Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Helping Reporters Out…In a Different Way

If you look in the archives of this blog, you'll see that most of the posts are meaningless missives about new recipes, overseas trips or random thoughts of the day. This post is different and, I hope, the first of many more pieces that will be both useful and interesting to those who want to know about more than how to roast a tasty chicken. (But seriously - you've got to try that chicken recipe.)

This post is for journalists, a group of folks very near and dear to my heart. Over the past year or so, several reporter friends have reached out to me for career advice. Talented journalists who only ever wanted to be journalists are examining their options outside the field because the opportunities available to them in the industry they love so much are disappearing. Those who are fortunate enough to still have jobs are having to do more with less while living with the ever-present fear of the next round of layoffs, buyouts or bureau closures. Those who have fallen victim to staff reductions are leaving journalism altogether and facing tough competition for jobs outside the industry.

For journalists (or soon-to-be former journalists) looking to launch new careers, the field of public relations is a logical place to begin. Having made the transition from television to PR 10 years ago, I can confirm that there is a great deal of cross-over between the two industries and that a journalist’s skills translate very nicely into PR. We’re all storytellers – we just happen to be on different sides of the curtain.

Through my work in public relations and my membership in the National Press Club, I’m fortunate to know many wonderful reporters. Sadly, some have been or are about to be relieved of their journalism duties and are asking for advice on how to enter the public relations arena. The same questions are on everyone’s minds – what exactly do PR people do and how does media experience apply to the work? In the hopes of providing some clarity, I offer the following suggestions (and a few cautionary notes) for reporters positioning themselves for a job in public relations.

Blinding Flash of the Obvious – You Know the Media
A big part of public relations is media relations. One reason we (PR firms) want you (journalists) working for us is that you have the inside scoop on the media we spend years trying to understand. You know how reporters prefer to be approached. You know how their days are structured, when to call them and what to say. You know what they look for in a source and you know better than anyone what makes a story newsworthy. You have instant credibility. You probably also have a fairly robust Rolodex full of fellow reporters and other useful contacts. As you can imagine, all this is extremely attractive to PR firms.

Cautionary note: Because you know the media so well, and because you have undoubtedly been on the receiving end of bad PR pitches, if you get a job in the field, you may have a difficult time talking to reporters about stories that you don’t feel are newsworthy. It is important to remember that, while your perspective is incredibly valuable, if the client says pitch, you have to pitch. You can fix this, though, by helping to craft a better story to pitch to the right people.

You Know the Anatomy of an Interview
You probably already are aware of this, but it’s worth mentioning: Good PR firms put their clients through some form of preparation before every media encounter. We examine the reporter’s background and previous coverage, review key messages, discuss questions the reporter might ask and talk about how to work around potentially sensitive issues. You are in the extraordinary position of having been on the other side of the interviewer/interviewee equation. You know how reporters prepare for interviews, what they want from their sources and how they might try to trip up a spokesperson. Here again, your insider’s perspective is both valuable and credible. We want you in those interview prep sessions and our clients do too.

Cautionary note: You may feel as if you are somehow betraying your former brothers and sisters in journalism by teaching sources how to maneuver through interviews. You’re not. Helping your client understand how best to operate during a media encounter is helping your client do his or her job. You did your job as a journalist, and the reporter will do the same during the interview.

You Know How to Sell an Idea
If you do make the move to PR you most likely will, at some point, be required to contribute to your firm’s new business development efforts. When an agency pursues a new client, it puts a great deal of effort into understanding that company’s position in the marketplace, identifying its communications challenges and articulating recommendations in a written proposal. Not unlike researching and writing a news story. As a former journalist, you have the ability to examine an issue or situation, gather all the relevant information, identify the key pieces, lay them out in a meaningful structure and write everything down in a way that makes sense. Perhaps even more important, you have likely had to pitch your story ideas to an editor just as a firm has to pitch itself to a new prospect. All of these skills are critically important for the business development process and, believe it or not, many PR folks don’t have them.

Cautionary note: Journalists are trained to be objective, and the sales process is anything but that. You will have to develop your persuasion skills.

Many of the journalists who have asked about making the switch to public relations either haven’t thought of these things, but more than likely, are uncomfortable saying them out loud.

Reporters should not be shy about promoting themselves as valuable additions to a PR firm. The agencies you talk to already know that you bring something special to the table. It never hurts to remind them.

Does anyone have other thoughts/suggestions/warnings for journalists making the move to PR? Share them, please!

1 comment:

Wade Kwon said...

As a former newspaper journalist, I've taught clients how to pitch to reporters and handle interviews.

I wish newspaper journalists would do a better job with their own public relations: listening and interacting with readers, "pitching" their product, and understanding how being better integrated into the community doesn't undermine their integrity but strengthens it.