to get back to the media person. Unless you are dealing with a thorny issue and need to figure out some kind of crisis communication strategy, near-immediate response is usually a good idea.
2. Lack of preparation and briefing. If you have a strong PR person, you should have received some great (written or verbal) briefing prior to a scheduled call or meeting with a media person. Among many other things, it should contain logistical information, objectives of the call, key messages, potential challenges and how to handle them, background on the media person, background on the media outlet and more. Going into any call or meeting without some sense of this is risky and should be avoided.
3. Reading the briefing for the first time immediately prior to the call. Imagine your PR person diligently put together a comprehensive briefing email. Waiting until the last second, immediately prior to the interview, to read it for the first time robs you of the necessary time to digest it properly, ask questions, figure out what you are going to say, prepare for things that come up, etc. You’ll basically go into the encounter flat-footed and maybe even flustered.
4. Forgetting to level check. To level check means to assess in various ways what the media person knows or doesn’t know about the subject matter. Determining the depth of understanding at the outset of the call or meeting will ensure you are not being condescending or talking over their heads. Part of this level check can be done in research prior to the discussion as well.
5. Neglecting the human side of the media person. Media people are, clearly, human before they are anything else. Asking about their day, their (already researched) non-work activities, the weather where they are, etc. can “warm up” the conversation and help you meet your objectives in the end. You may have heard about the “halo effect.” If they like you from the outset, you can do no wrong. That is oversimplifying the halo effect concept, but you get the gist.
6. Not really listening to the media person; interrupting. Like any conversation you have in life, taking time to really listen and not interrupt, is essential. I have seen some people so jacked up and/or anxious about the call or meeting that they blurt everything out without remembering there are others in the discussion. They are so busy making sure they are saying everything, and anticipating questions, that they constantly interrupt the media person when they try to talk.
7. Forgetting to ask the media person’s opinion on something; not making it interactive. Media people are generally smart, at least that has been my experience. They are often connected to other similar companies or products and have interesting things to say. By asking them their opinion or thoughts periodically, you can gain some valuable information and they feel flattered and included.
8. Sparring with the media person. It is easy to fall into the trap of wanting to prove how incredibly smart you are. Showing your intelligence in the appropriate way is good. Sparring with the media person over topics is not. I saw a vivid example of this years ago. My (then) client, a very smart Microsoft VP, sparred intellectually with a very smart New York Times editor. They were both going at it. It was awkward at best and served no objective beyond personal egos.
9. Not being passionate. We all have days off days, but try to bring your best energy to the call or meeting. If you seem dry, boring and unexcited by your company or product, how do you expect the media person to get amped about it? (But don’t overdo it because you will sound fake.) Usually my clients tell me immediately after the call/meeting if their energy was low. They know how they came across.
10. Being a goalkeeper. Being a goalkeeper means you simply bat away questions with brief answers and sit there and wait for the next one. Great media relations is about controlling the meeting as best you can to meet your objectives for your company. Media people respect those who are good at redirecting, bridging and staying on course. If you are skilled at that, you will be perceived as more seasoned and professional.
It is always amusing to me when I teach media training and some people say a kind, but slightly impatient, “Yeah, yeah, I get it.” And then we start to practice. It all starts to fall apart very fast and they realize that, like any skill in life, they need to practice a lot to become good at it. I have rarely come across untrained people who are true naturals at working with media. They may, however, be more articulate, charismatic and confident than their colleagues. Useful traits, but not the same as knowing how to work with media and practicing often.
Anyway, I could go on and on. The above only scratches the surface of everything I teach in media training. If you are interested in an excellent media strategy for your company, or maybe only need some media training (rarely are these decoupled, but they can be) you can reach me at gaby@bytheseacommunications.com.
This is a slightly updated version of an article I initially posted in January 2020.
