Without getting into the specifics of a good press release, PR strategies and all that jazz, let’s skip ahead to the part where you’re about to ring that reporter back for the interview you have scheduled.

Just reminder, we’re addressing a “soft news” approach here, where a member of the print media has agreed to do a profile or article on your company or service, or you’re being cited as an expert in your industry on a topic that is making news. Damage control and strategy are lessons for another day, and should probably come from someone more qualified, like Joe Thornley.

To craft a good story, the writer will need plenty of info to cover the who, what, when, where, why and how. Be prepared for this, and make your responses both factual and forthright. They’ll also be on the lookout for a dynamite quote or two, and it wouldn’t hurt if you thought about that ahead of time. Just make sure that you sound natural and sincere, and there’s a better-than-good chance that you’ll see those words immortalized on the printed page. Believe it or don’t, most writers are looking for exactly that; the perfectly crafted pull-quote to build a story around. Call me opportunistic, but I don’t see any harm in having a few ready, and delivering them at the first opportunity. After all, you’re a professional, and you are prepared.

I should have included this in part one, but here will have to do: If you don’t like a question that you are asked, don’t ever say “No comment.” This applies to radio and television as well. If you can’t talk about it, explain that you can’t and if possible explain why. “No comment” gives the media nothing to work with but speculation, and that’s not going to help you any.

-Bend your mind around this image: a screenshot of Flickr, as seen in a scan of Vancouver’s Metro, in a story about Flickr, borrowed from striatic from…you guessed it, Flickr. 10 points if you can count the number of media involved in this one

Additionally, when it comes to the print media, visuals help a lot. Have a flattering profile shot of you at the ready should someone request one, and if it happens to be for a magazine, make sure it is of decent quality. 200 or 300 dpi will be fine for most.

If they want to arrange to send a photographer, don’t resist but rather be very cooperative. And don’t feel guilty about getting a haircut, wearing your best shirt or mopping the office floor on picture day, either. Be mindful of their (often tight) schedule, too. Arrive on time and be ready to say cheese, or help to stage photos of your shop/product, or whatever is needed.

There’s no need to write pages and pages about this stuff; it really boils down to common sense. The overall theme of this series is simple; the media have a job to do, and if you are cooperative and help to make it easier for them, they are more likely to keep calling you in the future.

Next up is radio. Stay tuned…

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 2nd, 2007 at 7:37 pm and is filed under PR. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.