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Top 10 Biggest PR Mistakes

Steve Conway, corporate communications counsel

Public relations is part art, part science. There are techniques, but as in any other activity that deals with fellow human beings, you can count on being surprised from time to time. The most common surprises become the most important lessons. Here are 10 of them.

  1. Don’t assume that what's important to you is important to everyone else. Why wouldn't the whole world want to know that "the revolutionary Trembley Togglebolt now comes in a one-inch length"? Put yourself in the shoes of the readers/viewers/listeners, and then ask yourself, "Why is this important?" (Maybe the old two-inch togglebolt poked through too many walls.)

  2. Don’t use technical jargon unless you're trying to reach only a technical audience. This guideline extends to acronyms only insiders would recognize.

  3. Don’t avoid or deny the obvious. Don’t refuse to reveal information that's available to reporters in public documents (SEC filings, court filings, etc.). Providing these documents to reporters who ask for them helps your relationships. Don’t talk about a company as if everything's rosy when the whole world knows you're in deep financial trouble. Many companies lose credibility because they don't know how to talk in a financial downturn.

  4. Don’t default to a press conference. Many companies hold press conferences as a matter of course, but the media do not like asking their best questions in front of competitors. Use press conferences only for major news (when you wouldn't have capacity for individual media inquiries).

  5. Don’t try to get reporters to "correct" matters of interpretation. When senior management doesn't like what a reporter writes or broadcasts about their company, they may push for a correction. In fact, the media are entitled to interpret news as they see fit except for facts and figures. When you spot a factual error, insist on a correction every time. Avoid errors by handing (or emailing) the numbers so he/she has them in writing.

  6. Don’t ‘lose it’. Directing anger about news coverage to reporters is not good. As noted American journalist H.L. Mencken said, "Never argue with a man who buys his ink by the ton." The reporter may simply have failed to grasp the situation. It's fine to let a reporter know you're displeased, and why.

  7. Don’t target the wrong reporter. It's not enough to aim for certain publications or broadcast stations. You also have to find the right reporter and the right "department" or TV/radio show. If you don't contact the right person within the right area of the print or broadcast medium, you're unlikely to find a "home" for your story.

  8. Don’t assume only "hard news" counts. Companies that want to be recognized as industry leaders go beyond standard announcements about new products, new executive hires, new partnerships and collaborations. They comment publicly on important industry developments and trends to position themselves as experts, thought leaders and customer advocates.

  9. Don’t forget to check the claims you make. Watch superlatives! Are you really the largest, the fastest or the best? What's so bad about being "great"? Do you always have to be "the greatest"? A corollary guideline: don't claim to be best at something few people care about (example: "The data center system we just sold will be the biggest in the eastern half of Kansas").

  10. Don’t forget that others may be interviewed, too. Before telling your story, anticipate other resources the reporter is talking to for the same article: competitors, investors, an inveterate enemy of your company, an industry analyst who just doesn't see things the way you do. Shape what you say to address their criticisms.

copyright 2005, KC Associates, LLC

 

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