PR has always been about more than just media relations and that is increasingly so today. But liaising with the media remains an essential PR activity. At AfrAsia Bank I got to experience this very closely! It is indeed true that PR and the media need each other as explained in our lectures. I had the opportunity to attend a press conference at the bank’s headquarters. My very first press conference ;) Actually it was about the commitment of AfrAsia Bank’s sponsorship of the Dodo Golf Open Tournament for the second consecutive year.
But before the press conference day, definitely loads of work! Writing the invitations, sending the invitations via mail and/or fax to media outlets, calling them to know if they received the mails, and obviously follow-up calls to confirm their presence at the bank that day as advised by my supervisor. In fact another advice from the bank’s Marketing & PR department was the fact that I should be prepared and already know about the purpose of the press conference, the event and all. Because it happens that reporters do not have time to read the mail, and ask for a brief summary of the event and purpose of the press conference. And that indeed occurred for some of the media outlets. So I had to give some of them a concise summary of it. Newspapers, Radio stations, TV station! Liaising with the media and simultaneously having the opportunity to talk to editors in chiefs too! ;)
The press conference was scheduled Thursday 18th Feb at 15 00. The challenge was to maximise the presence of the media at the press conference. And most of the media outlets I called and mailed invitations to were present and that was very well appreciated regarding the fact that the bank would garner pretty good coverage and enhance its corporate image at the same time. The press conference went well, I had to welcome the media people, liaise with them, took their contact details and attendance, giving them the press kits among others. That was undeniably a great experience since it also helped me to build my own network of relevant contacts that could be well worth it in the long run.
It is hence true that PR needs the media as a significant channel of communication with a wide range of primary target audiences as studied in my lectures. On the other hand, the media also needs PR as a source of convenient, quick, accurate and reliable information.
Media relations remain thus radical for obvious reasons: extend marketing budgets, boost credibility and also allow a message to spread more rapidly than advertising alone. In addition, establishing good professional relationships with the media can sometimes ensure fair coverage should controversy arise concerning your organisation. Do you agree? By the way any of you had the opportunity to plan and/or attend a press conference? If yes, how was your experience and any other advice(s) you received from your supervisor?
But before the press conference day, definitely loads of work! Writing the invitations, sending the invitations via mail and/or fax to media outlets, calling them to know if they received the mails, and obviously follow-up calls to confirm their presence at the bank that day as advised by my supervisor. In fact another advice from the bank’s Marketing & PR department was the fact that I should be prepared and already know about the purpose of the press conference, the event and all. Because it happens that reporters do not have time to read the mail, and ask for a brief summary of the event and purpose of the press conference. And that indeed occurred for some of the media outlets. So I had to give some of them a concise summary of it. Newspapers, Radio stations, TV station! Liaising with the media and simultaneously having the opportunity to talk to editors in chiefs too! ;)
The press conference was scheduled Thursday 18th Feb at 15 00. The challenge was to maximise the presence of the media at the press conference. And most of the media outlets I called and mailed invitations to were present and that was very well appreciated regarding the fact that the bank would garner pretty good coverage and enhance its corporate image at the same time. The press conference went well, I had to welcome the media people, liaise with them, took their contact details and attendance, giving them the press kits among others. That was undeniably a great experience since it also helped me to build my own network of relevant contacts that could be well worth it in the long run.
It is hence true that PR needs the media as a significant channel of communication with a wide range of primary target audiences as studied in my lectures. On the other hand, the media also needs PR as a source of convenient, quick, accurate and reliable information.
Media relations remain thus radical for obvious reasons: extend marketing budgets, boost credibility and also allow a message to spread more rapidly than advertising alone. In addition, establishing good professional relationships with the media can sometimes ensure fair coverage should controversy arise concerning your organisation. Do you agree? By the way any of you had the opportunity to plan and/or attend a press conference? If yes, how was your experience and any other advice(s) you received from your supervisor?
1 comment:
Hi Shehzana,
I do agree that Media Relations plays a really crucial role in the PR field. It's the best way to communicate the key messages of the organisation to your target publics.
I had the chance to organise a press conference at the beginning of my internship and I am planning another one for an event that will take place at the end of March.
One of the main things that I've learnt is the importance of targeting not only specific media outlets, but also the right journalists. The first press conference was about Golf. So, we called sports magazines and journalists working in the sports sections of Mauritian newspapers. This actually resulted in us having coverage in all the news outlets we had targeted.
The other event I am working on is more related to the cuisine section, entertainment and arts. Hence we are contacting the local journalists who are actually in this particular field. My Director really stressed on that from the beginning. She also advised me to always follow up with the media, before and after the press conference, to strive for accuracy, to be concise and to the point when dealing with the media (be it while communicating via emails, phone calls or press releases etc.)
Since we are talking of media relations and the need to have good relations, it reminds me of an incident that arose this week. Press trips is a regular occurrence in the hotel industry and my boss was hosting a journalist who was from a small foreign magazine. She treated her like she would treat any journalists without any discrimination. It was only later, when the lady was extremely pleased with the service, that she told my boss he was actually a media person from one of the really prominent media outlets in the world. She came to the resort incognito and the good impression she had promises a great coverage for the resort. This goes to say how consistency in the way you deal with the media is really important in the PR field. You never know when an opportunity may arise for positive coverage or on the opposite, when you may end up with negative publicity due to lack of good media relations.
As the saying goes "Expect the Unexpected"!! ;)
All the best!
Cheers
Tavinia
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