Nick Huber’s Post

HOW FUN IS DOING A PRESS CONFERENCE? [#7 in 90 original posts in 90 days challenge about writing, communications and journalism] As a reporter, I attended many press conferences, but when I became a communicator, I learned how to stage them. Might sound strange, but planning and executing a press conference is fun – in a crazy, stressful, adventurous kind of way. It’s like one of those complex domino designs where you meticulously set up the whole thing then push over the first domino and you’re off. No turning back. And something unplanned almost always happens. The unplanned is likely a reporter asking a question out of left field or one you really don’t want answered. This won’t be a problem if the speaker utilizes your media training about how to deflect or redirect questions. Some people, though, are just too polite and try to answer all questions, including those way off point. When talking to the media, don’t answer questions, give your answers. Big difference. The press conference itself is a rush. So many moving parts in the two weeks leading up to the half-hour event -- press release, talking points, and media advisory; stage script with every spoken word; media training for the speaker; an op-ed written and pitched for the same day; podium, microphone, and sound system; flags in line behind the podium; visual boards for TV cameras; duck taping all cables so nobody falls on their face… What did I forget? Oh yeah – pitching, pitching, pitching. I’m a phrenetic pitcher. Starting two weeks before, then one week before, then every day or twice a day, I call every producer, reporter, blogger etc. I get up early the day before and day of and call everybody again. I make sure they’re sick of hearing from me until they promise to be there. The worst thing in the world is holding a press conference and nobody shows up. It happens if some crisis or celebrity break-up occurs at that time. But it’s an awful feeling, trust me. I did a great press conference once with a Sheriff’s Department official. I gave him detailed talking points, and he stood at the podium and read them – right off the sheet of paper! When somebody asked him a question that wasn’t in the talking points, he replied, “I’m sorry, I don’t know about that.” Sure, it was awkward, but the outcome was excellent. News stories went exactly as planned in the talking points. And nobody’s going to use the quote “I’m sorry, I don’t know about that” in a print or broadcast story. Perfect. But it only happened once.

This makes me a tad bit uncomfortable… Asking a journalist to make a correction. Luckily, most journalists are great about it in the rare instances we’ve had to request one, but it’s still super awkward. To reduce the likelihood of errors before a story hits the press, it's important to do the following: - Triple-check all facts and figures before sharing information with the media; make sure phone numbers work, confirm pricing and hours of operation - basically, check anything that someone could get wrong or misinterpret. - Be clear and concise in your communication to the journalist. - Highlight and note the spelling of the company name in your email (especially if the spelling is unusual or it’s a particularly long name.) - Provide a press release or detailed background information, containing all necessary information. - Ensure your website or landing page is up-to-date with relevant details. - Offer journalists advanced notice to allow sufficient time for research and writing their stories. - Be available to address any questions or connect them with subject matter experts promptly. If you ever find yourself needing to request a correction from a journalist, I recommend checking out Allison Carter’s article on Ragan Communications and PR Daily titled, “So you need to request a correction from a journalist.” It offers some valuable tips that could be very helpful. Read the article here: https://lnkd.in/eWwjbTQ3 PS: Have you ever had to navigate a tricky situation in your industry? Share your experiences in the comments below. #PublicRelations #Journalism #MediaRelations #FactChecking #DoYourHomework

#PR & #Comms folks: You're not being told "No" enough. The average response rate to pitches is in the low-single-digit percentages. (Not just "yes" responses. Responses in general.) But one firm I spoke to recently reported a 30% response rate to pitches. I asked them how many of those responses are "yes" and how many are "no". They said almost all of their responses are positive. I said that was too many. I told them they're not being actively rejected nearly enough. That's stupid, right? A firm that is enjoying nearly ten times the average response rate—and they're almost all a yes—is failing? I'm delusional, no? But let's look at it: Why do you get told "yes" on a pitch? Because your powers of persuasion are so great? Because you've perfected the art of the pitch? Because you emailed the journalist just the right number of times with "Re:" at the front of the subject line to trick them into thinking your pitch was part of an ongoing email chain? I mean, sure, concision and pith are important. Write like garbage and the pitch will wind up in the junk folder, no matter how good a fit it could have been. But at the end of the day, journalists say yes to a pitch because it was the right pitch at the right time. Which means you got lucky. You *can* create your own luck. You can attentively follow all the relevant publications and writers, keep your ear to the ground for trends, pore over editorial calendars and historical coverage like you're studying for an exam, and just generally be an expert on all things journalism in your beat. And most journos will still ignore you. You're not really creating the most luck you can for yourself until journalists stop ignoring you so much. Until they start making an effort to tell you no. When I wore my journalist hat, I wasn't looking to shield myself off from PR people; I wanted them to make my job easier. And I found that the only way I could assure that was by finding the ones who were willing to build a productive partnership with me. And you can't build a real give-and-take partnership with someone until (1) they're talking to you and (2) they're comfortable telling you no. Once those two things happen, you're in. On your side of things, you can now ask followup questions on the way to a productive conversation identifying good future fits. And on their side of things, they'll now remember you as someone who represents clients who know about X. These are the makings of the kinds of relationships I built with my favorite PR people. The kind either of us could cash in on over and over again. The kind where one of us could just ask the other for something out of the blue, and the other would move a mountain to try to make it happen. Because we each knew what the other wanted, and we each trusted the other to deliver. Invite a rejection. Welcome it. "Yes" is the result of luck. "No" creates luck.

