ACCT MEDIA
MANAGEMENT TRAINING
Burson-Marsteller
Dealing with the
Media
What is
media relations
Your
management’s
definition
“My_________ on the front page of
the wall Street Journal Asia”
What is media relations?
• It is not a press release
• It’s not about who you know
- Not without a good story it’s not
• Payment for placement isn’t media relations
- Advertising / advertorial / infomercial
• Simply telling the world your good news doesn’t work
• One size doesn’t fit all
- Match target audience to media outlet
What is media relations?
First priority
•
Delivery of a message to a target public by way of the media: “unpaid
media”
But it’s also…
• Giving the media information or access
• Developing a two-way exchange
• Providing background information and spokespeople
• Offering useful information to develop a story or angle
• Building a professional relationship
The goal of media relations
• Fair and accurate reporting of your company, product, service or
issue
• Two-way respect
- Belief in you as a professional
- Trust that you respect them and their role
• A valuable resource for information and ideas
The relationship is often …
YOU
THEM
What editors want
What you want
•
News
•
To report story well and in a timely
fashion
• Fair and balanced reporting on
Access to background information,
stories of controversy
people, trends
Balanced resources
• To be viewed as a resource
To beat their competition
•
•
•
• Positive news coverage about
your company and the industry
It should be …
• Media are one of the primary – and best – ways to deliver your key
messages to your target audiences
• The better way is to build and use pro-active media relations
What does
pro-active media
relations mean?
What is pro-active media relations?
• Having a professional working relation
• Being available at all times – good or bad – to respond to the media
Why be pro-active?
• Others have defined who you are in the past
• News environment allows you to position yourself as a responsible
company
• It shows confidence, that your company is “in tune” with society
• An opportunity to build a trusting relationship with journalists
• Being silent carries a negative message in the media
• Competitors are silent
• Help ensure your company will be given time and space for
response in negative stories
To be pro-active, you must know…
• The overall purpose or objective of your media relations campaign
- What do you want to achieve , specially?
• Which media do you need to build appropriate relationships with to
generate the type of media you want?
- Not all media reach your key audiences: prioritize these to gain
efficiency
• The profile of the key (prioritize) media in your country or market
- What type of news dot they cover?
- What is their frequency and reach?
- How they work day to day, In advance?
- Are they “issues commentators”? Who among the roster of
journalists are the specific commentators you want to reach?
To be pro-active, you need to watch for …
• Opportunities or trends
- News, topics which you can add a positive or alternative voice
- Immediate news openings: breaking news or ongoing news stories
which you could interject a point of view
- New information or unusual “ perspective” which can make an old
story new
• Issues
- Forecasting, watching and monitoring for potential problems,
issues or concerns
- Having a plan of action prepared in advance so you are not caught
unaware
• Always focus on the priorities of the reader or viewer
Understand your role
• As a company
- For example: can you comment on the status of the economy?
others?
• As an employer
- For example: can you comment on careers, knowledge or people?
others?
• As a contributor to society
- For example: can you comment on community relations? Others?
• Your company can be the “human face” bringing emotional
dimension to the news of the day
• To be pro-active, you must also understand what new is
Examples of
good and bad
media relations
Questions?
Comments?
what makes
news?
1. Interest
•
•
•
•
•
•
Is controversial, provocative: would cause people to talk about it
Demonstrates drama, conflict, extremity
Is unusual, entertaining
Has human interest
Arouses emotion
Has good pictures or video (visual)
2. Consequence
•
•
•
•
•
Educates and informs
Is important to lifestyle or ability to cope
Has a moral or social importance
Is “should know” material
Is Topical
3. Timeless
• Material is current, is NEW
• A new angle on people or events
• A new trend, with relevance to many people
4. Proximity
• Local issues, trends or events relevancy
• Local impact of regional or global news
• Direct effect on the media audience
5.Prominence
• Concerns famous or important people
• Concerns famous events
• Has received other media coverage , or is part of an ongoing story,
issue or event
Six types of news stories
•
•
•
•
•
•
News
- Today's news
Service
- Gives the reader information, such as a “how to”
Trends
- Local, National, Regional or International
Round-Up
- Doesn’t just focus on your company, brings in many elements
Appilication or Test
- How a new product performs
Profiles
- Portrait of an individual
What makes a news story?
Six Elements
Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why?
How?
Every (good) story has three characteristics
1.
2.
3.
From a credible source
- Build your identify as a corporate or topic expert
Confirmed by experts
- Prepare them and refer to them
Substantiated by facts
- People, research
Questions?
Comments?
