Do you know the difference between advertising and public relations? In a nutshell: "Advertising you pay for. PR you pray for!"
We developed our tongue-in-cheek "16 Sure-Fire Ways to Impress the Media"poster years ago. It has been quoted in publications all over the country and in a fun way gets the point across that you should know how to work with the media if you want your business to get positive coverage.
How the media would handle the end of the world
USA Today: WE'RE DEAD. Wall Street Journal: Dow Jones Plummets as World Ends. National Enquirer: O.J. and Nicole, Together Again. Inc. Magazine: 10 Ways You Can Profit From the Apocalypse. Rolling Stone: The Grateful Dead Reunion Tour. Sports Illustrated: Game Over. Playboy: Girls of the Apocalypse. Lady's Home Journal: Lose 10 Lbs by Judgment Day with Our New "Armageddon" Diet! TV Guide: Death and Damnation: Nielsen Ratings Soar! Discover Magazine: How will the extinction of all life as we know it affect the way we view the cosmos? Microsoft Systems Journal: Netscape Loses Market Share. Microsoft's Web Site: If you don't experience the rapture, DOWNLOAD software patch RAPT777.EXE. America OnLine: System temporarily down. Try calling back in 15 minutes
"The biggest difference between Kennedy and Nixon, as far as the press is concerned, is simply this: Jack Kennedy really liked newspaper people and he really enjoyed sparring with journalists." ----Ben Bradlee
Over the years, the supposed wall between advertising and editorial has been slowly chipping away to the point that sometimes the average reader can't tell the difference. We wrote this editorial in 2006 to discuss this issue.
In our line of work, we deal with the news media on a daily basis. We feel strongly that most businesses deserve the publicity they get--whether it's good or bad.
Most businesses look at the media from the "60 Minutes" Perspective: Those bastards are out to get us!! It reminds us of legendary football coach Woody Hayes at Ohio State. Woody used to say there were three things that can happen when a quarterback passes, "And two of them are bad."
We like the Dan Rather Rule that says there are only three legitimate responses to a reporter's question:
1. "Yes, I know the answer, and here it is."
2. "No, I don't know the answer, but I'll try to find out."
3. "Yes, I do know the answer, but I can't tell you."
"Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment." - Ben Franklin
PREPARATION KEY TO RADIO INTERVIEWS
Are you properly prepared for a radio interview? Don't even consider doing it without doing your homework. This is where BLC can help you get your message across effectively.
You need to know as much about the show and host(s) as you can. What time of day is the show on? What format is the station? Where is it broadcast? Which way does the interviewer lean?
Nearly every station has a Web site and some have audio streaming, so check them out. This research can help you tailor your message to the audience and help you get to know the style of your interviewer. Above all, get to know the show and context you will appear.
"There is nothing so strong or safe, in any emergency of life, as simple truth. " - Charles Dickens
Here are some suggested words and phrases that should never be found in a news release:
