THE BUSINESS REVIEW FOR PROCUREMENT LEADERS
by Sally Stewart
I turned in my press pass almost eight years ago, but some things never change. Once a reporter, always a news junkie. These days, I am probably even more addicted to business news coverage than when I was a journalist for USA Today.
For one reason, now that I am not racing around after stories myself, I have more time to watch and re-watch TV newscasts and comb through print coverage.
For another, now that I head my own public relations and media training firm, I consume media not only to know what is going on in the world, but also to be able teach my clients, using real-life examples, how to best communicate their business to their customers, employees and strategic partners via the media.
Fortunately, there is never a shortage of examples for me to point out to my clients in order to underscore my list of dos and don’ts. Public relations successes and disasters emanate from every interview, story and photo opportunity that makes it into the daily business coverage.
Here are some recent lessons I’ll be freeze-framing for my clients:
A business leader would never meet a top investment banker without first reviewing his company’s books. So why on earth do they routinely give interviews to reporters without doing their homework? The size of a reporter’s audience means that a negative media story can be more damaging to your company. Investment bankers tend to be tight-lipped to begin with. Plus, they don’t have newspapers, podcasts, websites and TV shows. When a business leader stumbles in front of a reporter, it’s because they didn’t prepare for the interview and, instead, chose to “wing it”. Before engaging with a reporter, take a few minutes to think about what you want to say, and scribble a few thoughts on the back of an envelope.
During an interview, answer the reporter’s question and then make sure you say what you want to say. Don’t wait for the perfect question to get your points across.
Contrary to what you see in popular TV dramas, saying “no comment” to reporters simply doesn’t work. You’ll just look guilty of something. Instead, try saying: “I don’t have a statement right now, because we are still looking into the situation and we expect to be able to talk with you soon.” Then do just that.
You might think your company, your product or your message is 100 per cent fabulous and nobody would ever think otherwise. Well, think again. If one of your customers uses one of your products for illegal or unethical purposes, your company could get dragged into the mud. The lesson? Always look at your own story with a critical eye. Preparation is the best defence.
When preparing for an interview, most people think about the most intricate questions. But the more intricate the question, the less likely a real reporter would be to actually ask it. Instead, spend a little time on the so-called “easy” questions, such as “What is the favourite part of your job?”; “Tell me about Project X”; or “Why did you do it this way?”
If your department has an interesting story that would benefit your company, then go for it. Jot down your idea. Make a list of reporters who might be interested. Call the company PR or marketing executive and set up a time to discuss moving forward. Don’t just assume that they already know about your story. They depend on you to inform them of newsworthy company developments.
Let’s say you work in procurement and a reporter calls to ask you about the company’s stock price. Commenting on this, which is not your area of expertise, will only get you in trouble. Don’t be so hungry for press attention that you lose sight of your goal – positive press attention. So steer the reporter to the right person in your company and let your colleague know they will be calling.
Sally Stewart (sally@sastewart.com) is president of SA Stewart Communications, based in Santa Monica, California, and the author of Media Training 101 (Wiley)