Message
development
The
communications
equation
How communications works
The communications equation
Deliverer
Message
Mechanism
Receiver
=
Change
Deliverer issues
• Their message is written for themselves, not to who is going to hear
the messages
• Flawed message delivery
• Received is ill-defined
- Too large
- Too small
- Wrong influencers or media
• Internal pressure
- Money
- Time
- Resource
Message issues
• Typically , the message is written from the point of view of the
deliverer not the receiver
• To the receiver, the message is not
- Relevant
- Credible
- Defensible
- Differentiating
- Memorable or lasting
Mechanism issues
•
•
Inappropriate use or mis-understanding of the different mechanisms,
among the most common methods
- Advertising
- Public Relations
- Media Relations
- Direct Marketing
- Sales Promotion
- Online Marketing
Insufficient resources to support the chosen methods
- Money/Budget
- People
- Time
Receiver issues
• In addition to relevant messages, the receiver may be:
- Not interested / apathetic
- Mis- informed
- Clueless
- Antagonistic
- Already has decided upon an opinion
• In general, their perceptions are already established
One element cannot be controlled
Deliverer
Message
Mechanism
Receiver
=
Change
Messages
Why do you need key message?
• Provides substance communicated by the spokesperson
- “Know what you say, not say what you know”
• Every spokesperson users the same vocabulary, style and tone
- Ensures consistency to all audiences
- Ensures consistency among all marketing disciplines
• Can be adapted for various communication tools: speech, preparing
Q&As, press release, finacial or analyst reports, etc.
Messages
• A point of view – either objective or subjective – to either inform, add
or change the general knowledge of a topic
Deliverer
Message
Mechanism
Receiver
=
Change
In other words, what is the goal of the deliverer in conveying
the message to the target audiences? What kind of change is
Expected, needed or wanted
VOICE™: Managing the Message Cycle
Messages are created in five basic steps:
V = VISION
Messages are created as part of a business or
communication plan of action
O = ORGANIZATION
Message are based on facts, research and
analysis of the current environment (e.g.,
audiences’ current perception, media
environment?
I = INSTRUCTION
Messages are delivered by qualified and
trained spokespeople
C = COMMUNICATIONS Messages are relayed in a compelling
communications campaign
E = EVALUATION
The success of the message delivery helps
determine the success of the business or
communication plan of action
…by knowing who the target audience is…
Three Groups
Primary Target Audience
The group which will help
achieve the business result
Secondary Target Audience, or
Influencers
A prioritized list of groups which will
influence the primary audienced toward a
positive business result
Media
Consumer, business, trade, vertical
…and by understanding what they believe now
Internal Perceptions
- Personal attitude
- Events
- Issues
- History
- Experience
External Influences
- Economic environment
- Situational environment
- Competition
Messages change perceptions
- What issue is the target
Current Mindset
What the target
Currently thinks, feel or
does in general – but also
from a brand perspective
Also
audience considering?
- What is “the little voice in
the back of their hands”
telling them?
- Messages need to
address “that little voice”
if you have any chance
of being successful in
changing perceptions
Messages change perceptions
Current Mindset
What the target
Currently thinks, feel or
does in general – but
also from a brand
perspective
Rational
And
Emotional
Messages
Desired Mindset
What we want the target
to think, feel or do –
specially in terms of the
brand and the role it can
play in their life
Messages are both rational and emotional
• Rational reasons are facts = facts persuade
• Emotional reasons are feeling (or emotions) = emotions motivate
Key messages should focus…
• On factual details, subjective benefits and tap into values of
individual audiences
Rational Reasons
The tangible specific facts
or actions delivered by
credible experts
Emotional Reasons
The tangible benefit, connected
to personal values, and endorsed
by relevant support structure
This also suggests who
the most appropriate
spokesperson should be:
“Credible experts”
for rational messages &
“relevant support
structure” for emotional
messages
All messages should be…
Compelling (encourages action)
Differentiating (‘yours” alone)
Relevant (is important to the audiences)
Credible (is believable by tha audiences)
Defensible (from competition)
And possibly, sustainable (usually corporate
or brand messages)
Messages convey facts and feelings
Rational Reasons
The tangible, specific facts or
Actions delivered by credible
experts
__
Key Message
core
core
core
core
message message message message
Emotional Reasons
The subjective benefit, connected
to personal values, and endorsed
by relevant support structure
__
Evidence, Proof of support
The organization of the message house
Key Message
Core
Message
Core
Message
Evidence, Proof of Support
Core
Message
The key message
Key Message
• Also known as the “umbrella statement”
• The most important message that you want the
primary target audience (perhaps others) to remember …
Even after they’ve forgotten everything
• Must contain rational and emotional messages
- These type of messages also suggest who is the most
appropriate spokesperson
Core messages
Key Message
Core
Message
Core
Message
Core
Message
• 3 or 4 supporting message that substantiate the
overall message – never less / never more
• Provides “body” to our communications
Evidence, proof or support
Key message
Core
Message
Core
Message
Core
Message
Core
Message
Evidence, Proof or Support
• What we may need to add depth to the supporting
messages
• The who, when
and how
• Scientific data, personal experience or anecdotal
evidence
Various: a brand message house
Brand Proposition
The Market
Need and
Context
What is
It?
Core
Message
Evidence, Proof or Support
Various: an issues message house
Brand Proposition
Define (or
Redefine) the
issue
What is being
Done to
Prevent it?
What is
It?
Evidence, Proof or Support
Various : a crisis message house
Brand Proposition
Concern
Emphatize
And show
sympathy
Action
What is
being done?
