Why You Need To React Fast If You Want To Secure Coverage...

Journalists work to deadlines.

So if you get approached and asked for a comment and PR is part of your visibility strategy, please find a way to be able to write a quote or speak to them straight away.

I get that life can be busy, but getting yourself and your business known requires you to make the most of any opportunities that come your way.

I’ve heard it so many times where business owners have said “I decided to pass up on that opportunity to do such and such because I couldn’t find a baby sitter,” or “I know I should have found the time to write that piece but somehow I just never quite got around to it and now I’m too embarrassed to go back to them.”

My advice would always be, if you’re looking to invest the time and effort into PR, then please follow through. It’s not worth getting yourself a reputation for not being able to deliver.

This is part of the reason I always go above and beyond when I get approached for a comment from one of my clients or to see if I know anyone who can be a case study. How do you think you build and nurture relationships? By being consistent, reliable and by turning up and getting quotes and content delivered on time and sometimes at short notice.

Think of it this way - who do you think will be front of mind when a Journalist is considering their next case study?

This week has been a big reminder of the need to act and react fast. If a story breaks, there is usually a 24-hour window in which you have to go with it and maximise any coverage.

Any later and you will be left behind. The news agenda moves on so quickly, so it’s all about acting and reacting as quickly but as effectively as you can.

And if you find yourself caught up in a breaking news story in whatever capacity, my advice would always be to get an expert in to help you. They will be able to navigate you through everything, ensuring that your messaging is on point, the credits are where they should be and that your best interests are looked after.

Trying to go through a breaking story by yourself without someone by your side who knows how to help you will feel incredibly isolating and in some cases overwhelming. There are things that you might do that could count against you further down the line or you might make a seemingly innocent comment, but it gets misconstrued and that ends up becoming the story instead.

In this week’s live in The Communications Community Facebook group, I talked about the importance of not becoming the story. It sounds counter-intuitive when what you’re trying to do is secure more PR, but please remember that especially with online articles - they never come down.

This means, you should only say something to a Journalist that you’re really happy to say. If in doubt, don’t comment until you have had time to think. And it’s ok to say, “Thank you for getting in touch. Give me a little bit of time and I’ll call you back.” All of the big companies do this, especially when they’re trying to work out what their reactive statement will be to a piece of breaking news. Please don’t feel pressured into saying something and later regretting it. But and here’s the but, you do have to go back, don’t just leave it and hope it will go away because it rarely does.

None of this is meant to scare you, far from it.

It’s designed to make you think about how you can make the most of any opportunity that comes your way and for the short time you have, to be able to ride that wave to successfully raise your brand’s awareness.

PS If you have like this blog, come and join us in The Communications Community Facebook group. There’s a mix of fellow entrepreneurs as well as Journalists, looking for case studies and comments. Who knows, an opportunity could be waiting for you which will help to establish you as an expert in your field… x