Monday Morning Media Minute

Some stories just keep on giving if you’re a reporter.  And it’s usually a crisis — a situation where the participants would like to shut down news coverage — that produces the best fodder for ongoing coverage.

The Blagojevich political train wreck is a great example.  In this case there are at least four common mistakes being made by four different participants in this saga.  They are:

• Build a fortress.  Gov. Blagojevich has adopted this strategy.  He’s basically gone into hiding since his arrest and release on bail.  Of all the participants, he’s the one with the biggest problem.  He may also be the only one who’s adopted the right strategy for dealing with the media.  If Blagojevich has any hope of salvaging his political career, the fortress strategy is a disaster.  But if all he’s trying to do is protect his legal position, it’s the only option open to him.  The fortress strategy is often adopted by people/companies who are guilty of major wrongdoing.  It’s also used by people/companies who simply don’t walk to talk about difficult or embarrassing situations.  If you build a fortress, know why you’re doing it.  And understand it comes at a high price to your credibility – regardless of why you’re doing it.

• Overselling your innocence.  Some people/companies have a really hard time admitting mistakes — even when they’ve messed up big time.  Jesse Jackson Jr. appears to be one of those people.  Instead of simply explaining what happened (or didn’t happen) in his role as Candidate Number 5, Jackson’s pressing way too hard to campaign for a job he almost certainly won’t get — and damaging his reputation in the process.  A rule that’s almost always true during a crisis:  Skip the sales pitch.  Just state the truth as clearly as you know how and leave the value judgments to the rest of us.

• Hide ‘n Hope.  Barack Obama has fallen into this trap, at least for now.  By failing to explain quickly and fully just who from his staff talked to Blagojevich and what was said Obama’s kept speculation about potential problems alive in the media.  He’s promising to lay it all out this week.  But, if there’s anything in what he has to say that’s problematic, then taking as long as he has to say it will make it look like he was trying to cover it up.  This is one of the most common mistakes people make when it comes to dealing with a crisis that’s being covered by the media.  Get all the facts out as fast as you can — especially the facts you don’t want to talk about.  Delaying bad news just keeps the story alive and makes the bad news even worse once it comes out.

• Caught with your message down.  Like his boss, Rahm Emanuel has kept quiet on the Blagojevich mess.  No surprise there.  He’s not going to get out ahead of his boss on an issue like this one.  But he seemed genuinely unprepared for a reporter who pressed for a comment at an event at his kids’ school:  “I’m not going to say a word to you.  I’m going to do this with my children.  Don’t do that.  I’m a father.  I have two kids.  I’m not going to do it.”  Given the stance of the Obama camp, Emanuel had no real choice about refusing to answer this reporter’s questions.  But he needed to be prepared and offer his no comment more elegantly than he did.  If you’re not going to answer reporters’ questions, say so.  Give a reason if you can.  But don’t be defensive.  And don’t make excuses.

That’s my two cents’ worth.  What’s yours?

This is the final Monday Morning Media Minute of 2008.  As is my custom, there won’t be an MMMM for the last two weeks of the year.  Merry Christmas (or whatever you celebrate) and Happy New Year.  I’ll check in with you in January.

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The Monday Morning Media Minute is now available as an eBook.  My new eStore features five eBooks based on the Media Minute.  To check them out, visit my eStore and buy early and often.  The eBooks come as PDF files.  You don’t need special eBook software to read them.

Someone asked me last week what she should put into a press kit.  Here’s what I told her:

Think of press kits as story-assembly kits.  Everything in the kit should help tell your story.

Most start with a news release.  Then the question is:  What else can I add to help tell my story?  The objective is to include material that will help reporters understand and tell your story – not to see how many things you can include.  More is not better.  Including too much material is the number one mistake people make in assembling press kits.  Have a reason for everything that goes into your press kits.

Some things to consider for your press kit in addition to your news release:

• A fact sheet.  Keep news releases short and simple.  A fact sheet is a way to provide more information without cluttering your news releases with too much detail.

• A photograph, chart, illustration, or some other visual.  If the news release is about a person or quotes someone, you can include a picture of that person.  If the news release is about a product, include a picture of the product – preferably being used by people – or a sample of the product, if practical.  Diagrams, schematics, charts, maps, graphs – anything that will help tell the story visually – are fair game.

• A biography.  If your story features a person, consider including that person’s biography.  The biography should focus on things relevant to your story.  If appropriate, point out local connections that will help reporters localize your story.

• Questions and answers.  A question-and-answer format is a good way to provide a lot of information on a variety of topics in short, readable segments.

• Testimonials and endorsements show third-party support.  Get permission from the people providing the testimonials to use what they’ve said.  And know what they’re likely to say if contacted by reporters for additional comments.

• Reprints of news stories can serve the same purpose as testimonials.  Reprints often can tell your story more credibly than you can.  Many magazines will sell you full-color reprints of articles about you.

• For TV reporters, videotape that illustrates your story.  Keep the footage simple.  Audiotapes with recorded soundbites are helpful for radio stations.

Despite their name, press kits also used for marketing, investor relations and other purposes.  Most press kits can be tailored for each of these uses without much effort.

And don’t forget to put your press kit onto your Web site for reporters and others researching your story.

That’s my two cents’ worth.  What’s yours?

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The Monday Morning Media Minute is now available as an eBook.  My new eStore features five eBooks based on the Media Minute.  To check them out, visit my eStore and buy early and often.  The eBooks come as PDF files.  You don’t need special eBook software to read them.

President-elect Obama is playing to the middle so far.  And it’s a good lesson for the rest of us.

In almost any situation calling for you to communicate with the public, a certain number of people will support you no matter what, a certain number will oppose you no matter what and the vast majority will be somewhere in the middle.

The folks in the middle are the ones you’re trying to reach because they’re the ones you need to convince.  All too often, people waste way too much time trying to convince the inconvincible or preaching to the already converted.

People who will support you no matter what need to hear from you enough to be able to argue your case for you.  So, don’t ignore them.  But don’t make them the focus of your communication efforts — unless you’re counting on them to be major advocates for your cause.  If you’re counting on strong advocacy from them, then step up the attention you pay to them.

Ignore the inconvincible.  They won’t support you.  So, don’t waste your time trying to change their minds.  One important caveat:  Sometimes opponents look like they’re inconvincible when, in fact, they can be persuaded to move to your side.  How can you tell?  Listen to your opponents.  If they’re asking for something you can agree to, then it’s worth exploring whether accommodating what they want will bring them over to your side.  The inconvincible will always find a new objection if you answer one of their demands.  If that happens, move on.

That’s my two cents’ worth.  What’s yours?

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The Monday Morning Media Minute is now available as an eBook.  My new eStore features five eBooks based on the Media Minute.  To check them out, visit my eStore and buy early and often.  The eBooks come as PDF files.  You don’t need special eBook software to read them.