14. Develop an Ear for Loaded Questions
The most famous loaded question, of course, is ‘When did you stop beating your wife?” The questions assumes something and if you answer it without noting it carries an assumption that isn’t true, you have in a way validated the presumption. Clearly, not all reporters are this heavy-handed. Their loaded questions are more subtle, but dangerous nevertheless. They come in forms like this: “Since you are facing a difficult year ahead and the market for this product is immature, what is your plan to compete effectively, gain share, and earn a good margin on this device?” If you launch immediately into competitive differentiation, market share, and pricing, you’re validating the assertions that you’re facing a terrible year ahead and your market is nascent.
15. Businesses with Any Class Don’t Mix News Talk and Advertising Talk with Writers
Maybe the blogosphere has changed this a bit, but with traditional media, especially, and with the best reporters, an attempt to grease your news with suggestions of ad dollars is offensive. A less credible publication and a less credible writer may go for this sort of thing but no one takes their publication seriously anyway.
16. Writers Compete, Too, So Don’t Rub It in Their Face
Let’s say you’re talking to a writer from The Regional News who hasn’t always given you the best coverage. But the writer at a competing publication called The Real Area News consistently does a good job. The one thing you can do to make sure The Regional News contact never comes around is to coo in his or her presence over the great stories you get from The Real Area News. Not to wear out the dating analogy, but to do this is like telling your Friday night date how great your Thursday night date was with another person.
17. You Can Ask Them Questions, Too, and You Should
Good reporters get around. They talk to a lot of people. In my opinion, I think reporters are actually flattered when you ask them what they’ve been hearing lately; who is hot; who’s not, and what’s the next big thing coming along.