2011

SHERPA MEDIA TRAINING

AGENDA & OBJECTIVES

Understanding the Media

• Explaining Today’s Media Landscape

• Drill Down: Social Media – Gaining in Popularity and Importance

• Journalists: The Good, Bad and Ugly

• How Public Relations Operates - the basics

Being a Spokesperson; Delivering Messages

• Message Development and Consistency

• Spokesperson Dos and Don’ts

Print/Online Publishers (Touch)Many still enjoy the ‘feel’ of a magazine, newspaper

Still the best source for long-format, issues driven news Future? Based on consumer demand/interest…once that diminishes so will hard-copy news sources

Broadcast (Listen and/or View)Infotainment quality; 24 hour/day; reduces info overloadSearchable content = only watch what you want High speed wireless enables streaming ‘on the go’‘Pro-sumers’ are leveling the playing field for content creation

New Media (Share & Engage)Driven by fast moving news issues (natural disaster, politics)

‘The’ choice for youth but gaining new, older audiences Flexible enough to be consumed ‘on the go

Fed by professionals and hobbyistsRemoves barriers for consumers

Demystifying the Media

HOW IT HAPPENED…

1-2 Hours per day given up for email

1995

Disruptive technology: like a phone; like a telly but better in some ways

2005

Social Media gains in familiarity and users

2008

Business latches on and legitimizes the platform

Challenge: in real terms SM asks more of us than previous innovations but its potential is uncertain

2009 - 20101990

Admit it, you miss me…

www.Search

1998

1994 2011

Facebook: 600m+ users- Avg. user creates 70 pieces/month

Twitter: 195m user accounts- 300,000 New users/day

LinkedIn: 90m members- 50% Are Decision Makers in Their Co's

Wikipedia: 17m+ articles/270 languages- 5th most visited website

YouTube: 3rd most used search engine.- 2b videos watched/day; 24 hours video uploaded every minute

THE CHATTERING CLASSES

JOURNALISTS

Major Media: Correspondents at National and International newspapers and broadcast journalists at regional bureaus- e.g. The BBC, FT and WSJE

Business Press: Local Business Weeklies and Monthlies- e.g. Bloomberg BusinessWeek, The Economist

Trade Press: Vertical industry specific titles

Web/Blogs: From any of the above but including the end user

MEDIA AUDIENCES

THE BEARD

Up to 20+ years in the business

Experience as a staff journalist and perhaps as an administrator, e.g. Managing Editor

Considers themselves to an industry authority

Feels that they have heard and seen it all

Can become easily bored, but still seeks meetings and attends industry events

Often very productive; could be the biggest single source of press coverage for a particular region

JOURNALISTS

THE BABY

The Dream: Had hoped to become a Novelist

The Reality: The rent was due; takes any job they could

Spends the first year without a clue of what’s being said yet still files seven stories a week.

These journalists represent a long-term hope for a constructive and trusting media relationship

JOURNALISTS

THE BELLIGERENT

The baby grown up; Still in denial about not being the next Shakespeare

Tried to augment journalism career with in-house corporate stint but fails and returns to journalism

Constantly plays the contrarian – often responds aggressively to ‘pre-planned’ marketing messages

Responds best when given access to the top people and exclusive news opportunities

JOURNALISTS

THE BUSKER

The fastest growing sector for ‘real’ journalists

Either: 1) years of staff journalism result in redundancy; 2) low pay results in an entrepreneur -a freelancer

Works from home; does media training and ghost writing to augment income.

Writes more on publisher need than for personal interest.

Lack of inside knowledge can pose opportunities for well organized PR teams

JOURNALISTS

THE BLOGGER

Either an Enthusiast or a Fantasist

Clearly Has Too Much Available Time

Can be surprisingly well informed and articulate; perhaps more so than trade journalists restricted by company mediocrity

Difficult to place a value on; Difficult to engage with

No hierarchical structure can make them loose cannons

JOURNALISTS

HOW THE PR PROCESS OPERATES

The publicity process is inherently challenging because everybody has an opinion on how it should be run and the press rarely know a good

story when they see one.

• Your Story• Your Competitor’s Story• The Consultant/Analyst Perspective• The Reporter, Writer and Editor Spin• The Copy Editor/Headline Editor Spin

These Balance Out As: “The Published Stories”

STORY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

• The amount of inherent “story energy”• The amount of added energy put into the process• Delivering “proof of story value”/importance to reader• Taking advantage of "industry winds”• How easy it is for the press to cover the story • Clear, well thought-out messaging for each issue and theme• The creativity of ongoing “story ideas”• The consistency and quality of the messages• The quality of the partners/event - speakers/exhibits, attendees

The amount of publicity generated will be directly proportional to:

LAWS OF PUBLICITY

MESSAGING & MESSAGE DELIVERY

Like a Good Sandwich, in Messaging Quality Really Does Matter

These are the statements we wish to have appear prominently in the media.

