Source: Chicago Tribune The sudden announcement from Apple that Steve Jobs is stepping down as CEO is a stark reminder that companies and organizations need to have a media relations plan for the bad news everyone knows is coming, but are not sure just when. Jobs has been ill for some time, and had taken a medical leave in January. With Jobs and Apple so interconnected, the news that he's relinquinshing daily control of the firm he co-founded in his parents' garage back in 1976 sent Apple shares plummeting. When difficult circumstances affect a firm's public image and persona, it's essential to have the tough conversations behind the scenes early on about what will be said from a crisis communications and public relations standpoint. In the case of Apple, it was a brief statement released late in the day.
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How do you spell opportunity? T-R-I-B-U-N-E. The Chicago Tribune, the largest daily newspaper in Chicago, has been going through a redesign that reportedly will contain more pages and more news stories. Crain's Chicago Business reports the new look will debut June 15. That's worth a headline all by itself, because the Tribune has been shrinking its paper over the last several years as it grapples with declining readership. The change is a reflection of new management as the company tries to emerge from bankruptcy. So, this is an opportunity for anyone in media relations or public relations and for companies and organizations that have a story to tell. Your chances of getting covered by the Tribune just got a lot better. Are you ready to make the most of it? If you need help getting your story told, contact us at info@mackcommunications.com. Image: Chicago Tribune One of the first rules of effective public relations and media relations, especially when it comes to crisis communications, is to have a consistent message. Chicago Tribune columnist Clarence Page recently pointed out the problems the U.S. government encountered after the death of Osama bin Laden. With various versions of the raid on bin Laden's compound contradicting each other, Page notes: "Just as Americans are feeling really good about our military capabilities and the success of courageous SEAL Team Six, we’re brought down to the earth by the inability of the Pentagon and the administration to get the bin Laden story straight. Don’t be shocked if the narrative changes again." The problem is that in the chaos that follows breaking news, there is a tendency to speak before all the facts are known or to try to hide the bad news while emphasizing the good news. The hope is that no one will really notice if the truth gets shaded just a bit. That's a dangerous policy. Why? The battle over the budget in Washington has been an interesting case study for how groups try to control the message. Sure, it's political and both sides will have supporters claiming victory.
But, when you get past the partisan talking heads, the side most often seen as having won the battle is the one who has done the best job in setting the right expectations for the media. It's an important point to keep in mind on your next public relations or media relations challenge. "Nobody in the media pays attention to us." That might be your assessment of how difficult it is to get any news coverage of your company or organization.
Time to think outside the press release. If you haven't already, consider some unconventional ways to generate media interest. Here are three ideas: It's easy to think of Public Relations or Media Relations as mere publicity. Get a reporter to pay attention to your story or cover your event and you've done your job, many would argue.
Well, what's missing is what happens between press conferences or interviews. That's the time you can spend helping to educate reporters and producers. What can you do? A crisis is a bad time to start thinking about getting help from a media relations or public relations firm. The last thing you need is the extra burden of hiring a consultant while the media is knocking at your door. So, why is it that that's exactly what happens? We've had several instances in the past year alone when we've been approached after the crisis has already emerged. We're glad to help, but it can be very difficult playing catch-up. Most people would probably agree that part of successful public relations is the ability to recognize PR opportunities as they occur. In other words, how quickly can you respond to the news?
But there may be an even more valuable attribute: the ability to anticipate the news. We tip our hat for this suggestion to Chicago Tribune columnist John McCarron who led a recent workshop (Writing to Make News) for Community Media Workshop in Chicago. Apple's new iPad 2 seems to leave most analysts reasonably impressed. There are still a few technical issues that don't sit well with everyone (no USB port) and they didn't cut the price, but the new, sleeker tablet PCs will still probably fly off the shelves this spring. For a more detailed product review, click here. The real question when it comes to public relations and media relations strategy is how to take advantage of it. The start of a new month is always a good time to take stock and determine what are the events or areas of interest that could generate some media coverage for you during the next 31 days. If you already have an annual calendar of events, you may have already been working ahead to prepare for the new month. If not, begin to think not only about your own schedule of events but the kinds of things the media may be set to follow this month that you can plan for now. |
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