How to think like a journalist PR pros often give the same advice to junior communicators hoping to place a story — “think like a journalist.” But what does it really mean to “think like a journalist” when pitching the media? And how can thinking like a journalist help you find the right person to cover your story? Understanding the news values No matter what beat they report on, journalists want to tell stories that will reach the widest audience possible. In order to do that, they tend to focus on stories that contain some combination of specific themes. These are called news values. If you want a writer to accept your pitch, it needs to intrigue them—and be something that satisfies the news values their readers are interested in. While there are many different combinations of news values, most journalists and educators agree on a core six: - Timeliness, - Impact, - Prominence, - Proximity, - Conflict - Human interest ~ Muck Rack

Calling all #freelancewriters and #editors - this is your invitation to join us for a throwback experiment! ☎️ Whenever you bring up the P word — PHONE — in a conversation with journalists, they tend to cringe. Most of us have been past victims of the inglorious PR cold call, leading us to silence any calls from unrecognized numbers during the work day. Increasingly, we conduct interviews for stories via email. A very rare few (like Melissa Corbin) include phone numbers in their email signatures anymore. It's fair to say that *most* writers would do anything to avoid a phone call with PR, which is precisely the reason we're flipping the script. Next week on Pitchcraft™, we're conducting a live phone experiment in which lifestyle PR + journalists will be paired (based on their focus areas) to get on a call, talk through a series of prompts, have the chance to pitch, then come together as a large group to discuss the findings. In a Fast Company article, Heather Hartnett wrote about the phone call being not only a lost art, but a lost chance at more meaningful, collaborative, and efficient conversations. She cited a UT Austin study that found people feel significantly more connected when using voice-based media. Let's take journalist/PR relationship building out of our inboxes and away from our Zoom cameras for a moment, and rediscover the lost power of a phone call. Is anyone interested? PR spots are reserved for our Pitchcraft members, but I'm inviting any interested journalists (writers, editors, producers, etc.) who are interested in joining us for this experiment on Friday, April 26, to fill out this quick form here: https://lnkd.in/e5Ffd_ig I'll be in touch! ☎️ #mediarelations #artofthephonecall #PRpros #publicrelations

PR tip: If you need help with your pitches or you'd like to check a campaign before it goes live, why not run it by a journalist first? On top of my journalism, I run a content network where I match PRs and businesses with freelance journalists writing for the likes of The Times, Stylist, and The FT. Whether it's a Power Hour or over a few days, you can book in a journalist (national, consumer or B2B) to brainstorm ideas or fire any burning questions at. I can also match you with journalists to knock up dazzling copy too. This is what a press officer of an European eco organisation said after I paired her with one of the UK's top environmental journalists for a constructive Power Hour: "The power hour session turned out to be incredibly valuable for our practice. The professional she matched us with exhibited contagious enthusiasm and passion for her work. Her insights and ideas have already started to make a positive impact on our approach. It was a perfect match." And this is what a PR sent me after her Power hour with a retail journalist: "Thank you sooo much for setting up a call! This was an amazing experience, we discussed so much and I've got a billion new ideas that I can't wait to implement. Why haven't I done it earlier?! :) Thank you thank you thank you!" Another PR landed her client coverage in Forbes. More details in the comments section below. DM if you'd like more info. #contentnetwork #PRtip #journalists

A few words about pitching to journalists! For many businesses media #coverage is the holy grail. After all, if you have news (and it really needs to be news) then you want to share it. There's a direct link between consistent, quality coverage and business success. As a #communications pro I am staggered by how many so-called comms folk seem never pitch to journalists 😲 . Instead, and I'm going to be frank, they hide behind their keyboards drafting press releases. The idea of speaking with a journalist is anathema - they don't now how. Writing a press release isn't a pitch. It isn't even communications. It's drafting stuff that serves little purpose and is usually very dull indeed. It's piling up #content for the sake of content. Imagine the savings businesses could make by retraining (or losing) their press release writing team 💰. Imagine a function that was pitching. Identifying news, crafting it into a compelling narrative and selling it. Actually speaking with journalists and developing relationships with them. Getting people on those coveted television sofas (they're never comfortable) and into editorial. Is pitching a skill that's being lost? If that's the case businesses are missing out - on great coverage, reputation building and revenue growth.