Perspective
Put it
Into context
Evidence, Proof or Support
Always remember…
• Keep the business result and communications, objective(s) in mind
• Messages are written for the target audience’s ear – not for the
client’s
• What does the target audience believe, feet or know NOW?
• What questions does the target audience have?
- What does the “little voice in the back of their heads” tell them?
• In what context are you speaking to them?
Coffee break
Delivering
Effective
messages
1. Know the journalists’ objective
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
What do they want from the interview?
Who is the journalists? What have they ‘written’ in the past?
What is their deadlines?
What topic specially do they want to focus on?
Who else have they spoken to? What did they say?
Buy time if you need it
Once you commit, always prepare
2. Know your objective
• What do you want to accomplish
• What headlines do you want?
• Anticipate all types of questions
- What are the basic questions?
- What are the “nightmare” questions?
- Ask yourself: what could go wrong? Then, in advance, think about
what you would do or how you would handle yourself
3. Every answer is a message
•
•
•
•
•
Be clear
Be simple
Be consistent
Focus on only 3-4 messages
Remember: PREP
- Point
- Reason
- Example
- Point
4. Use bridging and flagging
• Bridge from answer to answer
- “Yes, and in addition to that…”
- “No, that’s not right. Let me explain...”
- “I don’t know about that, but I do know about this…”
- “That’s how we used to do it, and heres how we do it now…”
• Flag important concepts and information
- “The most important point to remember is…”
- “After all weve said today, we should remember these three
things…”
- “Let me leave you with one point …”
5. Turn negatives into positives
• Be in a position to respond to every question with a positive answer
• Don’t repeat negative language
6. Be a credible – but approachable-expert
•
•
•
•
Avoid professional jargon – instead, use “everyday language”
Explain yourself simply
If you don’t know an answer, say so
Use stories and anecdotes to make your point
7. Show you mean what you say
• Look at the interviewer directly (never the camera)
• Watch your posture and body language
- Be “open” (no arms crossed over chest)
- Don’t fidget
- Do not use a swivel chair
• Make your voice authoritative without being domineering
• Where clothing which underscores your authority
8. Keep your emotions in check
• Just because the journalist is (___________), you remain calm and
poised
• Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security
• Remain calm and poised
• Don’t be afraid of silence (“dead air”)
• Never lie
9. Never speak “ off the record”
• Do not say anything you do NOT want to see in print
• There is no one definition of “off the record”
10. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse
• Practice makes you less nervous
• Practice makes you more confident
• Practice allows you to make mistakes and correct yourself before
the interview
• Practice allows you to “hear” you answers before you say them in
an interview
• Find someone to acts as the “interview”
Discussion
Role play 1
and critique
Lunch break
Role play 2
and critique
Discussion
Coffee break
A simplified
Media training
deck
Agenda
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•
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•
Introduction
Message
Media interview techniques
Role –play 1
Critique role-play 1
Role-play 2 & 3
Message strategy
And development
The media interview
Media Strategy
Story
Key Message Key Message Key Message
1
Facts
Figures
Examples
x
x
2
x
x
x
x
3
x
x
x
x
x
x
The media interview
Media Interview
techniques
The media interview
Preparation
Meeting the media
Don’t forget your objective
Two C’s
Content + Control =
Key to success
Know your story
What headlines do
you want
Anticipate types of question
Ask for subject areas
Basic Q’s
Nightmare Q’s
During the
interview
Include a key message
At least one in each
answer
Bridge
Return to your key
messages
Tough questions
Turn negative into
positives
If you can’t turn it to a positive…
Broaden the negative to
Include others
Use PREP
Examples, fact and figures
Use flagging and listing
Emphasize important points
If you don’t know the answer
Say so
Offer key messages
Casual Talk
Never speak
Off-the record
Take control
You’re in the drivers seat
Unsure?
Always tell the truth
Industry speak
Avoid professional
jargon
Show you mean what you say
Body language
And voice
Forget the camera
Maintain
Eye contact
Silence is golden
Don’t be tempted
to fill dead air
Always a challenge
Rehearse, rehearse
rehearse
Questions?
Comments
How to give
critique
Media training
Tips On Giving
Feedback and Critique
5 B’s
Media training
•
•
•
Be specific
Be constructive
Begin with the positives
Media training
•
•
Be ready to demonstrate a ‘better’ answer
Be encouraging
Media training
What to Critique
Media training
Substance-wise
• Have they bridged to a key message?
• How many key messages have they delivered during the interview
• They shouldn’t mention/comment on/criticize their competitors
Media training
• Watch out for, figures which can or cannot be disclosed
• They shouldn’t use or repeat negative language in their answers
• Have used effective facts ,figures and examples to strengthen their
messages?
Media training
Style-wise
• Warm and friendly? Aloof? Intimidating?
• Tone: condescending? Carling? Authoritative?
• Look out for defensive body language
• During a press conference do they work as a team?
Media training
•
•
•
•
Eye contact,shifty eyes
Sit but don’t slouch
Avoid clothes with close stripes
On-camera tips
Media training
Stay away from critiquing:
• Accent/language ability
• Avoid criticizing the corporate communications personnel
Media training
Be Confident!
Be authoritative!
Discussion