Whether its finance, marketing or logistics, small business owners need to get used to wearing an array of new and different hats, one of which is public relations (PR). For businesses attempting to hack their own PR, there are a few common mistakes that are sure to annoy journalists and potentially jeopardise opportunities for media coverage.
Shrinking advertising budgets continue to have a devastating effect on the media landscape and have resulted in widespread editorial redundancies and sweeping closures. Traditionally, marketing and PR budgets have been siloed but businesses need to understand that without paid support, publications cannot exist or pay their writers.
If a media outlet is worth pitching to as it enables you to reach your target audience, then ask yourself whether it is also worth spending with it and whether you would like it to be around in the future. Many publications have moved, or are moving to, a ‘pay to play’ arrangement as it’s a more viable business model. Rather than blacklist them, ditch the blanket rule of refusing to pay for media coverage or consider how you could support them through an ad campaign or something similar.
While it’s okay to request a change to an article if it is factually incorrect (and 99.99% of the time journalists will happily amend their piece), nitpicking over semantics or requesting additional sales messaging to be added will not result in a warm reception. Ultimately, reporters have a job to do and it’s not to write an ad for your brand. We can control what we say and share – beyond that, we must respect a journalist’s creative licence.
It can be frustrating for a spokesperson to walk away from an interview feeling like they didn’t convey enough for a positive article because they relied too heavily on the journalist asking specific questions. This can sometimes result in no article at all or a mediocre one that could have been more comprehensive with the right information.
Never assume journalists have a deep understanding of your company. They are incredibly time-poor and under pressure to deliver copy at speed, so they might not have the time to absorb the plethora of information available about your brand.
Rather than sit back in an interview and wait for your chance to convey what you would like to, ask the journalist if they are okay for you to kick things off with a succinct overview of your brand, your role and the key information you wish to speak about in the time you have, and sense check whether the journalist is on the same page.
If the journalist is receptive and doesn’t have an alternative clear line of questioning, lead the conversation, and if you get an open question feel free to expand. Usually at the end of every interview, the journalist will ask if you have anything else you wish to share. This is your cue to both check you’ve covered everything and reiterate key points.
When you are first starting out, media interviews can be nerve-wracking and it’s crucial to prepare and practice. However, being too ‘on message’, especially if it is a broadcast channel, can come across as inauthentic. Don’t over-rehearse or be wedded to a particular potential line of questioning that means if the journalist goes in a different direction you might get thrown off.
Try to relax just beforehand, turn your mind to something else and treat the conversation as a friendly exchange with someone you may have met at a barbeque for the first time. Don’t beat yourself up if you forget something or need to re-state anything that wasn’t clear, being human builds rapport and makes you more personable.
Blurry, low-quality selfies against a blank wall just won’t cut it. Media-appropriate photography needs to be taken by a professional. Ideally, it has a dynamic background without anything too distracting, includes at least the head and torso of the subject’s body, is of landscape format, with good lighting and shows a bit of personality.
It goes without saying you need to know what journalists are writing about and what makes a story before you begin your PR foray, but these five mishaps are often overlooked and are typically bugbears for reporters and rightly so.
With PR, relationships with journalists are paramount. By avoiding the common mistakes outlined here, you’ll build a reputation as someone they want to work with. Before hitting send on a pitch, take the time to understand their needs, be authentic in your communications, and respect their craft. This will set the stage for positive press that can contribute to your small business’ success.
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Roxy Sinclair is the director of Sinclair Communications.
