Big Ink

Business Media most influential with Analysts & Investors

2012-01-12T15:30:00.001+11:00

Researchundertaken by the Australasian Investor Relations Association (AIRA) shows that

businessmedia is one of the top sources of information for institutional investors andstockbroking analysts.

Businessmedia, both print and online, are regular sources of information on thecompanies
followed: Australian Financial Review (96%) and metropolitan dailies, YahooFinance (55%),
and Bloomberg (53%).

Other topsources are one-to-one and group company briefings, listed entity websites, the

ASXwebsite, IRESS, analyst research and company emails for the institutional investors andstockbroking analysts surveyed.

The surveyalso found:

Attending listed entity presentations in person is the preference for the majority of the institutional investor and analyst group surveyed.
When webcasts are accessed it is largely through the listed entity’s website.
Reading transcripts of interviews is very popular, with 80% of respondents saying
they use these as an information source.

Australiancompanies are not yet using social media widely for investor relationspurposes, but as

more ofthem begin to disseminate information through social media we expect to seegreater investor attention directed to these channels.

74% ofinstitutional investors and stockbroking analysts surveyed indicated that theydo not use social media for investment purposes, with the majority of allrespondents (50%) saying this was because it is not trustworthy information.

20% of respondents said that information accessed through social media channelshad influenced
their investment decisions.

15% ofrespondents said they can access information through social media channels thatthey can’t get elsewhere.

89% ofrespondents expect there will be no change in social media’s influence on theirinvestment
decisions in the coming 12 months.

Social Media forinvestment purposes

• 17% ofrespondents had accessed Hot Copper
• 10% of respondents had accessed Seeking Alpha
• 10% of respondents said they had accessed LinkedIn
• 10% of respondents said they had accessed YouTube

A smallnumber (under 10%) of respondents said they had used Wikinvest, Motley Fool,
Facebook or Twitter for investment purposes.

RetailInvestors
The 2010 “Retail investors' use of online communications and social media”survey, carried
out with the assistance of the Australian Shareholders’ Association and the NewZealand
Shareholders’ Association showed strong growth in the number of retailinvestors using
online sources for investment information.

11% ofretail investor respondents said that information found in a social mediachannel had influenced an investment decision.

More IPOs in 2011 than 2010

2011-12-21T13:34:00.000+11:00

http://www.miningnewspremium.net/StoryView.asp?StoryID=2493252

2011 in review:

More listings, fewer returns 14 December 2011

Kristie Batten

THIS year marked the return of extreme economic volatility,which crippled financial markets and derailed capital raisings and plannedlistings. But while there were actually more initial public offerings this yearthan last, investors didn’t see the same sort of success stories with manydebutantes failing to fire.

New listings for 2011 (up until yesterday) totalled 81,compared with 56 at the same time last year.

That figure included mining contractors and suppliers GREngineering Services, Drill Torque, Resource Development Group and Royal WolfHoldings.

While there was a rush of companies listing or launchingIPOs late last year, market conditions saw many of those face long delays orpull out all together.

May was the biggest month for debuts, with 15 companieslisting, followed by January, February, April, July and September with eight.

The quietest month was October, when increasing uncertaintysaw only two companies list, with only three in November.

December is set to beat the past two months with threelistings so far and another two set for tomorrow, as well as a number ofcompanies which may still land on the bourse before the month ends.

Gold was the flavour of 2010 and explorers of the preciousmetal continued to dominate listings this year as gold hit a record high.

While there were companies representing just about everycommodity, including rare earths, lithium, potash and manganese, coal companieshad a particularly good showing this year and were also the leadingfundraisers.

The biggest float of the year was Chinese underground coalminer Blackgold International, which raised $58.5 million in February.

Owen Hegarty-backed coal hopeful Tigers Realm Coal raised$37.5 million, while GR Engineering Services raised $30 million.

According to Bloomberg data, the average IPO raising wasaround $7 million.

2011 Top News Sites & Journalists

2011-12-21T13:20:00.000+11:00

Newsknife is out with its 2011 ranking of top news sites and journalists based on an analysis of news items appearing on Google News. News site ratings were based on a review of 202,143 listings by 3847 news sites for 8033 news items during 2011.

This data is beneficial as stories that appear on Google News have the potential to reach large global audiences and drive huge website traffic.

Top News Sites of 2011

Rank   #Listed       Media
1       622              Los Angeles Times
2       616              Reuters
3       504              New York Times
4       439              Wall Street Journal
5       417              USA Today
6       327              Washington Post
7       213              ABC News
8       197              Bloomberg
9       172              MSNBC
10     168              Christian Science Monitor

You’ll notice only two sites are TV – ABC and MSNBC – though Bloomberg is a hybrid. Year over year changes are also interesting to note. In 2010, the New York Times was the top news site followed by the Los Angeles Times and Wall Street Journal. The Associated Press, CNN and ABC dropped off the 2011 top ten compared to last year.

Newsknife’s Top journalists for 2011

Country/Journalist                            #Listed
Australia:   James Massola                       139
Botswana:   Bame Piet                              52
Canada (English):   Mark Kennedy           84
Ethiopia:   William Davison                        42
Ghana:   Adwoa Gyasiwaa                        25
India:   Smita Gupta                                   56
Ireland:   Harry McGee                            110
Israel:   Herb Keinon                                 114
Kenya:   Bernard Momanyi                       158
Malaysia:   Charles Ramendran                41
Namibia:   Denver Kisting                          28
Nigeria:   Yusuf Alli                                    113
New Zealand:   Paul Harper                      107
Pakistan:   Syed Irfan Raza                       70
Philippines:   Christine O. Avendaño       186
South Africa:   Charl Du Plessis                59
Singapore:   Leong Wee Keat                   73
Tanzania:   Florence Mugarula                  58
Uganda:   Yasiin Mugerwa                        94
U.K.:   Andrew Grice                                 81
U.S.:   Frank James                                  97
Zimbabwe:   Kelvin Jakachira                   92

For top US journalists, NPR reporter and blogger Frank James had 97 listings. David Grice, political editor at The Independent led in the UK with 81 listings.

What I Love & What I Loathe About PRs by Kath Walters senior journalist BRW

2011-11-29T17:04:00.001+11:00

Love PRs - My Dream Email

Hi Kath,
I am writing to arrange an interview time with Jane Doe, whom we just discussed. Is Thursday 5 November at 10am any good for you?

As I mentioned, Jane Doe is a serial entrepreneur who has just raised $3 million in venture capital, and I reckon she'd make a great Lifecycle story for your magazine because she will tell you:
* what she learned from the first business she ran that failed
* three secrets of getting venture capitalists to eat out of her hand
* the surprising story of how she won her first customer
* how she does it all in 30 hours a week with two kids

BRW will be the first to publish Jane' story, and John Smith, from the venture capital company that funded her, MoneyBags, would love to comment too. Of course, she is happy to provide revenue figures from the past three years to demonstrate the company's growth.

By the way, in the past 12 months, only three female entrepreneurs have received VC funding according to AVCAL, which puts Jane's achievement into an interesting context.

Best wishes,
Fabulous PR
END of my Dream Email

Loathe PRs that:
* Pitch stories but have never read the magazine.
* Provide no context.
* Ask me to put the questions in an email or tell them what I will ask their client. That is your job, based on your knowledge of our publication.
* Ask to see a copy of the story before publication. How unprofessional!
* Pitch stories without financials. We are a business magazine. Every story has revenue figures. Every story!
* Want a story about a client's success without the story about the hurdles they jumped to get there. Who cares. Our readers want to read and learn.
* Pitch a story after reading a similar story in a recent issue. How stupid!
* Pitch to multiple journalists in the same publication without saying so. What if we all start writing it!
* Ask for free copies of the magazine once story is published. How rude!
* Write the story themselves.
* Waffle on in their press release.
* Write really boring headlines full of jargon.
* Write anything full of jargon.
* Do not brief their clients that they will NOT get a copy of the article before publication.
* Don't follow up, fast.

What I love & What I Loathe About PRs - Chris Sheedy

2011-11-09T20:34:00.001+11:00

www.thehardword.com.au http://www.thehardword.com.au/

Can I Call APR Person A ‘Tool’?

I’m a journalist and I love PR people. There, I said it.

PR people are a part of my team, so much so that I wouldn’tbe able to do the work that I do, or make the living that I do as a successfulfreelance writer, if they didn’t exist.

It is so terribly predictable and dullto read about journalists and PR people not getting along, being at odds witheach other’s goals, not understanding each other’s roles.

But guess what?Journalists like to think they don’t get along with anyone – advertisers,marketers, sub-editors, legals, agents, publicists – you name it, journos hatethem.

