When dealing with the media, it is wise to have a media plan, so that all materials and communications can have a uniform look and “voice.” News releases, brochures and opinion editorials can all communicate a message about your company that is consistent and what you want to say. You cannot control what members of the press write about you, but you can control what YOU say and the image that you present to the community.
- To develop a plan, you first have to decide what your message is. What is your mission? What are your primary goals and objectives? And what message do you want to get across to your targeted “publics?” You should consider these questions when developing a media plan. For example, your firm may place an emphasis on safety and may, in fact, have won awards for strong safety performance. You may want to ensure that a component of your media plan focuses on safety.
- Once you have decided what you want to say, you need to conduct some preliminary research. You first need to identify who your key “publics” are—potential clients, subcontractors, community members and, in some cases, even lawmakers. You also want to create a media list that includes publications, television and radio programs that are read, watched and listened to by your target audiences. Find out key items like circulation, areas covered and focus to develop your list. Don't forget to include the “trade” publications—that are often the most likely candidates to routinely cover construction projects and company-related information.
- The media plan itself should include a variety of “tools” that help you get your message out. These include news releases, letters to the editor, opinion editorials, an Internet site, feature articles and special events. For information on these tools, see the links in the adjoining column.
Relationships with the press should be cultivated over time. Perhaps some of the easiest connections to make are with editors of construction-related publications. These editors need you as much as you need them; the construction industry is their “beat,” and they are always looking for good material to include in their publications. As a result, you may find them receptive to your ideas about projects you are working on, an innovative service, or awards won. When you identify a construction-related publication that covers your area or your type of company, call or arrange a visit to introduce yourself to the editor and/or other publications staff. Get to know them. Then stay in touch. Give the editors a call from time to time or drop them a note, perhaps to update them on what you are doing or to comment on an article that has appeared in their publication. The main point is to form a mutually beneficial relationship that will strengthen over time.
Some tips: (These tips from Kirk Landers, editor of Construction Equipment, were featured in an edition of CWA News.)
Prioritize your targets. There is a limit to the number of close editorial relationships you can maintain over an extended period of time, especially if you have responsibilities beyond press relations. Target those magazines that have the most significance to your communications goals.
Don’t play the advertising card. The quid pro quo school of PR (I’ll advertise if you run my product release) is an insult to any editor who is serious about building an audience. It also brands the speaker as an amateur with dated notions about marketing communications.
Educate your target editors. Very few editors have expertise in the subjects they cover. Therefore, make education part of your relationship with target editors. Give them annual updates on what’s happening in your company and your markets—technical changes, market share shifts, new applications, etc. This kind of information leads to article ideas and also stamps your company as a great reference for stories that touch on related subjects.
Meet face to face at least once a year. Use trade shows, association meetings, business travel to editors’ cities, and similar occasions to cultivate relationships. Meals are better than meetings in the booth. If that’s not possible, meet over a cup of coffee.
Follow up. Find a way to speak with your target editors at least once a year, if only for a few minutes. This can be a phone call. It can be mostly social, but make it a point to remind the editor of what you talked about at your last face-to-face meeting (“You know, we’ve really taken to heart what you said about press releases. I hope you’re seeing the difference.”).
Have specific, realistic objectives. What do you want to get out of your relationships with editors? Have specific, long-term objectives for each magazine based on the type of material it publishes. Make sure your objectives are realistic.
Don’t let a friendship supersede business. Initiating and building relationships can be challenging. However, sometimes the most challenging situation for both a communicator and editor comes after a strong friendship develops. It’s easy to spend an entire dinner talking sports, family and industry gossip and never get around to discussing the needs and interests of the magazine and your organization. Similarly, sometimes communicators are reluctant to convey criticism or discuss negative subjects with a favored editor for fear of taking advantage of a friendship.
These are business relationships and business friendships, and one of the main advantages to both parties is the foundation of straightforward communications.
Writing a feature article for possible publication in a local newspaper or trade journal can be a good way for you to garner some publicity for a specific project, employee or community service activity. Because many newspapers and trade journals accept “freelance” articles, you may find numerous opportunities to highlight a specific project or activity in depth. This not only showcases your company and the good work that it is doing, it also allows you to more effectively control the coverage that appears in the publication, because the article is written by you or someone on your staff. Before submitting a feature article, find out if your targeted publication will accept articles. If so, find out what the word count and any other restrictions are so that your article fits into the parameters of the publication. Also, make sure you are familiar with the writing style of the publication: In order for an article to be accepted, it must be similar in tone and style.
