Media PR Tip #1: Writers are not Assimilated

One of the most common assumptions (what do they say about ASS-U-ME?) made by people dealing with "The Media" is that everyone who writes for the same publication somehow mysteriously communicate their thoughts, feelings, comments, interviews, and personal identities into the collective, er, ah publication (publication being: Website, print, e-newsletter, whatever).

So, if you're had a chat with a reporter from Generic XYZ Magazine thirty days or thirty minutes ago, somehow the information is automagically transmitted to all the other reporters, editors, and most likely the janitor for good measure, staying there forever.

This assumption leads to two bad things--

Bad thing #1: If one writer or editor does a "bad" story about your company, everyone else in the publication must be out to get you.  ("Bad" in this case is assumed to be some sort of hatchet job in the perception of your company).  THEREFORE, when other writers from the same publication come to talk to you six months to a year from now after writer #1 moves on, you assume he's out to get you and you treat him like dirt.

Bad thing #2: Knowledge is everlasting and communicated to everyone at the publication in a perfect fashion, so you don't need to talk to anyone but just one writer. So when the writer ultimately moves on to another publication, you assume that his/her replacement has read all of work previously written... well, you see the point?

To combat this, PR/communications people need to do two things when dealing with publications...

1) Remember that all reporters are INDIVIDUALS, not members of the collective.

As individuals, they have their own quirks and desires and agendas.

If you get a "bad" story out of one reporter at a publication, don't beat the next poor SOB who comes to your door for an interview with "You hate us, I don't want to talk to you." This merely goes to generate a bad impression that you don't like the press. The next guy that shows up might actually write something you love... unless you've left him with a bad taste in his mouth from the get-go.

2) Establish multiple relationships whenever possible.

If there are five or six different "beats" at a particular magazine/publication, you want to get exposure to as many of them as possible and relevant. Now, if you're not planning to do business in Asia, this means you can skip the Asia desk, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be talking to the News Editor, the European Editor, the features guy, and whomever else you might be able to get coverage from at some point in time. A little education goes a long way.

Besides, as with all businesses, faces can change. Responsibilities get shuffled. People get promoted, move to other jobs. You don't want to be caught cold when your "ringer" gets a new job, hmm?

Summary

Treat reporters as individuals, regardless of whatever stories have been previously published by "The Magazine." Don't hold a reporter responsible for the "sins" of previous writers or current editors.

Establish relationships with as many people at a publication as possible, not just one guy.