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LOCAL PUBLIC RELATIONS

What it can do. And what it can't do.
Bill McDaniel

The beauty of local public relations campaigns is that you usually don’t have to worry about a lot of different publications. Usually you’re dealing with one - maybe two - newspapers and a couple of local ego magazines. And the good news is they are really starved for information about you and what you are doing. That doesn’t mean that you won’t get slammed from time to time by some reporter from the local paper with a chip on his or her shoulder, or a burning desire to earn that Pulitzer by exposing whatever rule or regulation he/she thinks you’ve broken. But in general, their whole existence is based upon writing about things that are going on in your town. And that is good news for the small businessman, because your success is news to these people. Your ideas are noteworthy. And the competition for space isn’t all that tough.

Does that mean it is easy to get ink? No, you still have to do all the basic blocking and tackling of fundamental PR - getting to know the reporters and editors and what their interests are and making sure they get to know who you are. Both are important. The first because it allows you - or your PR counsel - to tailor a story to a specific editor or reporter based upon things they are interested in and want to write about. Thus increasing your chances that they will actually do that.

The second is important because the more they know about you, the more time you can spend on telling your story du jour and the more chance of them calling you for your take on something they might be writing about. This means more positive mention of you or your company, not to mention a happy newspaper person.

Someone once said there is no such thing as a bad press. Not true. Negative press coverage can in fact be very harmful to you and your business - true or not. Once said, it cannot be taken back (all reporters check their files and databases when writing a story and if there is something negative in there about you or your company, chances are it will show up somehow). So the more they know you, the less likely they will be to make a mistake in reporting about you. And the more likely they will work just a little harder to get your side of the story if the news isn’t so good. We’ve all seen or heard the following phrases: "So and so was unavailable for comment"; or, "So and so did not return calls." Well, that is probably true, but I can assure you that the way the question was asked or the time the call was made were a huge factor in those "unavailables" and "no comments" and the closer a relationship you have with the media the better chance you have of getting a real chance to tell your side.

So, is PR really free advertising? No. With a free press, and a press dedicated to preserving its integrity - the only thing of value it has - they always have the responsibility to tell the whole story - from every side. And in general they do it. That means they may well ask others to comment about your story - making sure what you are saying is true. But in general, if you are reporting the facts, they will do the same. It also means that advertising in the local paper does not assure you of getting ink whenever you want it, at least in publications with editorial integrity - and if they didn’t have editorial integrity no one would read them.

Here’s how it works. Let’s say you have just been awarded a large new contract. You and your PR counsel would meet and talk about the details. Said counsel would go away and write a story about your good news. Once you and he/she agree it is right, he/she will send it to the appropriate editor or reporter, usually with a cover note. They will then follow up to make sure the reporter got the press release and see if there are any questions. This also serves as a reminder to the editor/report that you sent them something and are eager to see it in print. Questions would either be dealt with immediately by your PR counsel, or through a phone meeting between you and the editor, if necessary.

Depending upon how things are going that day or week, the next issue or two will probably carry your story. It may not be precisely what you gave them - they are driven by available space and the need to add their own spin and caveats if any exist.

It also really depends on what else is going on. If things are really quiet, you’ve got a great chance of getting some ink. If all heck has broken loose and the State has announced that the new Super 7 will go right through Wilton Town Center and construction starts tomorrow, I wouldn’t count on getting any coverage that day or week, and no one would read your story anyway.

The other point that needs to be made here is that relationships with the press - like relationships anywhere else - are important. If you have taken the time to meet them and tell them about your business and what makes it tick, you’re going to have a better shot at getting their attention. When you think about it, the publishing of a daily newspaper is a miracle. All of the thousands of things that must come together each and every day for a thoughtful and truthful newspaper to hit the streets every day are staggering. These people are busy... they are understaffed... overworked... and underpaid. So be mindful of this when you ask to meet with them. It is their job to know about you, but have something of value to say to them. Don’t waste their time. They’ll resent it and it won’t help you get the coverage you want. And most important, no matter what, never ever lie to them. If it really matters, they’ll find out eventually and they’ll never forget it - nor will you.