But the journalists who are not constantly complaining aboutthe shortcomings of those around them are actually busy producing great content.One of the most powerful tools in their tool belt is the PR person.

We all know how it feels to ring a business to set up aninterview only to be frozen out of that business once the receptionist hearsthe word ‘journalist’.

The media frightens the uninitiated. When non-media peoplehear the word ‘journalist’ they think of Today Tonight. They think of A CurrentAffair. They think of Rupert Murdoch and phone tapping and Wendi Deng’s awesomeright hook. And they run a mile.

PR people provide us instead with experts who have beentaught all about our world, who have been media trained and who prepare for theinterview by reading up on the topic. This is excellent for journalists and forour readers.

Even if the interviewee is a little over-eager in putting acrossthe three vital messages that have been drummed into them by their PR adviser,all we have to do is learn a few basic interviewing skills to get around it. PRpeople make our lives easier.

I was once accused, by a senior manager at a magazinepublishing house, of having others ghost-write stories for me. He couldn’tbelieve I was able to pump out so many features each week on my own. Butactually I wasn’t doing it on my own, I had the assistance of PR people. Theyset up my interviews and they briefed their experts. They ensured theinterviewees were at the required place at the required time with the requiredknowledge and they made sure any follow-up material was sent on to mequick-smart.

This was perfect for me as it took a lot of the leg-work out ofthe process and it guaranteed a knowledgeable voice within my features. It wasalso excellent for the PR people as it demonstrated their own value to theirclients.

And yes, in every relationship there are sore points. I willhappily reiterate what others have said about the dastardly follow-up phonecalls after sending a press release. Just don’t do it. It is bloody annoying. Ideleted that email as soon as I saw it and if I didn’t then you would haveheard from me.

So don’t ring to ask what I thought about your latest pressrelease. Really, just don’t. Ever.

Also, please keep things brief. By ‘things’ I meaneverything. If I had my way then press releases would be no more than oneparagraph.

Phone calls would be over in 30 seconds. Emails would beheadline-only, which I guess would make them an SMS message.

We’re all toobusy, it is the way of things.

Finally, we have all survived thus far in the media becausewe appreciate the meaning of deadline. If I miss a deadline then I will lose aclient. If you make me miss a deadline then I will curse your name forever.

Don’t promise more than you can deliver or your actions, as you’re a serviceprovider to the media industry, will have many negative knock-on effects.

And yes, dear PR friends – you are ‘service providers’ (justas we are ‘content producers’). If you are ever upset about the fact thatjournalists act as if you work for them then just sit back, relax and rememberthat you earn twice as much as they do. It will help put everything in perspective.

But if they ever treat you with disrespect or act as if they’re a betterspecies than you then feel free to ignore them or tell them off for being theshort-sighted morons that they are. We all have a very simple job to do andit’s so much easier if we do it together.

I know this for a fact – I have builtmy business on it.

Recent client media coverage

2011-11-09T19:50:00.000+11:00

MBAs low on reputation skills

2011-11-03T17:18:00.001+11:00

Surprisingly only 16 percent of MBA programs offer a PRcourse. Yet you don’t want to be the nextCEO going on TV and clamoring for some sympathy while your rig is spillingmillions of gallons of oil into the ocean.

Mastering the ability to communicate calmly under pressurewhen faced with a PR crisis is critical, but it may surprise you to learn thatvery few business programs do so, according to a Business Week article.

This lack of preparation is reflected in gaffes made bycompanies such as BP and Enron. For company leaders, knowing what to do inorder to run a business is not the same as knowing what to say. This is wheremany MBA programs could help.

The key, writes Anthony D’Angelo, is reputation. A goodreputation can pay great dividends, while a poor reputation can leavebusinesses floundering to recover their losses. Here's an excerpt:

"Not a week passes without headlines that excoriatesome corporate executive for mishandling an operational crisis that hasmushroomed into a public relations disaster. Despite impeccable credentials andaccomplished careers, many chief executives find themselves looking foolishafter responding obtusely to common and inevitable threats to their companies'reputations.

From Warren Buffet attempting to explain away insidertrading at Berkshire Hathaway toTony Hayward, formerly of BP, complaining about getting his life back, thelitany of gaffes certainly changes public perceptions and corporatereputation—along with company valuations and career trajectories.

Why then, aren't even the highest-ranked MBA programs doingbetter at preparing graduates for eventual responsibilities in reputationmanagement?

An analysis of highly ranked MBA programs by the PublicRelations Society of America showed that only 16 percent offer a single coursein crisis and conflict management, strategic communications, public relations,or whatever label one chooses to describe management of a precious organizationalasset: reputation.

Even that course is likely to be an elective.

So glaring is this omission that it's typical forMBA-holding executives to assume "reputation management" or"public relations" is the black art of spinning an alternativeversion of reality, as though that works in today's wide-open, relentlesslyscrutinized, electron-speed information environment.

One can't blame organisational leaders for not understandingthat the way they operate the business is inseparable from the way theycommunicate about the business, inside and outside the organization.

They're not educated sufficiently to know these areinextricably linked leadership requirements: You can't have effectiveleadership without an effective communications strategy.

The latter is based on authenticity and transparency becausenothing else works."

http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/content/apr2011/bs20110427_477428.htm

Securing high calibre business and financial media coverage is a specialist skill

2011-08-23T16:26:00.001+10:00

Late last week I was speaking to the MD of a company that raises funds for private, pre-IPO companies. He was very dissatisfied with the media coverage his PR consultant had secured and was considering bringing the role inhouse.

Other reasons for this move, as well as his dissatisfaction, were transparency and the opportunity of making money as they would charge back the service to their clients.

When he mentioned the fees he was paying his "underperforming" PR it was in the vicinity of 3-5k per month. The amounts his firm was raising for clients range from 300k to $3million.

I was very straightforward with him that the fee was very low and would definitely be a large part of the reason for the poor results.

Do I think that paying his PR more would get better results? No.

However, as with any profession, you get the results you pay for. It is extremely easy when you're representing a media interested company such as Apple, Microsoft, David Jones, Flight Centre, Qantas, Caltex and others who rarely, if ever, have to chase media interest. Just type up a media release and the next day it will in the media. Of course their concerns are the desired outcome of the media reporting and often trying to not be in the media at all.

I'm talking about securing media coverage for companies that have a low profile, or none at all, and need to be sold into the media. Or companies who quite simply are just not that interesting.

Companies who, because they are raising capital, listing on the ASX, or for other reasons require major media coverage - full pages, double pages in leading publications such as BRW, Australian Financial Review, The Australian, ABC Business Lateline, ABC 7.30 Report and so on.

This level of media coverage is not an easy task and it is not achievable by your run of the mill PR person earning 80k or 100k or consultant charging 5k per month.

To be able to secure media coverage of this high calibre considerable years experience is required as is media specialisation which really requires, in my opinion, a journalist background.

It's similar to comparing a lawyer to a barrister, or GP to a medical specialist.

Media relations is a specialist area of public relations and there are very few people in Australia who specialise in it.

Furthermore, securing an article in Australia's leading business and finance media is significantly more difficult than, for example, getting a piece in a fashion magazine, a cafe review, or software/computer article.

So if you are wanting to secure high level media coverage, which is extremely valuable, be prepared to pay for a specialist. Or another option is you can book an advertisement which does not have the credibility of an article written by a journalist.

To buy a full page advertisement in BRW will cost $16,500 but it's an ad and when was the last time you read an ad?

You wouldn't scan and place an ad booked in BRW on your website or send it to potential clients. There's no point, everyone knows that you bought that page.

It's common to hear complaints about PRs but clients really need to assess what results they want and what they need to be prepared to invest to get these results.

Market Volatility Continues but Public says Cheese!

2011-08-23T14:53:00.001+10:00

With more than $36 billion wiped off the Australian sharemarket it is obvious that the volatility is continuing.

How this will affect companies listing on the ASX and other exchanges depends on many factors including the amount they are raising; what industry they are in; their underwriter; their profile and more.

Bega Cheese listing resulted in $350 million being raised from 17.5 million shares, approximately 15 percent of the company. Originally $375 million was sought. The shares were issued at $2, opening at $1.90 and closing at $1.84. Bega's adviser and investment bank was reportedly "reasonably pleased" as expected with a listing at this time. Bega is Australia's largest listed dairy.

Bega Cheese is a high profile leading brand and very well known company. It has dairy processing plants and farmer suppliers across three eastern states; posted a $28.4m profit last financial year; reported revenue of $565m and a consolidated revenue of $829m in its 2009-10 annual report. There was strong market interest in the company listing and considerable media coverage regarding it prior the listing. Hence a strong result.

