11. The Sound of Key clicks in the Background is a Good Thing
These days many reporters take notes on their computer while talking to a source by phone. Most of the time you can hear their typing going on in the background. It is a little distracting, but it is a good thing. Reporters don’t take a lot of notes for stories they don’t plan to write. But listen to the keystroke pace and if the clicks continue long after you’ve finished a sentence, slow down. The writer is having trouble keeping up.
12. Almost Always There’s No Such Thing as ‘Off-the-Record”
Unless you have exceptional contacts that you know from long experience you can trust to keep things off the record, say nothing that you wouldn’t want to see in print. I’ve had experiences during which the spokesperson has said, “This is off the record, but…” The writer often nods in some way that seems to imply an agreement on that point, only to find the off-the-record stuff in the newspaper the next day.
13. Don’t Bite When a Writer Says That a Third Party Said Something Awful About You
This doesn’t happen that often, but you should be aware of it. Here’s how it goes: The writer says, “Joe Jones at Hit and Run, Inc. says you’re new product doesn’t actually work yet.” Here’s the rule: if you or your spokesperson didn’t actually hear this directly or are not 100% confident this ever actually happened, you’re not doing yourself any favors by responding to it. Not to mention, why spend any time using your PR dime to elevate Hit and Run, Inc. in your news.
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.
18. A Follow-Up Call or Email is a Good Idea
This is suggested for several reasons. First, you may have promised more information after the interview. If you make this promise, you have to deliver. Two, the reporter may have hit a snag and needs a clarification or more information. Sometimes for a busy reporter a little snag can stall or sidetrack a story. Third, this is a subtle way of keeping a writer tuned in to your story. In other words, the follow up is a reminder that a story was planned.
19. You Don’t Have to Answer Every Question
Sometimes a reporter will ask a question he or she knows most sources will never answer. But they ask anyway. Sometimes they get lucky. Years ago, a common example of this was, “When are you going public?” But there’s an answer to every question. In this case it was usually something such as, “We’re on plan; we’re meeting our own internal milestones; we’re happy with the pace of our business and will take next steps as they are appropriate,” etc etc. The wrong answer is. “How is that any of your business?” or any variation of that hostile theme. It is even better to say, “I give you a lot of credit for asking that, but I’m quite sure you don’t really expect a specific answer.”
20. Thank Them for Their Time and Interest
This is a simply courtesy but you’d be surprised how often it is overlooked. And yet, watch the mainstream media shows on television. Every analyst or other source interviewed by anchors is thanked for coming on and all of the guests say, “Thanks for having me.” Reporting and writing are difficult jobs. A lot of reporters and writers sometimes feel they are held in disdain by corporate people. Most reporters and writers aren’t famous and they don’t make a lot of money. A simple and sincere expression of your appreciation for their time and interest goes a long way and can do much in forming a good ongoing relationship.
21. If You Visit the Media Where They Work…
I was visiting a big media conglomerate on 7th Avenue in New York with a client in tow once. On the way up to the 21st floor, in a jam packed elevator, my client turned to me and asked, “What’s the name of the next jerk we’re meeting?” Nice, huh? The jerk’s colleague was on the same lift. On the way in to, and out of, a media building be quiet. When meeting with the reporter, don’t try to read things on his or her desk upside down. If you’re left alone, don’t snoop. Don’t bring gifts, expensive or otherwise. Most reporters have desk drawers filled up with junk already and most can’t accept gifts of any real value. At a major metropolitan daily I visited, I was not allowed to buy the reporter a cup of coffee from the cafeteria vending machine.
This article, written by Sterling Hager, originally appeared in PR Fuel (http://www.ereleases.com/prfuel), a free weekly newsletter from eReleases (http://www.ereleases.com), the online leader in affordable press release distribution. To subscribe to PR Fuel, visit:http://www.ereleases.com/prfuel/subscribe/.