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\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s an introductory course on how to send a relationship with a journalist southward \u00e2\u20ac\u201c fast. All based on personal experience, of course\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n
Lesson #1: The flamethrower<\/b><\/p>\n
I was going to ease you into what a journalist is likely to hate you forever for, but nah\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n
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\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s IT infrastructure demands and how a particular vendor\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s products help meet its requirements. I too thought it was interesting how a vendor\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s 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\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s solution got a mention in the story (push over, ain\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t I).<\/p>\n
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\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n
Hi Rodney,<\/i><\/p>\n
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6regarding your article about\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 the article doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t mention\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n
It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s this crucial point about the technology that is missing from the article\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n
Can you believe that rubbish? How dare some so-called \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcconsultant\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 question how much information an article of mine provides about a vendor\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s solution \u00e2\u20ac\u201c 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\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s client got a mention in the first place. An end-user had testified that the vendor\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s solution had served the organization well making it the best type of coverage a vendor could hope for don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t you think? At the end of the day all the product announcements in the world can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t match objective opinions. If you were going to buy something which is more likely to influence your decision \u00e2\u20ac\u201c a vendor or a customer?<\/p>\n
People, people, people, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s all in a days work to get lambasted by some entity for reporting something it didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want the public to know but to be questioned for not giving a good enough plug? Come off it! That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s what makes this incident such flamebait that I took offence to.<\/p>\n
Anyway, I bit my tongue and didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t 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\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t reply to something I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m really, really pissed off or really, really not interested.<\/p>\n
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\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n
Before you start telling me which “crucial point” my article has missed, how about thanking me for writing a glowing appraisal of\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 originating from the most influential source – the customer?<\/i><\/p>\n
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 \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and appreciative \u00e2\u20ac\u201c e-mail I have ever received.<\/p>\n
I know many of you may think that such as story is merely a figment of my twisted imagination, but I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m afraid it isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t. Yes, this actually DID happen. Does it go without saying that people in media relations roles just shouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t do that? Or is thinkness a quality highly sought by PR agencies?<\/p>\n
So now I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m 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\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t mean the bridges can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t 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\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t date journalists because that would be \u00e2\u20ac\u0153asking for trouble\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n
On second thoughts, let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s keep the fire raging\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n
Rodney<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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