But lesser known, lower profile companies are struggling and over half of the companies listing on the ASX have their listing dates as "to be advised" reflecting market difficulty and uncertainty. Some companies have reduced their minimum amounts and others have withdrawn due to low investor interest.

According to Tony Featherstone's article on Investor Daily (http://www.investordaily.com.au/archive/12208.xml) only $528 million was raised through IPOs in the first half of 2011 which is considerably lower than $2 billion raised during the GFC.

Yet consider Altius MIning's recent successful IPO which raised $12 million, a good result in a tight market.

As well as a strong company and good offering Altius Mining successfully utilised the media to support their IPO. An example of the considerable media coverage Altius Mining secured can be viewed at http://www.altiusmining.com.au/media.html

It is crucial for companies who are listing, especially in these times, to have a strong public, business and industry awareness. Media articles which reach the public to attract retail investors. Media articles in business and finance sections to reach researchers, analysts, brokers and institutional investors.

Volatile times for IPOs hence media coverage more pivotal than ever - Cortical Dynamics IPO in today's The Australian

2011-08-17T13:01:00.000+10:00

In these volatile times, which will undoubtedly continue for some time, listing on the ASX or other exchanges can be risky.

However, for those solid companies with a good offering, establishing awareness of their listing via media coverage is pivotal to a successful, fully or over subscribed, listing.

Robin Bromby who writes Pure Speculation in The Australian commented on the volatility of the market and IPOs

"We're hearing a good deal of talk from the industry that money is getting harder to raise. During the week, two floats were canned due to market conditions while several other IPOs have "to be advised" as to listing dates.

It's no surprise; this always happens when markets go sour.

So far, thank goodness, the closing of wallets seems to be selective. Money is still available but it is starting to look as if investors are being more selective.

If the market weakens further, then fewer and fewer juniors will find cheques being handed over - with the consequential cancellation of drill programs and staff layoffs. We'll be keeping an eye on cash levels when the quarterlies hit next month." 20 June 2011.

Article secured in today's The Australian for our client, Cortical Dynamics (www.corticaldynamics.com) will certainly benefit their public offering on the ASX.

"What I loathe and what I love about PRs" - by Dan Kaufman, journalist

2011-07-25T19:45:00.001+10:00

Some of our top journalists have been invited to write on this topic and they have all been very enthusiastic. I will be posting their responses on a regular basis, should be rather interesting.

Dan Kaufman is first up - he has worked for over 17 years as a journalist and an editor (mainly for The Sydney Morning Herald) and recently authored "Dealing with Grumpy Editors" ebook which can be secured at www.mediasurvival.com.

"Not many journos will say they love anything about PRs – it’s not good for our rep.

However, I will list five points that can certainly put PRs in my favour:

If they have hi-res images they can send me for stories
If they email me a release weeks, not days, before an event is due
If they pick up their phones when I call
If they seem genuine and honest with me
If they use bullet points in their press releases

As for what I loathe:

The follow-up call
Sending press releases that aren’t targeted toward us
The follow-up email about a press release that demands a response from us, even though the release wasn’t anywhere near appropriate for us
Not getting back to our queries before deadline!

"Of course, I could write more – but then, I did in my book that's available from <http://www.mediasurvival.com> !"

Dan Kaufman

Bloomberg: "You can't have effective leadership without an effective communcations strategy"

2011-07-19T19:53:00.001+10:00

In light of the News International crisis this is a very apt article from Bloomberg Business. Here's a most interesting excerpt:

Not a week passes without headlines that excoriate some corporate executive for mishandling an operational crisis that has mushroomed into a public relations disaster.

Despite impeccable credentials and accomplished careers, many chief executives find themselves looking foolish after responding obtusely to common and inevitable threats to their companies' reputations.

From Warren Buffet attempting to explain away insider trading at Berkshire Hathaway to Tony Hayward, formerly of BP, complaining about getting his life back, the litany of gaffes certainly changes public perceptions and corporate reputation—along with company valuations and career trajectories.

Why then, aren't even the highest-ranked MBA programs doing better at preparing graduates for eventual responsibilities in reputation management?

An analysis of highly ranked MBA programs by the Public Relations Society of America showed that only 16 percent offer a single course in crisis and conflict management, strategic communications, public relations, or whatever label one chooses to describe management of a precious organizational asset: reputation.

Even that course is likely to be an elective. So glaring is this omission that it's typical for MBA-holding executives to assume "reputation management" or "public relations" is the black art of spinning an alternative version of reality, as though that works in today's wide-open, relentlessly scrutinized, electron-speed information environment.

No Substitute for Authenticity

One can't blame organizational leaders for not understanding that the way they operate the business is inseparable from the way they communicate about the business, inside and outside the organization.

They're not educated sufficiently to know these are inextricably linked leadership requirements: You can't have effective leadership without an effective communications strategy.

The latter is based on authenticity and transparency because nothing else works.

To read the full article - http://www.businessweek.com/bschools/content/apr2011/bs20110427_477428.htm

When is the story running???????????

2011-07-19T19:36:00.000+10:00

If I had a dollar for every time I was asked this question by an impatient or excited client.... The truth is I probably don't know and may not know until it actually appears. Other times I'll have an exact date of its appearance.

Sometimes, thankfully rarely, the story won't run at all, it will be shelved.

It can take weeks, even months for a story to appear after an interview is done. It is entirely up to the publication or program when and if the story runs. Television current affairs programs can sit on a story for weeks and then, suddenly, you'll get a call and they'll want to interview you that day.

A few years ago I had a client who one of the major current affairs programs spent a whole week filming and the result, they said, was fantastic. Feedback from their team was very positive. We were all so excited about it appearing. To this day that story has never appeared. Very disappointing but that's what can happen.

Sadly if you want a sure thing then you need to book an ad.

A major worldwide event such as the Wellington earth quake can happen and everything gets cut to make space for this. Or the story will be cut in size and much smaller than originally anticipated due to a last minute advertisement booked. That's the nature of the beast.

One of the biggest issues in media relations is managing client expectations. Most clients do not understand the media process, as would be expected. They are experts in the field that their business is in and may not have had any experience with media.

Just reading the Financial Review daily, or BRW weekly or watching the ABC regularly does not make a media expert. Far from it.

Some of the biggest media misperceptions are:

It's all about your media contacts - not true, media change all the time and it doesn't matter if you're friends they will not run a story if they don't like it.
To get media coverage you write a media release and send it out to media - wrong. Unless it's major news media releases don't work. Journalists receive hundreds a week, most end up in the trash.
All coverage is good coverage - absolutely false. Just ask Rupert Murdoch.
I can get my own media coverage - go on, give it a shot!
I should tell the media "no comment" when I don't want to discuss an issue - Never ever say this, it will completely jeopardise your reputation and make you look media ignorant.
I'm entitled to ask for a copy of the article before it appears - no you are not, never do this. If you want surety over what appears in the media, book an advertisement.
Speaking to the media is just like speaking to customers or investors - wrong! The media is a very specific segment and requires a completely different set of communication skills.
The media release written is a bit dull, I'll re-write it and make it exciting - so so wrong! Media releases are written specificially for the journalists in the style and format they require. They are not the same as company brochures, flyers or advertisements. The only changes a client should make to a release is factual information.

Strategies for phoning journalists

2011-07-19T17:23:00.001+10:00

When calling a journalist first establish is they are free to talk with you, then be brief and to the point.

“I appreciate someone who comes right to the point. I’m always pressed for time, but some people go on for five minutes. I have already determined in the first 90 seconds whether this is something for my station.” says a radio presenter.

When calling a journalist you need to ascertain:

That you have reached the right journalist for your story.
If they are free to talk with you now.
Whether they are interested in receiving the information.

Do not send info to a journalist without first establishing they want it, it's a waste of your time and theirs. "I am … very tired of people who phone to tell me they have sent me an e-mail!" says an unnamed journalist.

When you make a call to a journalist try to have two different angles so if the first one is shot down, you have another two to pitch. Also as you are speaking with the journalist you should be listening to them and developing the right angle with them.

Whatever the purpose of your call always identify yourself when you’re calling even if you talked with the journo earlier. Journalists speak to hundreds of people a day.

Be clear and concise about the angle and show that you are very familiar with the journalists articles and publication. Be able to show why your story should be of interest to the journalists audience.

