So, you’ve got your news story. You’ve looked to see why this is the right time to announce it (it co-incides nicely with topical news about a problem your product solves). You’ve even got a sample customer who has tried it and is prepared to give you a testimonial.
You’re half way through your campaign to raise your profile and this story is the high point.
You’ve already described to your PR Consultant the Decision Makers you want to inform and the Influencers you want to sway. She has made progress with the 10 most relevant target media (both on-line and off-line).
The script of compelling reasons why this story is better than the last has been practiced. You’ve persuaded her that a pressured, time poor, cynical journalist will want to know more about your story.
So now she’s ready to go – it’s a Wednesday morning, 10.30 – the perfect time to sell in, when the journos should just be sipping their morning coffee. Bingo – you think – what could possibly go wrong now?
Nothing, if you are confident your Reputation is as squeaky clean and polished as your story. If you are a great employer, your business practices are transparent and your products and services patently trustworthy and offering value for money, you should be on the home straight. Read no further.
But organisations that do not believe in ethical business practices - prefering poor staff retention, unusual HR policies, questionable green practices, no plans for carbon offsetting, late payment schedules, unhappy supplier relationships, “sharp” business practices and frequent recourse to lawyers should beware. Sustained, positive media relations can work wonders – but not miracles. Journalists are not fools and people talk. Perceptions are real and reputations powerful. While the power of PR is strong, it is there to hold a amplify positive messages – not act as a front to unsound business practices.
A very interesting blog post. What would you say was the most common problem?