Perhaps you’re not a writer. You can still “pitch” the idea of a feature article to editors. You can either write a short “pitch” letter or call to explain why the readers of your targeted publication would enjoy reading about your project/activity. Remember, editors, particularly editors of trade journals, are always looking for an interesting topic to feature in their publication.
Some Tips for Writing a Feature
- Your first paragraph should be interesting and be able to pique the reader’s interest immediately. You want the reader to read the entire story, so you want to get them “hooked” right away.
- Your article should tell a story, with a clear beginning, middle and end. Try to center the story around an event that is inherently dramatic. For example, if you are working on a Habitat for Humanity project, make the main focus of your article the day(s) you spent building the project. This lends a narrative structure to your article and makes it more likely that readers will read the full article.
- Be sure to focus on people and include plenty of quotes. People like to read about other people and like to hear what they have to say. If you are working on a Habitat for Humanity project, for instance, include quotes from project managers or employees working on the project.
- Be familiar with your target audience. Readers of a construction trade magazine will be looking for different things than readers of the local newspaper and will be more comfortable with construction-specific terminology.
- Develop solid relationships. Take the time before a crisis strikes to get to know the key reporters in your local area and with the construction trade media who cover construction. There is no substitute for letting someone know that they can always pick up the phone and talk with you on a subject. Your company should have a list of key reporters with phone, fax and e-mail addresses if possible. ABC chapters are a good resource.
- Learn about the media work cycle. Journalists have a tough job to do just like construction professionals. Theirs is a profession with its own ebb and flow. Be sure to learn about journalists’ deadlines and to always meet them.
- Always be clear and truthful. Don’t try to be coy and deceptive with a journalist. It will always come back to haunt you.
- Don’t go off the record. If possible, always stay “on the record” when talking to a journalist. Going off the record only creates dilemmas for the journalist and potential problems for you. You don’t have to offer any information that you do not want to offer, but you should never offer background information that you do not want to be attributed to you or your company.
- Relax. A journalist will assume you have something to hide if you appear withdrawn or nervous, and this is an even more important consideration if you are doing a broadcast interview. Remember you are being given an opportunity to present your side of the story, so just relax and relay your thoughts.
- Stay on message. Determine the key points you want to get across in the interview. Such as:
“XYZ Construction has an outstanding record of safe, efficient, high-quality and cost-effective construction in this community. In addition, our employees are deeply involved in giving back to their community through volunteer service.”
Regardless of the interviewer’s questions, continue to come back to these key points. Turn negative questions into positive responses. Never affirm the negative. If the journalist asks: “Does your firm have a disastrous safety record?”, do not reply: “No, our firm does not have a disastrous safety record.” In the public’s mind, it will register that your spokesperson mouthed the words, “our firm” and “disastrous safety record.” Instead, say something like “Our firm has a long record of safe, high quality construction. We are dedicated to a safe workplace, and are proud of our firm’s (involvement in national safety programs, awards, manual, safety toolbox talks, etc.).
- Prepare. Anticipate the tough questions that the journalist may ask. Keep responses brief and positive. If there was a violation in the past, express regret and the steps that the firm put in place to eliminate this problem. Return quickly to your main point about the firm being a “better business” leader that is engaged in the local community.
- Be positive and enthusiastic. Have an open face. You want to be perceived as the “good guy” that you are. Don’t appear on television with a scowl on your face. Don’t sound anxious or annoyed when talking with a reporter over the phone.
- Reiterate your main point. Be repetitive. Be repetitive. Be repetitive. When you want to make the point that your firm is a good firm, a solid member of the local community with a great track record, keep coming back to that point.
The news release is the main vehicle by which you disseminate information about your company. New hires, new projects and awards won are all good subject material for news releases. The editors and journalists you are trying to reach must sift through many releases from many organizations. You want to make sure that your release is read and not thrown on the discard pile. Your release should be written and formatted as professionally as possible. Some basic guidelines:
- Your company should develop a letterhead template that includes the words “News Release” or “Press Release” at the top. This letterhead should also include the name of your key contact person, phone number, fax number and e-mail address.
- Your “lead” sentence should have a news angle to hook the editor and keep him reading. Ideally, it should also include your company name and an action taken on that day or another date certain.