Great ideas on how to make maximum use of your media coverage

2011-07-19T16:49:00.000+10:00

You worked hard to get a story on your business in BRW or Financial Review so don´t let your efforts ends there, here are seven tips to help you maximise your coverage:

1. Reprint
A positive article on your company or products is marketing gold - it implies that the publication has given its endorsement. You can not buy this credibility! You can benefit from this "third party endorsement" long after the article has appeared.

If there is a particularly good section of the article that you´d like to highlight, make sure to use a "blow-up" quote to enlarge and separate it from the rest of the article.

2. Add it to Your Website
What better place to promote your newly acquired coverage than your website. Set up a media section on your site. For a great story, highlight it on your homepage.

3. Mention Your Placement in you e-newsletter
If your business has an e-newsletter, let your subscribers in on your media success. It´s human nature to be attracted to a popular, successful business or person.

4. Email Existing or Potential Clients
Impress your existing or potential clients by an email alerting them that you´ve been included in BRW. Use the power of PR to your advantage. Advertising is clearly understood as coming directly from the sponsoring business and, as a result, is usually taken with a grain of salt. An article or story is viewed as the product of the reporter who wrote it - an objective, third party observer whose positive comments about your business will carry great weight.

5. Pitch it Again
Take your story angle to a different publication with a different angle.

6. Internal PR
Frame the article and place it in your front window or reception. The story adds legitimacy to your business and provides entertainment for your waiting customers. Make sure to distribute the story to your employees and suppliers to build loyalty and company pride. Make sure, also, that your staff all know about the article immediately when it appears. This is crucial as clients, suppliers, customers etc may mention it when speaking with them and they will look and feel foollish if they are unaware.

7. Other Suggestions

Sales brochures, direct marketing materials & trade show handouts.

Speech handout - One way to keep your speech working for you long after is to distribute your article with your business card and company information to all attendees.

Business card -Place an important quote from your article on your business card.

Five reasons the media thinks you're boring

2011-07-19T16:28:00.000+10:00

Ever wonder why some people get instant press and others languish? Despite all the reasons you hear (bad publicist, bad timing, dumb media, war, famine...) it’s because their pitch is not nearly as interesting as they think.

They are, most likely, not being realistic about the true value of their story and/or have not focused on what the company/product does that is of real interest to the media's audience.

1. What is your point(s) of differentiation (POD) and how strong is it? There is rarely ever no competition, so it is crucial that you know and can explain your POD.

2. Your pitch is a sales pitch. Nobody wants to hear how amazing, brilliant, fabulous et al your company is. They want a news story. It’s the story behind the product that may or may not be interesting.

3. Nobody has heard of you. Sorry, but there are thousands of people trying to get into Financial Review, BRW, Business Lateline. Even if you’ve started a multi-million dollar company, national media has never heard of you. Realise you are probably one of many.

4. You think if you keep calling/emailing/texting/twittering they’ll finally say yes. A NO means NO. The more you ignore the NO the more you will be ignored yourself.

5. You can’t tell your story well. If the journalist doesn’t get it in one sentence you’re out of there. Go back and revise your story and tell this pitch to different people until you’re sure they "get it" right away. Always practice a phone pitch at least five times before doing it for real.

If you’re frustrated with your media efforts, take a minute and be honest with yourself. Do you think you’re more unique than you are? Have you done your competitive analysis? Are you trying to sell your product/service/book instead of finding the real hook behind it? Are you taking 15 minutes to get someone to understand what you’re talking about?

Work out what issue/problem is benefited by your product/company and focus on that. That's the real story.

Three ways to get bad media coverage

2011-07-19T15:25:00.001+10:00

Just as there are steps to take to improve your public relations power, there are ones you can follow that will ensure your reputation and media coverage will be horrible.

1. Don't thoroughly know their section and publication/program

Nothing quite annoys the media, and understandably so, then receiving releases and pitches completely irrelevant to them. It's a slight to their work and shows the senders ignorance. How hard can it be to read the journalists past three months articles?

2. Call them right on deadline, or even worse, don't know they have one

Figure you'll call BRW on Monday late afternoon and pitch an idea? That will not endear you to them. Find out a publications deadline before contacting. And when you do call them first ask if they can talk or would they prefer you to call them back at a better time.

3) Stonewall and give no information whatsoever.

This is not the same thing as a “No comment” answer. This is when you purposely avoid answering the media in any way, thinking that if you say nothing, they will write nothing in response. Sorry, it does not work that way, and it only encourages reporters to find other sources who will talk, particularly ones who may oppose you. The result can be a piece that makes you scramble for damage control afterward – if in fact you do not lose your job and/or friends as a consequence. I had a client actually refuse to tell a top notch financial journalist who was on there board!!! As he replied, all he had to do was look it up on ASIC when he returned to the office.

Do's and Don'ts of working with the media

2011-07-15T17:58:00.000+10:00

A colleague told me recently that one of his clients said he refuses to speak with reporters unless they give him approval of the story before it runs!! Another told him her boss surreptitiously tape records interviews with the media in case the reporter “screws” him. This is very dangerous so here's some tips on how to work with the media.

1. Never ever Go Off-The-Record: Journalists don’t agree on what the term off the record means. One survey found that even journalists working for the same news organisation had widely divergent views of what the term actually meant. If journalists themselves can’t agree on the definition, you’re going to get in trouble if you rely on the term to forge an agreement with a reporter. Never, ever go off the record.

2. Never Say No Comment: There is no phrase more damning in a spokesperson’s lexicon than “no comment.”

3. You Cannot “Approve” a Story: Many high-powered executives, accustomed to directing subordinates, instruct reporters to send them a draft of their articles before publication. Journalists have no obligation to share their final story with you, so don’t ask, ever.

4. But You Can Offer to Fact Check a Story: Offering to fact check a story is different than requesting to see a story prior to publication. Whereas asking a reporter to see a story in advance suggests a controlling executive, making yourself available to check an article’s key facts is usually regarded as helpful. They may call you to review a single fact or email you a key section of the article for review.

5. You Can Request Questions In Advance (sometimes): PR pros disagree on whether or not it’s appropriate to request questions from reporters in advance. I’d avoid asking the major news outlets for the questions, but reporters working for smaller news organisations, soft trade publications, or the entertainment press are often willing to share their questions with you prior to an interview.

6. You Can Tape The Interview: You may consider taping your raw interviews with reporters, especially if you expect it to be hostile. I generally advise against recording more straightforward interviews, since taping can create a defensive environment before you even get started. Many states require you to notify the other party that you are recording, so check the law in your state – or better yet, just tell the reporter you’re recording.

7. You Can Limit The Time of The Interview: Limiting the time of an interview can help you prevent the conversation from turning into a harmful fishing expedition. If you believe a reporter is primarily interested in digging for dirt, tell the reporter you’d love to talk, but only have a fifteen minute window available. Although this can be a useful tool in certain situations, make it a rare exception to the rule, not your standard operation procedure.

8. You Can Declare Certain Topics Off-Limits: But I wouldn’t. Reporters often disclose such agreements to their audience, and that disclosure will probably make you look guilty. It’s far better to receive media training so you can handle any question gracefully, even the unexpected question from “left field.”

I was misquoted!

2011-07-15T17:47:00.000+10:00

"It’s one of the most asked questions "Should I ever freeze a reporter out?” "When I hear that, I immediately think of a scene out of The Godfather or Fatal Attraction, complete with horse’s heads and boiled bunnies" says Brad Phillips of Phillips Media Relations.

Things aren't quite that tough with media in Australia, well as far as I'm aware. But this is crucial, of course you should never freeze out a journalist, no matter what. Remember the pen (or Ipad) is mightier than the sword.

1. Show it to a Neutral Party: It’s an age-old truth: the closer you are to a news story, the more likely it is you will think it’s a negative story. Ask neutral parties to read, listen to, or watch the story and give you their views. Often times, you will be surprised to find that the message you hoped would get through to the audience got through.

2. Talk to the Reporter: Remember – reporters need access to sources to do their jobs, and good reporters are willing to hear their sources’ objections to a story (they may not agree with you, but they usually listen). Call the reporter, and ask if he or she is on deadline – if so, ask to schedule a time to call back. When you speak, remain polite regardless of his or her response. You will get a better reaction to a discussion about objective factual errors than subjective differences of opinions.

3. Write a Response: In print journalism, you almost always have forums available to you for a response, such as a letter-to-the-editor. If it’s an option, use it. Don’t repeat the original errors in reporting, since it just gives those errors more airtime – just articulate your point of view.

4. Speak to the Editor: If you’ve gotten nowhere with the reporter, it may be a good idea to raise your objection with the reporter’s boss to insure he or she is aware of your complaints. This is a risky step and should only be taken if absolutely necesary because, naturally, you are going to get the journalist offside.

