Reporter Rapport
Yesterday I had the opportunity to attend the February Raleigh Public Relations Society (RPRS) Luncheon featuring a presentation from Patrick Gannon, Raleigh Bureau Chief for the Wilmington Star News.
Patrick discussed the qualities (both good and bad!) he frequently sees from public relations professionals as well as practices that journalists like to see when it comes to media relations. More »
Media Relations: Is it OK to say No?
There’s an interesting conversation currently happening on Ragan.com, a communications industry focused news site:
An agency turned down a media opportunity on behalf of a client, and now that media outlet is seeking to understand why. This also begs a greater question: when is it acceptable for a company to reject a media opportunity, or does that always mean “no comment?”
From being on the PR side, I know there are a million reasons to turn down a media interview, and frequently there’s nothing more to it than a client’s hectic travel schedule. However, being unavailable can make a reporter’s antennae fly up, as evidenced by this article.
Check it out and be sure to read the comments. It’s a good debate (and kudos to the agency in question for being part of it).
Are you prepared?
You grab your sweater if the weatherman says it may get cold later in the day. You have gum or a mint with you at the luncheon in case the meal has garlic or onions in it. You bring along an umbrella if they are predicting rain. You hide a spare key under a rock outside your home.
Why do you do these things? Because you want to be prepared…just in case.
In business, this is also important. Is your company ready if/when a crisis hits? A product recall. An incident at a plant. A natural disaster. An industry-wide safety concern. Whatever the crisis, it would better to have a plan in place of how to handle a crisis situation. How do you inform employees, customers and the general public? Do you have the contact information for all the key folks you need to reach? Who is your media spokesperson? Who is the backup for your key spokesperson? What is the protocol for crisis A, B and C?
Some crisis communications plans detail the protocol for different types of crises. Some are just a few pages long and contain the top line info needed to take action quickly and intelligently. No matter how long or short, it is better to have a crisis communications plan in place.
Does your company have one?
