Media Relations Tirana, March 2005

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Media Relations Tirana, March 2005

• Prepared by Evliana Berani, PR Manager
• Trade Liberalization Promotion Project,
  Albania

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Your reputation

• Reputation is important to your companies
• Reputation helps increasing export
• Reputation helps increasing investment
• Reputation makes a difference
• Media relations drives top reputations

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You in mirror

Sender or you as a source
Media as a mirror
Recipient as your target group
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The five Fs of media relations
Factual
Friendly
Fair
Fast
Frank
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Pros and dont when talking to media

• Have a clear message
• Know your audience
• Listen to the question
• Think before you speak
• Answer the question
• Respond quickly if your organization is
  criticized
• Be accurate
• Be positive
• Get the main points
• Reiterate your point
• Be honest

• Do not criticise others
• Avoid alarmist and emotional language
• Do not exaggerate your contribution
• Avoid speculation
• Avoid jumping to conclusions
• Never say, No comment
• Dont say more than you know or than you are
  allowed to say
• Dont go of the record

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Media as a stage of dialogue
Audience
YOU
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Build relations

• Become aware of what the media are covering in
  the community
• Set up informal meetings with reporters or
• drop notes to them containing useful information
• Become a resource for reporters use fact sheets
  and research-based information to get the message
  across

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Use the media to get message across
Your MESSAGE
AUDIENCE
YOU
MEDIA
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My media choice???

• Television
• Radio
• Newspaper
• Magazine

• Wires
• Newsletters
• Publications
• Internet

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10 reasons to call reporter

• Launch of a new project or another initiative
• VIP visit to your organization or project
  facility
• Release of the findings of the new research
• Partners success story
• Action of others on which you can provide
  additional information, comment or in depth
  analysis
• Reports or studies that others release
• A person with a compelling story who is willing
  to share his/her story with the media
  (businessperson who is starting the business, or
  a company that reached pick in the export)
• Meetings you would like to be covered by media
• Participation at major study tours, meetings,
  summits, other events
• Every opportunity that makes you feel that there
  is news to tell or message to deliver in order to
  fulfill the right of public to know

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Storytelling tips

• Is story interesting, fascinating and compelling?
• Is there a element of surprise?
• Is news or a fresh, new angle ?
• Is there human interest?
• Is there answer or solution to a problem?
• Are there heroes and villains?
• Is there memorable sound bite?
• Is there call for action?

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Five Ws - is news

• What
• Who
• When
• Where
• Why

• But in business reporting the news have one
  question more
• HOW MUCH?

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Main tools

• Media alerts
• Press release
• Company backgrounders
• Media advisory
• Interview
• TV/Radio Debate
• Press conference
• Media kits
• Press tours/Events
• Photo opportunities

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The NEWS Release

• AT the top
• ANIH/ANE logo
• Headline Sub-head
• Date Location
• At the middle
• The lead
• The body (Answers on five Ws two Hs combined
  with quotes)
• Organization mission statement
• AT the bottom
• Contact details

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WHAT
Five Ws and two Hs
WHEN
Press Release
HOW MUCH
WHERE
WHO
HOW
WHY
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Think ahead think questions

• Common questions
• Prepare three questions you are commonly asked
• Answers should not be longer than 30 seconds for
  each question

• Anticipated questions
• Prepare three questions you would like to be
  asked
• Prepare three questions you hope never to be
  asked
• Be prepared in answering all of them

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Interview

• KISS
• Keep It Short and Simple
• Be focused
• Stick to the facts
• Never ever lie
• Be positive
• Dont speculate

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Camera is rolling - What about stress?

• Ignore camera
• Remind yourself that you are there to speak with
  people not to camera
• Be aware of your hands and try keeping them under
  control
• Be yourself

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RADIO INTERVIEW

• Speak for the ear, not the eye
• The answers are measured in seconds not in
  minutes
• In one minute time radios are to air four news
  items
• A good communicator succeeds to answer 3
  questions within 60 seconds
• Use the active not passive voice
• Whenever possible speak in present tense and
• Always use the language that people can
  understand
• Avoid technical words and acronyms
• At the end of the interview always reiterate your
  core message and remind the audience what you
  already told

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Go press conference

• Who you want to reach and why?
• What you want to say?
• Is it news?
• Does it affect people lives and HOW?
• Who is going to speak?

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Preparation

• Set up deadlines for preparatory steps
• Draw up invitation list invitation letter
• Book the venue multimedia equipment
• Issue and follow up invitations
• Prepare speeches presentation materials
• Prepare media packs
• Prepare final attendance list
• Go conference
• Follow up

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Thank you

• Trade Liberalization Promotion Project,
  Albania
• www.trade.undp.org.al