5. Respond with Statements Only: If it has become abundantly clear to most independent observers that the news organisation in question is irrevocably biased against you or your organization, you have two choices: cut off all access, or respond with precision. I almost always recommend the latter option, which means sending a short written statement in response to a reporter’s query.

6. Cut Off All Access: The only time I ever recommend cutting off all access is when you can honestly say that there is nothing to be gained by speaking to the reporter. Those cases may exist, but they are rare. Most of the time, good media management means finding solutions to working with the press – not avoiding them altogether.

7. Use Social Media: Cutting off access doesn’t mean you stop communicating. Instead, use social media to continue communicating with your key audiences – through all available channels, including your company website and blog, and your corporate YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter accounts.

Seven Second Stray

2011-07-15T17:35:00.000+10:00

“The Seven-Second Stray” was named by Brad Phillips who was a producer for CNN’s Sunday public affairs program. He says he calls it that because if a spokesperson is on message for 59 minutes and 53 seconds of an hourlong interview but says something off message for just seven seconds, it can be guaranteed that reporters will select that seven-second answer to play over and over again.

The seven-second stray is deadly.

Phillips says that not only is it often damaging to your reputation, but it drowns out everything else you’ve said, becoming the only quote the audience will ever hear from your interview.

If you’re facing tough questioning, he tell them that their message is their lifeboat. If you keep returning to your message and message supports—stories, statistics, and sound bites—it’s as if you’re swimming to the safety of the closest lifeboat. But if you stray off message, you’re treading water at best—if not drifting farther and farther away from the lifeboat until that inevitable (and entirely predictable) moment when you drown.

BP CEO’s infamous seven-second stray

In April 2010, an oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, killing 11 men and injuring 17 others.

For 87 days, oil gushed from the seafloor, washing up on sensitive shorelines from Texas to Florida. The spill wrecked local economies, putting tens of thousands of workers out of work. Fishermen were left without seafood to sell, hotels were left without guests, and restaurants were left without diners.

BP, the massive oil conglomerate responsible for the rig, took a daily beating in the press. The bad press had a devastating impact on the company: The oil giant quickly shed half its worth, a loss of more than $100 billion.

As bad as the crisis was, the spill itself wasn’t responsible for the greatest damage to BP’s reputation. Rather, the company’s inept response, headed by CEO Tony Hayward, significantly deepened the damage. In a televised interview, Hayward famously quipped:

“There’s no one who wants this thing over more than I do. You know, I’d like my life back.”

That stunningly tone-deaf seven-second stray, which slighted the deceased oil workers and newly unemployed workers, became a symbol of BP’s self-interested focus.

With just five telling words, “I’d like my life back,” Hayward reinforced an irreversible narrative of a clueless company that just didn’t get it—and just didn’t care. Mr. Hayward was forced out of BP’s top spot shortly after the spill ended, but it didn’t matter. The damage to BP had been done.

Looking back, Hayward finally admitted the obvious: He was unequipped to “deal with the intensity of the media scrutiny.”

Murdoch gets cranky

2011-07-15T17:01:00.000+10:00

Rupert Murdoch is reportedly "getting annoyed" by negative headlines about News Corp, aaawwwwww.

So he's hired PR company, Edelman, to help with its crisis management.

News International’s management and standards committee (they have one?!) is handling the response to the phone-hacking scandal. Edelman will work with this committee. The PR firm is working on “general comms support and public affairs counsel.

Seven sins of a bad media release

2011-07-15T16:49:00.000+10:00

1. It's more than five paragraphs

Less is more when it comes to media releases. Never longer than one page and no more than five paragraphs.

2. It's simply fabulous, wonderful, marvellous

Media releases are not commercials, so they shouldn’t read like one. Ditch the sales speak, and get rid of the hyperbole. A media release is not a company brochure or ad so do not write it like one. It’s a news release—stick to the facts and avoid bias. That's what journalists want.

3. You focused on quantity instead of quality

Don't type up and send our media releases en masse. Nobody is interested in a non newsworthy media release. Only send out a release when you have genuine news.

4. Get to the point already!

Someone should be able to know what your story is about by reading only the first paragraph of your press release. Press releases are written in the “inverted pyramid” format. This means the most important information (who, what, when, where and how) is at the top of the press release, followed by all of the minor details. Get to the point quickly, and don’t drag out your press release for three pages.

5. A translator is required to interpret the jargon

Save the jargon for your shareholder meetings; it has no place in your press release.

6. The headline is boring

I hate to break it to you, but no one cares if you updated your website or started a new blog. Sure, you can create news from doing this, but you have to find a different angle than “XYZ Company Updates Website.” Find a solid news angle that focuses on some unique function of the new website that provides a tangible benefit people might be interested in. Then, craft your headline around that news angle. Be careful not to make your headline too salesy or cutesy, as it will come off like a cheap advertisement rather than a newsworthy press release.

7. You forgot to proofread it

Without proofreading, you risk sending out a press release that’s riddled with typos and grammatical errors. Needless to say, that doesn’t exactly command respect from editors and journalists.

Giving Good Phone

2011-07-15T16:41:00.000+10:00

The majority of media interviews are done over the phone, not in person. So how can you perform at your best during a phone interview, here's some tips:

1. Get out of your office. Don’t sit at your desk, where you can be easily distracted by incoming emails, phone calls, and office visitors. Find an empty room with no distractions, and tape a “Do Not Disturb – Interview in Progress” sign on the door.

2. Bring your key messages - these should be in bullet points and maximum five. It's pivotal that you convey your key messages during an interview.

3. Get a headset. Telephone headsets are terrific gadgets for phone interviews. They allow you to use both of your hands to gesture—which adds emphasis to your voice—and frees you to shuffle your note cards or scribble a quick note.

4. Stand. You're are able to “think faster on your feet.” You also tend to project more authority, likely because pacing helps them use their nervous energy in a more productive manner.

5. Smile. When appropriate, that is. The reporter (and audience, for radio interviews) can hear your warmth radiating through the phone.

6. Use a landline. Speaker phones have inferior audio quality and can be a barrier to easy communication. Plus, reporters may think, “He’s too important to pick up the damn phone?” Same goes for cell phones—use them only when necessary.

7. Click, clack, repeat. Listen for the sound of typing on the other end; you may hear it when you say something that intrigues the reporter. That’s your cue to slow down and repeat what you’ve just said a second time, to help make sure the reporter has time to capture every word.

8. Do not rush - don't become nervous and rush through an interview.

9. Practice, practice, practice - do a run through or two before the interview with someone.

10. Bring it back to topic - often a discussion can move away from the main topic or maybe you just want something included. Just say, can i mention that the details are are on website muffinsareus.com.au.

Winning ink

2009-12-21T16:23:00.006+11:00

The financial crisis has lead businesses towards a more cost effective marketing tactic - public relations or, rather, one of PRs' services - securing media coverage. Media coverage is a brilliant way to grow your business as seen by many major brands who have primarily or solely utilised it - Yahoo!, the Body Shop, Starbucks, Krispy Kreme.

Once you have identified media that directly reaches the audiences you want to reach what next? How does a business secure media coverage? Send a press release? NO!!!! Journalists receive hundreds of press releases every day and most are thrown out for very good reason.

Unless you have real news the best tactic is to identify media which reach your target markets, develop a good strong angle and then personally pitch it to the relevant journalists after you have read their last 10 articles. Yes pick up the phone!

When you do this make sure before you start rambling that they can spare a couple of minutes to speak with you and aren't on deadline.

Always take the approach of what you can do for them, definitely not the other way around.

What you pitch to them HAS to be of interest to their readers, viewers or listeners so you must have a solid knowledge of their publication or program.

If they are interested in receiving information from you ask what format they want it in, don't assume. Ensure that it is clear and concise and no more than one page long.

Make sure its headline contains a stat, fact or compelling piece of information that's new or revelatory, and that your first sentence has the power to sell your story. Always focus on what your new product or service will achieve/improve for the sector its created for, not what a brilliant product it is.

Do your research and have data on issues relating to the sector and have some talent, people that use your product/service and can positively talk about it, that can be used in the story.

With media organisations worldwide decreasing the number of journalists the opportunity of securing media coverage continues to grow. By working with the media well you have a good chance of getting a story as well as a good contact for the future.

Will the angles dry up?

2009-12-17T14:35:00.003+11:00

A client recently asked me what will happen once all their angles have been used with the media. Securing media coverage relies on strong angles but a decent media person will know how to continually develop angles for media.

This can be done by keeping abreast of current affairs and piggybacking off a current issue. If a client is an expert in climate change, for example, secure some strong comments from them and pitch them to the media for inclusion in stories.