Therefore, they must be stated easily

and frequently during interviews

KEY MESSAGES

Market/Industry Focus

Wide Range of Product Areas

MESSAGING MATRIX

Industry Leadership

Differentiators

Company ABCMission Statement

• Revenue breakout

• Forwarding looking statements regarding products or market expectation

• Guarantees of product cost & availability

• Client engagement details

• Competitor Differentiation

DON’T FOCUS ON…

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1 Never ever take a reporter’s call directly.

KISS. They’re journalists, not brain surgeons. Keep

answers focused, short and relevant.

Trust the Boy Scout Motto. Be Prepared. Before you begin,

know who you’re talking to, and decide what they might be

most interested in.

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4 Stay within your own area of competence.

Consider that every word you say could end up in print.

Sell , but do so softly. Give the perception that

your role/goal is to provide a service to the media.

Assume nothing. Get a feeling for where the journalist stands.

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Seize the opportunity to make the points you want to make, always returning to your key theme when answering a reporter’s question.

Keep in mind your primary concern is for your company, its customers and partners.

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10 Deny and/or correct misinterpretations firmly and quickly

when necessary.

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Keep the journalist’s audience in mind at all times.

Know your messages.

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13 Don’t speak for others in the industry.

Be careful of deliberate provocation by the reporter.

Restate leading or rambling questions back to the reporter.

DEALING WITH THE PRESS

1. General Response : "As you know, we are in....”

2. Lead-in To Direct Response: "You've asked a good question, however..."

3. Promise/Future: "I'll be glad to discuss that with you at a later date..."

Legal

1. Ongoing legal discussions, or bound by SEC regulations

2. Legal considerations3. Pending results

Proprietary

1. Competitive2. Proprietary considerations3. Pending further findings

OFF LIMIT QUESTIONS

Your Response

Reunite Yourself with Humanity.This question is designed to separate you and your industry from the rest of humanity.

Pigeon Holing Your ResponseREPORTER QUESTIONING TACTICS

“Not at all. This is an entirely new program. We are constantly investing in programs to advance our equipment and service offerings so perhaps you have this one confused with another but I assure you this is a stand-alone initiative not a rehash of something you’ve heard before.”

Example: Announcing Something New

“Aren’t you just announcing the same initiative as you did last year at this time?”

Personalise your response to the interviewer and negate any misinterpretations.

This question can force you to make a choice between two equally negative responses.

Death or Destruction Your Response

“Actually, energy revenue grew by XX% in the past X years and we are in position to meet the growing demand.

The market is expecting lower demand so our mission is to protect our business through, among other things, maintaining customer relationships by focusing on execution and quality.”

Example:“In today’s belt-tightening environment, it’s hard to believe that incentive exist for companies or governments to appropriate money to explore/develop these new programs. I realize you have to continue pushing these but it’s clearly not a time for extras. You guys have got to be running out of realistic ideas.”

REPORTER QUESTIONING TACTICS

Never let a negative comment go unchallenged.

The reporter’s design here is to state a strong negative and then move on to a very natural topic without giving youany time to refute the opener.

Hit and Run Your Response

Example:

“This announcement is premature and only serves to exploit the market condition. Anyway, why don’t you tell me about it – that’s why I came here…”

“We can talk about the news in a moment but first, let me explain what our company is all about because I think you’ve misunderstood our position”

REPORTER QUESTIONING TACTICS

TAILORING YOUR RESPONSE

An important media techniqueA powerful way to take charge of & control an interviewHelps focus the reporter on a few key messages that are

- True- Accurate- Clear- Concise- Brief- Memorable

It ensures that your key messages appear in the storyBy using bridging techniques, you can re-focus or re-direct the interview to the messages you want to convey

Bridging

The reporter may raise a sensitive issue relating to inward investment, staff redundancies or a legal or political issue.

Bridging allows you to acknowledge the question and give credibility to the journalist while moving the answer in another direction – your direction.

Bridging Your Response

That is why….This is another example of…Let me expand on that…However, the real issues here is…If we look at the bigger picture…Let me put this into perspective…And what this all means is…If we take a broader perspective….This is an important point because…

TAILORING YOUR RESPONSE

• Very tight deadlines. • They thrive on Negative/Controversial subjects – So Use Caution• Stay engaged at all times. • Deliver your three messages through short declarative sentences. • Be conversational and energetic. The way you say something is as important as the words.• Avoid jargon, acronyms and excessive numbers. • Assume the camera and/or microphone are always on.• Make your body language consistent with your message. • Don’t nod unless you are agreeing.• Look at the reporter, not the camera.• Show and tell. TV is a visual medium. • Before a telephone interview, choose a quiet environment.

PREPPING FOR BROADCAST: TV/RADIO/WEB

Please Don’t• Miss scheduled interviews - you’ll make enemies• Answer questions outside your specialty• Speculate• Use jargon throughout the interview• Answer “no comment” – sounds defensive• Assume that the journalist has left the call

• Look good, and be prompt• Use positive gestures, eye contact, posture, voice, etc… • Manage expectations, provide proof, not promises• Stay within area of competence• Sketch out key messages beforehand• Be proactive, not guilty or defensive• Use simple language

Please Do

DID WE FORGET TO MENTION?

Remember whose interview it is…

YOURS