Frank Strong has a good post on what B2B PR people might consider in the context of a survey of journalists. Link is below and here are some of my own views, based on years of experience in journalism and marketing. First point about credibility. Absolutely. I'd add cut all exclamation points. Focus on what is inherently convincing, not in hyping. Reporters on the job any decent length of time are cynical by experience. And don't tout studies if you don't understand basic stats and logic. Second point on journalist workloads. I'd add don't offer sources unless you know they will be sources. I understand why PR people want to know there will be something to offer the clients, but if you promote someone and then say, oops, sorry, you can burn a bridge. Journalists wanting exclusives — I think this is easy to misunderstand. Experienced journalists want stories others don't have. In my case, at least, that doesn't mean an exclusive announcement. I look for insight that doesn't appear everywhere else. Much harder nut to crack. Regarding images provided by PR. It really depends. I almost never use them. However, if you have a study or other data that is legit, consider offering the data in a spreadsheet as many, though not all, publications have house styles for infographics. Value in pitches? For many of my freelance colleagues, forget 25%. Try 1% or less. Follow-ups? Ask the reporter. I don't like any because I look at everything that comes in and don't have an extra hour or more necessary for even brief "no thanks" emails as that's unpaid overhead for me. Others may have other takes, which is why you ask. And then set your contact management system accordingly. https://lnkd.in/efbYYRwf

Have you ever been misquoted? Or, for some reason felt dissatisfied with a story in which you appeared? In a recent post, we offered tips on avoiding a negative PR outcome. FOLLOW them. But sometimes mistakes still happen. Once the story runs, if you notice something that is actually, factually inaccurate or an error, let the reporter know politely and as quickly as possible, request a correction. Even if I know who the editor is on a story, I usually start by emailing only the reporter, without copying their editor. Think of how you feel when someone cc's your boss. The reporter will likely discuss with their editor anyway. But don’t just tell them it’s wrong and leave them hanging, or require them to ask you for details. In the same email, provide SPECIFIC change instructions (e.g., line edits or a proposed alternate version) that will help the reporter correct the inaccuracy as easily as possible. Now, if you simply don't like the exact language used, or the tone of the article—while you can of course still ask politely, and try to persuasively plead your case—you are, mostly likely, out of luck. If the reporter disagrees that something rises to the level of factual inaccuracy and is refusing to correct, at that point you might consider pulling in their editor. But odds are they already have. The reporter's job is to investigate and digest all facts, and then report the story—yes, objectively, but still as they understand and perceive it, based upon their experience and professional judgment. You may not have written the story in exactly the same way, but—unless you can make a case for factual inaccuracy—never working with that reporter again may be the extent of your remedy. It can be difficult to accept the fact that there is nothing you can do—especially if you are genuinely convinced that the reporter misquoted, or at least meaningfully misrepresented you, e.g., with somehow loaded language, subtle implication or tone. This kind of experience can unfortunately make some people feel "burned" by PR, and unwilling to take a risk again—but I hope not. On the rare occasion that I've experienced this, I've steered clear of that reporter for my clients again, but the majority of reporters, certainly at top tier publications, are professional and fair. And the benefits of editorial PR far outweigh its risks. If you are new to PR, and a perfectionist, you may simply be suffering from "source remorse." This sudden onset of doubt, regret and second-guessing (about exactly what you said, and how others could misinterpret it) is natural, but that doesn't make it any easier to deal with. Try to remember that, while the end result may not be perfect, it is probably not as objectively bad as it feels. And while it may seem like a small consolation now, your comfort level and the quality of your coverage will no doubt also improve with each interview you do. -Tania Zamorsky, Founder Zamo PR #pr #mediarelations #corrections

What comes first, the 🐔(press release) or the 🥚(journalist engagement)? The truth is, it depends on where you are pitching. It can be a common PR misconception to think that you will need a fully planned and written press release packed with key messages to share with a journalist, but in most scenarios, this isn't the case. Journalists often look for compelling ideas instead of standardised releases and enjoy the creative freedom of interpreting angles that appeal to the publication's target audience. Be collaborative - early eng(egg)agement with a journalist and a few solid points around the story you are looking to tell can make the process more efficient and ensure you are writing purposefully. Sometimes, they might not even need more than an interview. While the above is true for most, there are a handful of publications that do prefer ready-made chickens, particularly PR wires and some regional publications that don't have the time/resources to interview/engage - but it's always worth checking that a story you are planning to write is going to of interest - a quick call, e-mail or even Twitter DM. Chickens can also sit on your own website in the form of a news piece or blog, which you can share on your socials!