If the newspaper has an article on the increase in shoplifting by middle class people and the client is a security expert pitch them to radio that day as radio usually picks up on newspaper stories.

If you hear a radio program on a clients area of expertise get them onto the program quickly. Its crucial that the client understands the importance of accommodating the medias' always short deadlines.

Another method is to suggestion to clients that they undertake an activity for the purpose of securing media coverage.

Keep abreast of overseas trends and media as this will give you many opportunities to develop stories which will interest the media.

A good media person will know how to develop an angle so that media coverage is consistently secured. They will be able to identify angles that the client may overlook so spending time with the client and their team is very valuable.

And lastly a good media or PR person never waits for a client to give them news to pitch to media, they will be constantly sourcing it proactively.

How to Get the Media to Write about You

2008-09-29T14:24:00.004+10:00

Like an article in BRW, Australian Financial Review, Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Australian? Write a media release and send it off to them? No!

It is a major fallacy that securing media coverage requires the writing and distribution of a media release. In fact we rarely ever do this unless it is a major news story.

Instead we write the required media material ie; company backgrounder, fact sheet, biography and identify the relevant media to target based on the clients objectives and target audiences.

We then undertake research which will add interest to the clients product/service. For example a new mobile phone technology being launched in Australia will be of more interest to the media if we secure new data on the attitudes of generation Y to mobile services and how other generations are increasing their usage.

We develop angles that make the product/service of interest to the media. Telling them about a new product will not achieve a half page article in Financial Review, only a few lines. But by developing creative angles and then backing it up with the following very large articles are secured:

Creating an interesting angle
Securing people using the product and how it benefits them and giving the media their contact details for interview
Providing strong current data which is relevant and offers a unique angle
Offer professionally shot photographs which are often used by certain publications.

Very importantly we approach the media individually and with a different angle for each. This is pivotal to securing major media coverage and what we excel at.

Paying a PR = media coverage or does it????

2008-09-23T17:36:00.005+10:00

It's established that editorial coverage offers credibility because the audience knows that a journalist has reviewed the subject and objectively written about it.

The media's responsibility is to their audience - readers, viewers, listeners. Therefore the final story is at their mercy. Once you take a story to them it's entirely in their hands how, when, and even if it appears. A story can be cut in size due to space restrictions or completely dropped if a major news occurs.

In contrast you have complete control when advertising, you design the ad and that is exactly how it appears.

So why choose media coverage over advertising? It's credible and highly valuable.

Securing media coverage is not entirely dependent on the PR. Just because you're paying them it does not guarantee coverage. There has to be a hook, something of genuine interest to the media's audience.

Is your product/service different or going to make an impact on society? Is the story your pitching them newsworthy? A credible PR will not take on a client unless they are confident it will be of interest to media.

Furthermore, a journalist can be critical of your product/service. That's the risk you take when you approach them for editorial. So what can be done to ensure the story appears and is positive:

Ensure that your PR person knows how to work well with the media and has no qualms picking up the phone and pitching to them effectively.
Establish your key messages and make sure they appear in all your media material.
Your media material should be one page maximum and written in basic simple terms - no fluffy descriptive, keep that for your brochure.
Ensure that your media spokesperson is media trained and knows the key messages.
Your PR should follow up with the journalist to check that there is no confusion or queries.

And never ever ask to see an article before it appears - no credible publication will agree and will not appreciate the request.

The Australian Media reports on bizarre behaviour of PM's media minder

2008-06-23T12:57:00.001+10:00

An excellent, disturbing article by John Lyons appeared in the Media Section of The Australian detailing unprofessional, misogynistic and immature behaviour by Rudd's media minder, 28 year old Lachlan Harris.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,23897344-7582,00.html

It's hard to believe the actions of Harris, yet the story is highly credible. That Rudd could allow this is quite mystifying yet he, as detailed in the article, is not without fault in dealing with the media. Rudd told the journalists that a story in The Australian stating that he was visiting Japan was "bullshit" yet just six hours later the story was confirmed by his office.

Harris seems fond of threatening and bullying journalists and regularly displays contempt for media and plain rudeness. It is extraordinary behaviour by the Prime Ministers main media advisor.

An excerpt:

The aggression has been experienced by many. One journalist said she felt highly intimidated by a conversation with Harris. He was unhappy with a story she'd written based on a leak from a Labor frontbencher. Harris wanted a meeting; they met in Aussie's cafe in Parliament House. She says he rarely made eye contact but what threw her off balance was that he almost whispered as he made it clear she would pay a price for writing the story.

"You know it's over for you," she says he told her. "Nobody's going to deal with you. We're not going to forget this." After regaining her composure, she told him: "Don't bully me. You're trying to bully me and I'm not going to take it."

It's a fascinating read.

Tips on selecting a PR company

2008-06-16T15:56:00.005+10:00

When deciding on a PR firm have a reasonable idea what your requirements are as PR encompasses a variety of services.

If your aim is to secure media coverage ask the company to show you examples of coverage they've secured for clients over the past three months. They should be happy for you to contact their clients too.

When looking at the media articles ask what markets they were targeting to ensure they are not targeting any publication. It may appear great to secure ten minutes on a morning tv program, for example, but if none of the clients target audiences watch it then it's a waste of time.

Also ask them about the process of your campaign - when will they start approaching media and how?

What is their method of securing media coverage? You do not want a company who simply send out press releases as this is not effective unless you have a major news story. Media receive hundreds of press releases daily and they mostly get deleted.

Ask them how they will be updating you and how often.Find out how they will be measuring the campaign and how regularly. It is crucial that you know the objectives of a campaign before you commence. What do you really want to achieve from media coverage. Don't just appoint a PR and get media coverage for the sake of it or, otherwise, you run the risk of not achieving the desired results.

Only by clearly defining your business objectives will you know what media to target - which also depends on what markets you want to target - and what to say in the article which is known as key messages.

There are usually multiple objectives and it is pivotal that these are properly defined.

If, for example, you need new staff then the employment sections will be a target and in the media interview you'll emphasise the strong employee benefits and programs that your company offers.

Don't focus on what media contacts the PR company has as media change frequently. Media relationships are not as important as their ability to proactively develop a strong angle and successfully pitch it to relevant media.

Importantly find out who will be working on your account, the day to day work. Ask who will be contacting the media on your behalf? Make sure that the people contacting the media are very experienced - four years minimum. You do not want a junior pitching your company to the media.

Should you appoint a large, small or medium consultancy? It depends on your requirements, how many other clients they have, if their team are predominantly seniors, whether they focus on one area ie; media relations or do everything and more. This is where it's important to find out who is your main point of contact and their level of experience.

And be realistic, don't expect articles at the very beginning - it takes time to secure media coverage. Ascertain how they will be reporting to you and how often. Will they be doing a monthly evaluation of their efforts and an end of project report?

How do they monitor media coverage during the campaign and will they send you original copies of the coverage or scans?

How will they be invoicing you and when do they require payment of their account. Will they be charging you per hour or by a monthly retainer and will cost of phone calls, couriers etc be added on or included in the fee? If it is a monthly retainer then what happens once they surpass the quoted number of hours, will you be charged in addition?

And ascertain how much notice you are required to provide them if you want to cancel the campaign. Some consultancies require one month, others two - so it's important to know this.

Advertising versus PR

2008-03-06T17:27:00.001+11:00

When the Ries and Ries book, The Fall of Advertising and the Rise of PR, came out a few years ago it caused a huge commotion, more than any of their other books.

The Ries have an interesting take on advertising, they basically don't think it is anywhere near as effective as PR (editorial coverage). They cite interesting case studies of utilising PR. Red Bull, Microsoft, Starbucks, Krispy Kreme have all successfully used PR to position themselves as brand leaders with very little if any advertising.

As media relations specialists we well know the huge impact of media coverage. Our clients will testify to the results which have turned their businesses around and created massive demand.

But what about products/services that don't have any story for the press? As the Ries' state "how do you launch a brand with with no publicity potential? The sad truth is you don't. In this media saturated environment you win or lose in the press. If you can't win the media battle, you can't win in the marketing battle".

But how do you get the media coverage?

There are at least ten ways to secure media coverage and it all depends on what coverage you want, in what media, how often, and much more.

I believe that securing substantial and consistent media coverage is a specialisation. Sure anyone can secure a couple of articles on the opening of their restaurant, winning an award, etc etc. But to get considerable, ongoing media coverage skill and experience is required.

