Never Say “No Comment”

The phrase “never say no comment” may be the most unanimously agreed-upon rule of media relations. This mantra is so fundamental and basic that there is actually a book called “Never Say No Comment”.

 

The reason that it is an essential, never-to-be-broken rule is that simply by saying “no comment”, you are making a comment.  The comment you make is equivalent to “I have something to hide” or “there’s more than we want you to know about this story”. Any good reporter will immediately go on a hunt for more detail. If that’s what you want him to do, then say “no comment”.

 

There is always a way to answer a question without divulging negative or confidential information. You will give away less by giving brief answers. The reporter will also like you better because you are easier to quote. However little you chose to say, don’t even consider lying. Speak with a confident tone. One good policy is to answer with your opinion instead of cold, hard facts. Sentences that begin with “At this point, I think…………………” are less committal and less firm than “Yes, it’s true that………………”.  Certainly writers and editors can edit out the first few words of your comment. You will always run that risk. But, it will still have less of an impact on how they proceed than “no comment”.

 

It is not only the reporter who may dig deeper or become suspicious when you say “no comment”. You are really talking to the readers or viewers. And, you have no way of knowing who is among them. Besides any members of the public with an interest in the subject, you may send other journalists in search of what is behind your refusal to comment.

A Press Release Has Three Chances to Be Read

Many people who embark on a media relations campaign are overly concerned with the volume of news releases they issue. On the receiving end, many journalists are also concerned with the overwhelming volume they receive — the majority of which don’t suit their needs or don’t provide useful information. A significant percentage of news releases are deleted without ever being opened.

 

If you are sending news releases, you have three chances to be sure that recipients read them.

 

1. The sender’s address – Whoever is making contact with the media on your behalf needs to guard their reputation among journalists carefully. If journalists feel they are “spammed” or feel that the information provided is not of use to them, they may hit delete upon seeing the return address. On the other hand, if they have had useful information from that address in the past, they might jump in an open it quickly, eager to find another story.

 

2. The headline – Now you are depending on the receiver having gotten past the return address or maybe the sender’s address was unfamiliar to them but you were lucky and they choose to read further anyway. Now, the headline, which will be the subject line in the e-mail, has to tell them that this news is for them. If it doesn’t sound like news at this point, it’s unlikely to become news.

 

3. The lead – The lead is the first line of the body of your release. To get to this, the recipient has to have opened it. But, opening an e-mail does not come with an obligation to read the whole thing. The lead in a news release has to grab attention. It should be the most important nugget of your news in a nutshell. Keeping the most important part in a succinct nutshell is important. This is one of the many areas of media relations where journalism training and experience, or at least an understanding of the craft, is critical. If a news release is written in a newspaper style, the reader is more likely to see a story emerging. If the lead is strong and newsworthy, they will read the entire release.

News is Called “News” for a Reason

Notice that the word “news” is derived from the word “new”. News is generally new information. The news business works on a 24-hour cycle. You only get one chance to break news. After that it’s old news and interest in it declines at about the same rate as the value of a new car when you drive it off the dealer’s lot.

Writing and releasing news releases is not a 9-5 job, even if the news is about a 9-5 organization. There are several reasons to get the word out as soon as something newsworthy occurs.

All media organizations like to be the first to carry news. If you release it to everyone at the same time, they will all attempt to be the first (unless they are a weekly or monthly publication and know they can’t be).

If you create a target date and time at when to release it, there is a big risk that someone in the media will learn about it first. Usually when something newsworthy happens, more than one person is involved. Chances are good that those people will tell their families, friends or co-workers. Once word spreads, the local newspaper is likely to call one of those involved. Once one media organization has carried a story, a plan to release it a day or two later will backfire. Media outlets lose interest in old news.

If you have a newsworthy announcement to make or something newsworthy happens, be prepared to act quickly. Great publicity opportunities can be missed if you let time pass.

“Gag orders”  and “embargos” usually have no useful purpose. They can only be imposed by a judge and, even then, are used with great caution.

Don’t Be a Promoter

Two different people, who regularly work with the media, have recently used the word “promote” to describe what I do for my clients. It’s true that more publicity can lead to various forms of promotion. But if a media relations function is carried out professionally, any promotion that results is an indirect result.

 

If news releases or a story pitchs to reporters are too “promotional”, they will lose their appeal instantly. A journalist’s job is not to promote anything. Their job is to find and deliver good stories that inform and entertain. It is an important function of media relations to find and supply good stories to journalists. If that has a subtle promotional effect, that is one of the benefits of the high visibility that results from publicity.

 

However, it does not make the media relations representative a “promoter”. Pure promotion should be saved for advertising. 

Media Relations is Like Going on a Diet

Developing a media relations campaign can be a long, slow process. But the payoff can be worth it. The word “relations” in media relations is key to the meaning of the term. It’s about developing relationships. Like any other relationship, it takes time.

