If one of the aims of people aspiring to market a business through the media is to build a good rapport with journalists, why then are some PRs so darn good at burning them beyond immediate repair? I mean, do media relations people actually realise that playing the communications cards can result in more harm than good? Probably not, but nevertheless here’s an introductory course on how to send a relationship with a journalist southward – fast. All based on personal experience, of course…
Lesson #1: The flamethrower
I was going to ease you into what a journalist is likely to hate you forever for, but nah…
I remember it vividly. I was reporting from an industry analyst conference and filed a story relating to an end-user presentation. The customer did an excellent job of highlighting the trials of the company’s IT infrastructure demands and how a particular vendor’s products help meet its requirements. I too thought it was interesting how a vendor’s product actually worked so well that a customer was prepared to testify its merits on stage in front of industry peers and sleuths. So much so that the vendor’s solution got a mention in the story (push over, ain’t I).
The story was written, the boss (customer) was the focal point, a few vendors got time in the limelight, and everyone was happy, right? Wrong! Not long after the story had been published I received an e-mail from a useless flack (insulting, but deserved) behind one of the vendors mentioned in the story. The message was along the lines of…
Hi Rodney,
…regarding your article about… the article doesn’t mention…
It’s this crucial point about the technology that is missing from the article…
Can you believe that rubbish? How dare some so-called ‘consultant’ question how much information an article of mine provides about a vendor’s solution – especially after getting a mention at all without having to lift a finger. I call that bonus PR. What made it even worse was that, you guessed it, I received absolutely NO sign of gratitude that the PR’s client got a mention in the first place. An end-user had testified that the vendor’s solution had served the organization well making it the best type of coverage a vendor could hope for don’t you think? At the end of the day all the product announcements in the world can’t match objective opinions. If you were going to buy something which is more likely to influence your decision – a vendor or a customer?
People, people, people, it’s all in a days work to get lambasted by some entity for reporting something it didn’t want the public to know but to be questioned for not giving a good enough plug? Come off it! That’s what makes this incident such flamebait that I took offence to.
Anyway, I bit my tongue and didn’t reply to the e-mail (does that make me an evil person?). BTW, I think most PRs know me well enough to understand that when I don’t reply to something I’m really, really pissed off or really, really not interested.
Not long after the first encounter, I receive a second e-mail asking if I was going to act upon the first! My sense of humour does actually have a limit. My reply read something like…
Before you start telling me which “crucial point” my article has missed, how about thanking me for writing a glowing appraisal of… originating from the most influential source – the customer?
Finally the penny dropped and the PR realized what a fool she had made out of herself. My reply was shortly followed by the most apologetic – and appreciative – e-mail I have ever received.
I know many of you may think that such as story is merely a figment of my twisted imagination, but I’m afraid it isn’t. Yes, this actually DID happen. Does it go without saying that people in media relations roles just shouldn’t do that? Or is thinkness a quality highly sought by PR agencies?
So now I’m a burnt bitch and find it impossible to even deal with the PR in question let alone take any communication between us seriously. But that doesn’t mean the bridges can’t be rebuilt. I would suggest the consultant (and you know who you are) contact me so we can resolve the situation. Alternatively she could ask me out on date, but apparently she doesn’t date journalists because that would be “asking for troubleâ€.
On second thoughts, let’s keep the fire raging…
Rodney