The Ries cite Coca-Colas multi million dollar spend on advertising to launch Fruitopia so it would take the market lead from Snapple. Today Fruitopia is "a brand that has gone down the drain". So why do major companies continue to spend such huge amount on advertising yet baulk at spending similar amounts on PR? Well that's another article but things may be changing, albeit slowly.

An article earlier this year The Economist ran an article titled "Do we have a story for you! As advertising struggles, PR steps into the breach". You can read it at http://www.economist.com/business/PrinterFriendly.cfm?story_id=541812 stating that "PR is an increasingly vital marketing tool - especially as traditional forms of advertising struggle to catch consumers' attention".

Importantly this article states that massive, leading marketer Procter & Gamble whose advertising budget is approximately $4 billion, recently concluded in an internal study that the return was often better from a PR campaign than from traditional forms of advertising.

The Ries claim that media coverage has credibility which advertising does not have. They are right.

When was the last time you read with interest an advertisement?! If you had a choice between a free advertisement in the Herald or an article written by a journalist which would you choose?

Not getting enough ink?! Don't fire your PR just yet.

2008-03-06T17:25:00.001+11:00

Companies often complain that they’re unhappy with their current or past PR consultancy and the level of media coverage they secured, but my response is generally not what they expect. Instead of criticising the competition my initial queries are:

Was your budget sufficient for the consultancy to dedicate the number of hours required to secure adequate media coverage?
Did you invest in and commit to an ongoing campaign?
Does your company have newsworthy properties or the potential to develop items of interest to the media?
Were you available for interviews and willing to provide required information to your consultancy whenever journalists needed it?
Did you consistently take the consultancy’s advice?

Of course the ability and approach of the consultancy is paramount, but the above five elements are just as crucial. Clients need to thoroughly understand the media process and what’s involved and required of them for a successful campaign.

Clients can’t just sit back and wait for the media coverage to roll in. A successful campaign requires a level of commitment and input from the client. In fact, a client’s attitude and behaviour during a campaign can have a major impact on the results achieved.

Got great media coverage? Then use it!

2008-03-06T17:21:00.001+11:00

Naturally the major focus in a media relations campaign is securing the coverage. However this is only half of it, the other half is what you do with the coverage once it's secured. It's interesting that few companies consider this, yet media coverage, due to its credibility, is very valuable and should be maximised.

I once had a client, a website developer, who complained that he wasn't getting new business from the media coverage we secured. This would be exactly the same as me complaining that the website he built for my company didn't get me new clients. To do this I would have to, naturally, use the website to secure new business.

Fortunately most clients do get strong results from media articles. It's important for them to realise, though, that each article gradually builds their profile. It's an ongoing gradual process which is one of the reasons why a media campaign should be ongoing.

There are many ways a client can use their media coverage to their benefit. Of course putting it up on their site on a well set up media centre is beneficial.

But there are many more ways to maximise the coverage. We recommended copying the coverage and letterbox dropping it into areas where clients target customers live (depending on the types of customers they are seeking).

Everyone gets those terrible direct mail envelopes and flyers which are boring and tacky. But if you get good quality copies of great media articles on a company you are really going to take notice. I know I would.

Why? Because editorial has credibility because people know that the product/service has been reviewed by a journalist and is endorsing it.

Think about it. When was the last time you read that full page ad on a car in Good Weekend?

When was the last time you didn't switch channels when an ad came on? If you were offered an ad in BRW or an article written by a journalist, which would you choose?

That is why hugely successful international companies like Starbucks, Krispy Creme, The Body Shop etc all used PR to build their business and brand. They spent very little, if anything, on advertising.

But getting back to utilising your media coverage. If one of your objectives is to increase your retail outlets or secure a major grocery chain, send them copies of your media coverage, it will have a major impact.

Positive media coverage on your business is a great way to attract the best staff so use it - put the coverage on the Jobs Available section of your site. Link to it in any job ads you run.

If you're looking for new clients or need a reason to follow up with some past contacts, send them copies of your recent media coverage.

If you want to secure clients in a particular sector, secure coverage in that section of a newspaper or magazine then send the article to relevant companies.

These are just a few examples. The important point is that once you've got the media coverage use it.

Don't ever ask to see a story before it's published! Even if you are Microsoft!

2008-03-06T17:18:00.001+11:00

I was speaking with Mark Fenton Jones, the Editor of the Financial Reviews' Enterprise, today. It's always great to get feedback from journos and Mark was saying he is often asked by small business operators and even their PR companies (!!) for a copy of an article before it is published.

We've had clients ask for this and our policy has always been that we never ask - ever. That is because we are journalists and thoroughly understand the media process and know that this is not ok with media. In fact just asking them is likely to have a negative effect.

This is a major faux pas and one that is likely to severely miff the media and quite rightly so. And by asking to see a story before it’s published you will be demonstrating to them that you are inexperienced in media.

When you put yourself or your company/product/service forward to media for exposure you are running the risk of something being written that you may not necessarily like. Journalists are not there to help you - their responsibility is to their audience - the readers, listeners or viewers. Their job is to investigate, review, research the company, service or product and to give their audience an objective viewpoint.

And once the story is in their hands you have no control or say over what appears. Of course if there is a major factual mistake then that is a different issue. But in general you are at their mercy. You have absolutely no right to ask for a copy of the story, it's not an ad that you've paid for and control, it's editorial. And major newspapers and credible magazines have a very strict editorial policy about this.

This is why the strategy that is developed prior any media being contacted is crucial and we dedicate the first month of a campaign to this. We identify any issues, misperceptions etc that may arise in a media campaign. This is not so that we can hide it or put a "spin" on it. It's so that we are prepared and able to comment correctly and properly.

Have a look at my blog on the Dunstan Baby article in Good Weekend, a perfect example of issues not being properly identified. If the university was not going to back their claim on research then it should not have been claimed in the media material or anywhere on the product or promotional info that it did.

On that issue, when a journalist is doing a story and there is an issue don't try and hide and never use that ridiculous cliche "no comment'! All you're doing is giving the journalist the opportunity of digging and getting more dirt. They're going to write the story regardless, so be upfront and work with them.

So before you ask a journalist to do a story make sure you understand the media process and how it works. There is no point seeking editorial and then complaining because you’re not happy with the story.

That is what makes media coverage so valuable and highly sought after, it has credibility because the reader/listener/viewer knows that the journalist has done their job and is, hopefully, endorsing the subject.

A media minefield, it needn't be

2008-03-06T17:09:00.001+11:00

Many business people are nervous, or at least cautious, about dealing with the media and who can blame them?!

The media is an unusual beast but by learning how they work you can make them work for you. The key is to first do your research.

I am constantly stunned by the lack of media knowledge and understanding of people who are actively seeking media coverage. Reading a newspaper or watching the 7.30 Report doesn’t make them media experts. They wouldn’t dream of entering a new market or developing a new product without thorough research. Yet they try to secure media coverage without properly researching how the media really works, or, even worse, assume they know this.

Too many people think they can treat the media just as they would a client or supplier but the media is very different with a completely different set of rules. So many companies and individuals make classic mistakes with media that can be to their detriment. On the upside by doing your homework and understanding the media process you can build a strong media profile which will have an enormous impact on your business.

Let’s look at the high profile Australian business owners who utilise the media to their advantage. These people are very aware that media articles not only increase their profile but also give them credibility. They know how the media works and how best to work with media. We refer to them as media tarts, well that’s the kinder version.

A great example is Dick Smith who is always in the media and, as a result of his many years of efforts, he’s extremely well known. He’s one of the media tarts who work the media to his advantage. By the time he launched Dick Smith foods he was very well known and, hence, a trusted, known brand. Little if any advertising was required to sell these products, imagine the money he saved.

Dick has used the media for so many years it’s hard to remember when he started. And the media has lapped it up giving him hundreds of thousands of free air time and media space for whichever point of view he spouted. Why do they do this? Because they know that he’s always available to speak with them and always has an opinion and that’s what media love.

John Symonds is another and, whilst he has spent a few dollars on advertising, he has certainly used the media to build his profile and business. He’s got a great story, people love reading about his rags to riches to rags to wild riches story.

Media tarts surely can’t all be male can they? No, but women are harder to find and men certainly outweigh them as they do in business.

Janine Allis is definitely a successful business person who has worked the media to her benefit. She has secured enormous media exposure as the face of Boost Juice to the brand and the company’s benefit. Who hasn’t read a profile on Janine Allis and how she built her Boost empire? The massive awareness that she created for Boost by being great media talent was genius. She developed a great brand and then she used the media to establish national awareness of it. She has also been smart and backed off for some time too so that she is not over exposed which is very wise.