Some people who start a new event or organization, or some athletes who have one big win, immediately expect to be a popular media commodity. But, in most cases, it’s a matter of making the right moves and having realistic expectations over time. Even established events and organizations have to constantly make appropriate changes to remain media-friendly in an ever-changing media marketplace. Most of the athletes or other public figures who have strong name recognition, achieved that over a long period of time.

If you have to lose 20 pounds it won’t happen overnight. It will happen one pound at a time, over a long period of time. But the payoff will be worth it. The same is true of the most successful media relations campaigns. High visibility usually doesn’t happen suddenly. On the rare occasion when it does, it is often not sustainable. 

Think Outside the Box

A client of mine was enquiring about one of my media relations seminars for her staff. She recognizes the challenges that her organization faces in getting their message out to their target audience, through the media. As I outlined the subject areas that my seminar covers, she queried, “Are these widely accepted practices in media relations?”.

I had never been asked that before, but this client’s question made me realize something important. The true answer to her question is “Not necessarily, but that’s why they work.”

I don’t mean to suggest that gimmicks or off-the-wall stunts are the way to get publicity. But most public relations firms, who practice media relations, use a corporate public relations formula. They use a standard set of practices that has become the status quo of the business.

In practicing true media relations, successfully, you use standards that are widely accepted practices in journalism. That may not always be the same as the widely accepted practices of the public relations or media relations practitioner.  But if you are trying to appeal to journalists, understanding their craft is key.

Don’t Be Sensitive If You Want Media Exposure

Media coverage is not for the thin-skinned. Being in the public eye is not for people who want to be selective about what is said about them. High visibility comes with a lot of media coverage over a long period of time. Some of it you will really like. There will be other times when you don’t like the way you were portrayed. Unless the facts are not accurate, you just have to live with it. To be the subject of newspaper or television stories, you relinquish control to the writer and editor or producer.

Very few people like when we see their own quotes in print. Everybody can think of a better way they could have said it. It’s also true for those of us who work in the media. If the tables are turned, and someone else writes about us, the same thing happens. It’s also true when someone else describes you. It is easy to blame them for their perceptions. But, ask yourself if it was actually inaccurate or just different than the way you perceive yourself.

The same thing often happens when the story is about an event or organization with which you are affiliated. Don’t get defensive or sensitive. Just realize the long-term value of exposure. Every story won’t be just the way you wanted it, but the pay-off will probably make up for it.

Ignore Offers of “Free Publicity”

The internet is littered with offers from people and companies that want to help you get “free publicity”. The use of that phrase is your first clue that they are not reputable publicists or media relations consultants.

That’s not to say that publicity should cost you money. ALL publicity is free. If you pay for it, then it is either advertising or advertorial. Advertorial is what we call paid content that are disguised as editorial content of the publication. They normally contain clues that they are not editorial content. That “clue” might be as blatant as printing the word “advertisement” in very small print at the bottom. But, often the “clue” is subtle, such as adding the logo of the organization to the headline — something you would be unlikely to see in actual editorial.

The only cost in getting publicity should be IF you choose to use a professional representative. Otherwise the only investment you make is your time to do interviews. 

There is no question that the line between advertising and publicity is blurring in all mediums. But, in the mass-market media you cannot pay for publicity. Some specialty trade magazines will ask you to buy an advertisement in order to  have your special event covered. This is not considered good journalistic ethics.

True publicity is always free and my advice is to ignore all offers of “free publicity”.

What’s the Hook?

One of the biggest mistakes made when trying to get publicity is not understanding that every story needs to have a strong “hook”. The hook is the angle of the story, the narrow focus, that keeps it from being too broad to be interesting.

In order to successfully attract media attention, you have to be capable of finding “hooks” that appeal to editors and producers.

For example, if you ask a reporter to do a story on a particular health condition, the subject is too broad unless it’s a condition about which most people are completely unaware. So you have to narrow the focus to a particularly interesting angle. The same is true if the subject is a particular sport, or any other broad subject.

If you write a press release and don’t open with a strong hook, the recipients may not read the remainder.

One of the most useful tools in media relations is knowing how to recognize a story and find a strong hook. If you can do that, or have someone who can, you are virtually guaranteed to create publicity opportunities.

What is Media Relations?

So, we’ve examined the difference between media relations and public relations; why a person or an organization would undertake a media relations campaign; and advised you that the first step is to learn how the media works.

But just what is media relations? I define it as a proactive, planned process through which an individual or organization develops a relationship with the media that makes them more likely to get coverage. It also makes them easier to cover. If you are easy to cover because of your cooperation, accessibility and interview skills, the media will think of you more often.

The process of developing this relationship can be provided by a professional or can be simply a matter of learning about the needs of the media and working on your interviewing skills. Equipped with those skills, you can make a successful plan.