Public Relations Tips

Ask an Expert

A series of helpful marketing information articles as seen in BC Business Magazine

Tips on Media Relations

Q: I have a healthy marketing budget but my competitors keep getting lots of news media attention. How do I get my share of coverage?

A: Add public relations to your marketing mix. Using public relations to get your good story out to the media is a powerful, cost effective marketing strategy that raises your organization's and brand's profile and increases your marketing ROI. Positive news media stories reap significant benefits for organizations, often acting as third party endorsements of products and services.

Getting positive media coverage usually begins with the drafting and distribution of media information, sometimes called a media kit, to the media by the public relations professional. These media materials -- a news release, backgrounders, fact sheets and bios -- concisely communicate the existence of your organization and help to raise its public profile by highlighting its newsworthy achievements, activities, new products or services.

Next the PR professional contacts news media outlets to “pitch” the organization's story. The PR person uses his or her expertise of which stories interest each media outlet to successfully generate media coverage.

Then the PR professional can often work with the organization's key spokesperson to fine tune the media messages and provide media training skills to maximize the media interview.

Successful media coverage requires skill, experience and adept handling by a public relations professional. If your competitor is getting more ink, chances are they're doing more with public relations.

The Buzz on Buzz Words

Q: I just read a website about PR but it was full of annoying buzz words such as “Front Page Risk”. What’s your take on buzz words?

A: Avoid them. Buzz words or jargon, the nasty little short cuts we use in the workplace such as “synergies, “out of the box thinking and “the tipping point” only manage to tick off and alienate our bosses, clients, customers and even co-workers.

A recent survey of senior executives found that pointless words such as “synergies”, “value-added” and “paradigm” are the most overused words in the workplace. Overuse leads to loss of impact and miscommunications.

Jargon is a form of shorthand used by people in specific industries and professions. Nothing wrong with shorthand; the problem arises when they may be confusing or alienating to individuals outside the field.

If you can’t avoid using buzz or jargon at least explain them. For example a “smell test” is a determining whether a product or service is potentially successful; “bandwidth” is the time and resources required for a project.

PR 101

Media Database

Targeted list of media contacts for distribution of media materials.

News Release

A one page document, written in journalistic style, that concisely summarizes an organization's newsworthy activity, accomplishment, product or service.

Media Training – intensive, media interviews and media messaging skills instruction often conducted on camera.

Front Page Risk

A client caught up in a controversy, possessing media relations skills at risk of showing up in a negative front page news story.

Kodak Kid

A client who is discovered to effortlessly appear engaging and informative on camera during a media training session.