So what do these business people have in common? They all work the media and they make the media work for them. They are excellent media talent, the media love them. Here are some suggestions on how any business person can also achieve this:

1. Don’t be scared of the media, they can smell fear – just kidding!

2. Learn how the media works even if you are going to appoint a professional or a consultancy. It is really important that you understand the media process and what works and doesn’t. This will show in your media dealings which will be a plus for you.

3. Be great media talent. Have interesting data and stats of your industry to tell a journalist. Have interesting anecdotes about your customers and the challenges of growing your business. If you love your business then that will come across in interviews.

4. Always be available. Media hate it, understandably, when they are pitched a story and then the person isn’t available for an interview. If you are seeking media make sure that you are available whenever they want you. Always remember that media are usually on very tight deadlines so do not hold them up or mess them around.

5. Always know what your objective is in securing media coverage. Do not go out and secure media just for the sake of it. If you do this a media opportunity could be wasted. Do you want to increase sales in Brisbane, attract talented new staff, secure new clients? Do you want to alter a misperception about a market? Always know what your business objective is first because only then can you know what media to target and what to tell them.

6. Don’t expect to be a media figure in a month or even three, it takes time to build media contacts and relationships. You must be realistic about the time frame it will take to position yourself strongly in the media. It is an investment in time and, if you hire an inhouse person or retain a consultancy, in money. But look at the rewards. The more you are in media the more other media will see you and be interested in you. It’s a snowball effect.

7. Look at what the media that you want to secure are interested in, read their section and articles and not just this weeks but the last months at least. Know what type of story they’re interested in, the type of information they require. Get a feel for their writing and show them that you are on top of what they write.

8. Don’t assume that just because you think your product or service is great that the media will be interested in doing a story. The media want news, good strong angles and the fact that you sell a good gadget is not going to get you a story. That good gadget must do something that’s really interesting and different. Or it must solve a long standing problem that nothing else has achieved before. Do your research and provide this type of information.

9. When you write a media release, or any material for the media, write it in a style that they, the media, use. So many times companies write their media material just like they would their company brochure. This is a huge mistake. Do not use clichés or jargon. Do not use sickening adjectives saying how brilliant and great and hugely successful you are. Do not include quotes saying how delighted and thrilled you are. They’ll just throw it in the bin.

10. Never ever ask to see a story before it goes to print! This is huge mistake and will make you look like an amateur. Once you’ve handed a story over to a journalist it’s up to them and their editor how and when it appears. If you want control over how your company appears in the media, book an ad.

11. Know that if you woo the media that you are fair game. You can’t seduce the media one day and then ditch them the next. If, like Kevin Rudd, you have something in the closet then identify it and be prepared for how to properly handle it. If your skeleton is something quite serious that could jeopardise you and your company then do not seek media exposure.

12. Once you’ve chosen to dally with the media play fair. Like all relationships it’s two way, give and take. When they come to you because your share price has fallen or they’ve heard that you’ve lost three of your key management team speak to them immediately, do not stall. Be upfront and straight with them. Because you know how to work with the media you’ll be prepared for these times and be ready to put forward a straight, reasonable response.

13. Be prepared. If you need a bit of time to get your story straight take it. If a journalist has called you because they’ve head some news about your company just say “can you give me 15 minutes and I’ll get straight back to you”. And do this, find out your facts and make sure you’ve got it right and call them back.

14. Work interviews to your benefit. Yes the media are doing you a favour be including you in their newspaper or magazine or on their television or radio program. But don’t forget that they need you to a degree as well. Of course you have greater negotiating power if you’re really well known. If you’re doing a radio interview and they haven’t mentioned your website just say “Tony can I just let your listeners know our website address”. He’s not going to say no.

15. Regardless of the recent Costello situation you should always work on the basis that everything you say to a journalist is on the record. Tell something to a journalist and it’s fair game. This doesn’t mean you have to be neurotic every time you speak to a journalist, it just means don’t blabber. A good journalist will make you feel like you’re their close friend, but they have a job to do – to get a good story out of you. They are not your friend but they are also not your foe.

16. And finally if you have hired a media professional take their advice. Your expertise is in whatever field your business is in and you’ve chosen them because of their media expertise so don’t ignore it.

The W in BRW stands for Weekly!

2008-01-18T16:56:00.000+11:00

If it weren't so sad it would be quite funny. Speaking to a top journo at BRW yesterday about the PR industry in Australia he told me of an email recently received at the BRW office which asked a journalist (!) to advise when the next issue of BRW was coming out!

Could there be a more idiotic inquiry?!

It's frightening what's happening in the PR industry in Australia. Its suffering from a major staff crisis and all the senior consultants and agency owners I've been speaking with agree that the young people working in consultancies just don't have the same attitude as their elders when they first started out.

However it would be wrong to assume, unfortunately, that these types of MAJOR stuff ups are the
domain of juniors.

One consultant owner told me that they have to constantly chase their staff to read the papers daily. They should be reading them daily regardless! If they don't already read all the newspapers every day as a norm, then what on earth are they doing working in PR/communications?!

I had a senior consultant who, whilst on 85k, told me in front of other staff, that she couldn't possibly read a newspaper before 9am! I replied that in any other consultancy she'd been reading, not one, but five newspapers by 8am at least. She didn't last long.

I feel quite sorry for the consultancy owner whose staff member made that moronic inquiry to BRW. I'm sure they would be horrified as it's their credibility that's being affected, not the staff members'.

Journalists have a mountain of stories very similar to this one, though this is a beauty. Is it any wonder that the PR industry has such a poor reputation with the media?

Of course in any industry there are the good and bad and media should remember that they are certainly not fault free.

But I think the PR industry needs a major overhaul in terms of the professional standards of consultants and their responsibilities to clients and consultancy owners.

Good Weekend - What's baby talk for Colossal Stuff Up?!

2007-03-19T15:15:00.000+11:00

Good Weekend featured Priscilla Dunstan a Sydney Woman who claims to have established sounds made by babies and the meaning of them.

Reading this article I thought it was extra good publicity for her PR consultancy, Hill & Knowlton, who are mentioned on the first page. The article detailed PR consultant, Ryan Peal, "playing Monopoly" with Dunstan's son, Tom, in another room whilst the interview was taking place - they must be on a good retainer!!! Ryan and his colleagues would probably soon be playing Monopology with the client!

This was the main article of the issue and a cover - great awareness potential for Priscillla Dunstan and her products. So why is the Good Weekend article not listed on her website amongst all the other media coverage? The "news" section of dunstanbaby.com states the most recent media coverage as Womans' Day in February. But the babyblog gives a clue stating:
A (not so) Good Weekend
March 12th, 2007
People have asked our comments on the recent Good Weekend magazine story. What we can honestly say is that our response would be biased.

Why? Because the article ended up a debacle with Dunstan and her ex husband and business partner, George Betsis, claiming vastly different stories about revenue and her share of it. But that wasn't the worst of it.

Journalist Jane Cadzow did an excellent job of unearthing disparities in their claim of "independent studies". On the baby language booklet it's claimed "After years of independent studies - including those guided by Brown University's leading infant research centre." Yet Brown University disputes this stating in the article "Brown University faculty did not conduct this, or any, research on the Dunstan Baby Language system". Oops.

Not a small issue. The article did create enormous awareness of the wrong type.

How did this happen? Did Hill & Knowlton research all the potential issues before media was sought and potential issues identified? Did they speak with all the talent likely to speak with and/or be contacted by media? Did they conduct mock interviews with all the talent unearthing potential issues? Did they develop Q&A's and give them to the client? Or did they do all this and more but the client ignored their advice which does frequently happen.

Did they check and double check important issues such as the Brown University endorsement with the client? That may seem unnecessary but wouldn't this endorsement from such an acclaimed university be one of the clients key messages? Of course. So wouldn't they have expected the media to contact Brown? Wouldn't they also have realised that Brown would and should be included in any serious article? Hindsight is a wonderful thing but I really think that the Brown University research would be a major part of the media campaign and, hence, checked.

A major misperception is that PR is just writing a press release and sending it to media. Wrong. A huge amount of work is undertaken before any media is contacted. The campaign plan is like architectural plans for a house. It details the company's situational analysis, media analysis, objectives, communications objectives, then the target audience/markets, key messages, product/service differentiation, misperceptions, issue identification and so on. It is vital that sufficient time is allowed to complete the campaign plan and ensure that any possible hiccups are addressed before anything goes to media.

We may never know. But this is an excellent example of what not to do with the media. It's also an example of what can happen when seeking media coverage - be careful of what you wish for. A good journalist (well done to Jane Cadzow) will investigate all areas so these must be identified properly beforehand. If this is not done then there will be more than just baby talk that will require translation.

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!