- Avoid flowery prose and overuse of adjectives—the editors or reporters reading your release don’t have time or inclination to try to figure out your point if it is not clear, and they are less likely to trust information that is clearly biased. Save the opinions for the quotes from your spokesperson.
- Include plenty of quotes, because quotes are usually what journalists pick up from releases. The quote from your spokesperson is where you should include any information that is more opinion than fact.
- Always be able to back up your statements and be sure of your facts. If you’re not sure of something, leave it out.
- Make sure you include contact information so the editor/journalist can call if they have more questions.
Journalists appreciate being kept informed. They need you as much as you need them. But remember: good media relations is based on relationships and trust. If you send out releases with erroneous information, you will lose credibility with the people you need to communicate your message to your “target audience.”
The news release is the basic tool for getting publicity in the media. It presents information in a way that allows the reporter or editor who reads it to quickly discern if the information you are providing is newsworthy. Your news releases should be written in the same style that reporters write news stories. Whether the news release is a simple announcement of a new project or part of your pitch to generate a feature article, it should follow the same basic format, called the inverted pyramid. This simply means that the most important information with the broadest impact is at the beginning, and as the story progresses, the information becomes focused on details of narrower importance.
Reporters write articles this way so that readers can glean the most important information at the outset and continue reading if they want more. Also, this style gives editors more ease in cutting articles that are too long. They simply chop off enough of the end of the article to fit their space needs. If you follow this style when writing your news releases, you will help the reporter decide if the information should be developed into a story.
The Five W’s. Because of this inverted pyramid style, the first paragraph, called the “lead paragraph,” is the most important part of the story. Every journalism student learns on day 1 of classes that the lead paragraph must include the Five W’s: who, what, where, when and why (or how). These essential bits of information must be written into the lead paragraph as concisely as possible. A good lead paragraph should not exceed 35 words, as follows:
Andrews Construction Co. has just begun construction of a 12-story mixed-use development that will add much-needed office space and hotel rooms to the rapidly growing Airport Corridor in Rochester.
In 32 words, the above fictitious example addressed:
- Who: Andrews Construction Co.
- What: Construction of a 12-story mixed-use development
- Where: In Rochester
- When: Just begun
- Why: To add office space and hotel rooms to the rapidly growing Airport Corridor
The second paragraph should elaborate on the premise of your release, usually providing additional detail:
The development, to be called Airport Plaza, will include 115 rooms atop 120,000 square feet of office space, with a two-level retail mezzanine of nearly 30,000 square feet. Construction began in March and will be completed within 24 months, according to Project Executive Richard Kline of Andrews Construction.
The third paragraph should provide additional information of lesser importance and may begin with a quote to attract interest:
“Vacancy rates in the Airport Corridor are hovering around 4 percent,” said Phyllis Brock, a project manager for the building’s owner, Fleet First Investment Trust of Rochester. “Airport Plaza will give major tenants a chance to occupy large blocks of space and provide much needed hotel facilities for business travelers.” ADI & Partners of Albany, N.Y., is the project architect.
The final paragraph should provide information about your firm and should become boilerplate for the end of each of your news releases:
Andrews Construction Co., headquartered in Saddle River, N.J., is a commercial construction company serving the northeast United States. Established in 1962, its annual volume of construction projects exceeds $150 million.
Even though it appears at the top of the news release, it is best to write the headline last—after you have solidified your lead paragraph. The headline should capture the attention of the reader with the most important information. This is sometimes referred to as a hook. The lead paragraph of the news release serves to elaborate on the hook in the headline:
Construction of Much-Needed Office and Hotel Space Begins near Airport
Succinct and to-the-point, the headline conveys the most important information, which in this case is that the office and hotel space is needed. You will notice that the name of the contractor is not in the headline, because the fact that they are building the mixed-use facility is not as important as the fact that it is being built to satisfy a need.
When you write news releases, remember that reporters just want the facts—the five W’s. They receive dozens of news releases every day, and they don’t have the time to search through each to find the salient facts. Make their job easier by presenting the facts up front, in the lead paragraph, and provide only enough information to explain your lead paragraph. If they need more information, they will contact you.
1 From Building Profits in the Construction Industry (McGraw-Hill, 2000) by Michael T. Kubal, Kevin T. Miller, and CWA Past President Ronald D. Worth.
Sometimes you can “create” news by staging a special event. Reporters are in the business of covering “news,” and an open house, ribbon-cutting ceremony or special activity are all the types of events reporters tend to cover because they involve action and occasionally even drama. On the other hand, you don’t want to throw the proverbial party to which no one comes. Make sure there is a reason for your event and that it has news value.
What is news? Media scholar Kathleen Hall Jamieson says news is “the report of an event that happened or was disclosed within the previous 24 hours and treats an issue of ongoing concern.” This basic concept is the underpinning of what constitutes “news” and can inform your decisions about creating “happenings” likely to be covered by the press.
Some Tips:
- Planning is key. If every last detail is not thought about and planned, things could go wrong, which could prove embarrassing if members of the press are in attendance. Plan your event far enough in advance so that you have adequate time to make arrangements and attend to every detail.
- Alert the press. Send out a media advisory or news release telling reporters the details about your event: when, where, who, etc. Or, if you are having a social event, send them an invitation. A few days before the event is to occur, call the reporters to remind them about the event and ask them if they plan to come. Make sure you include reporters and editors from publications that specialize in covering the construction industry.
- Keep them happy. At the event, make sure you introduce yourself to the reporters in attendance and make sure they have everything they need to write their story. you may want to have a media sign in sheet that leaves room for reporters to write their address and phone number. That way, you can reach them after the event if you need to. If there is food at your event, make sure the reporters are fed.
The philosophy behind your newspaper’s letter-to-the-editor page can vary dramatically. The key variable is the size of the paper. Some editors see this page as a community bulletin board on which all sorts of opinions may be posted. For example, you might see a letter from a homeowner complaining about a recent county commission vote, even if the newspaper never covered the commission. This wide-open policy is typically found at smaller papers, where there can be more of a challenge to fill space.
A more common approach is the one taken by many mid-size to large newspapers. These papers receive many potential letters to the editor each day. For the editors of these larger papers, relevance is the key consideration. They only print letters to the editor that offer feedback, criticism or praise for stories and opinion columns that have recently appeared in their paper.
You should read the letters to the editor that are frequently printed in your local newspapers. This is the single best indicator of the style that works with the editors of those papers. Once you determine the best approach, then you’re ready to begin.
- Read the publication regularly. You need to be familiar with the publication to be able to comment intelligently about it in a letter to the editor.
- Know what you’re writing about. If you criticize a column, you need to be sure you are factually correct. The same holds true for praise or additional observations.
- Watch your tone. There are times when an indignant approach may work, but usually a reasoned and respectful tone is best. You can be direct and critical without being unprofessional. If you are writing representing ABC you want to be professional. Furthermore, this is a wiser approach since you will likely in the future need to work with the journalist whose story you are critiquing.
- Be sure you’re clear on word-count requirements. All papers have either a specific or general word-count limit on letters to the editor. Call ahead to be sure, rather than risk having a good letter rejected because it’s too long—or too short.
- Cite the story you are responding to at the beginning of your letter. Usually it is best to refer to the columnist, story title and date of the story in your opening paragraph.
- Write and rewrite. Often it is the best written pieces that are run. Have someone look over the piece for any grammatical errors, typos, punctuation errors, etc.
- Ask for deadlines and how the paper would like to receive your piece. In most cases, it is best to fax your letter, and then follow up to be certain it was received.
- Provide information on how you can be reached. Most papers will follow up with you directly to verify you wrote the piece before they run it. Include your daytime telephone number when you send your letter to the newspaper. Some newspapers require both a home a business telephone number for any letters submitted.
- Follow up. If you haven’t heard anything after a few days, give the editor a call. Inquire politely.
- Don’t get discouraged if you don’t get into the paper. Continue to send letters on a variety of topics which affect ABC and merit shop construction. Eventually your persistence will pay off.
In some cases, you may decide to write a full-blown opinion editorial.
Most of the previous points hold true for op-eds as well. Often it is more challenging to get an opinion editorial into a newspaper than a letter to the editor. The goal of the op-ed page is to give writers from outside the newspaper staff an opportunity to voice their opinions on matters of community/public interest.
Opinion editorials are usually longer than letters to the editor. Additionally, they do not necessarily need to be in response to a particular story run by the newspaper in which they appear. They are simply the writer’s opinion on a particular issue.
The best opinion editorials are filled with factual data supporting an argument. They are written like a good news story, with the lead at the beginning, the body of supporting evidence in the middle and a strong conclusion encouraging readers to take a particular course of action at the end.