They say a picture paints a thousand words and in media terms, it’s absolutely true. The Scotsman on Scottish referendum day has been widely derided for what has been described as the dullest front page ever: Exciting pic of a door “@TheScotsman: Scotsman front page: Day of destiny http://t.co/ae4SDp8eIZ#indyrefpic.twitter.com/7qAsNJWfga” #indyref — Suzanne Carbone (@SuzanneCarbone) September […]
Six handy PR tips
Today I’ve pulled some PR tips out of the bag – completely at random – which should help boost the amount of editorial coverage you get in newspapers, TV and on the radio. 1. Journalists love pegs. You are more likely to get more coverage if you link your activities and press releases to an […]
Media training tips: 7 questions to ask a journalist
The phone rings, and there’s a journalist on the other end. It’s pretty flattering – they want to talk to ME! But also a bit daunting. After all, you don’t want to say the wrong thing and get stitched up. First of all, don’t panic. This is a great opportunity to promote yourself and your […]
How to gain coverage: advice for PR pros from a BBC producer
How should PRs and press offices approach journalists and newsdesks? What is the most effective way of pitching your stories and securing coverage? Those were questions I recently put to a friend who as a producer on the BBC One O’Clock news, is certainly on the receiving end of a lot of pitches from public […]
Slideshare: 21st Century Media Relations
How should charity PRs and communications teams approach promoting events and campaigns in a digital age? That was the key question at a conference this week, run by CharityComms, PR in the Digital Age. I was privileged to be asked to run one of the break-out sessions at the conference, 21st Century Media Relations, during which […]
Media training: the price of a bad interview
Do you know how you come across in interviews with journalists? Are you arrogant? Are you boring? Are you too flippant? Are you incomprehensible? Because if you are any of these things it could seriously damage your reputation, it could damage your relationship with your stakeholders, and it may even cost you clients. If you […]
Media training lesson: when are you ‘on the record’?
At a recent media training course, one of the trainees had learnt a hard lesson about being ‘on the record’. He’d sat next to a trade journalist at a dinner. He’d had a glass or two of wine. He’s told her a little more than he ought about a project his multi-national company was developing. […]
Halo or Horns: the importance of reputation
Halo or Horns? Which does your charity have in the public mind? That was one of the questions posed by a fascinating discussion at CharityComms Brand Breakfast last week. If you have a Halo and you make a mistake or something goes wrong, as Jill McCall, the senior brand manager at Cadbury’s explained, then the public will […]
Crisis communications radio interviews: good & bad
Last week on the Today programme there were two interviews back to back with medical regulatory bodies concerning the scandal at Stafford Hospital. Jackie Smith, the Chief Executive of the Nursing and Midwifery Council came across as defensive, and the overall impression was that the council was not taking the situation as seriously as it […]
Media relations essentials: 8 questions to ask journalists
When a journalist or producer contacts a press office, the coverage you receive from the media can depend on how that call is answered. So it’s important to get your tone right. If your attitude is defensive or unhelpful or unfriendly, it can have two effects: it can simply annoy them (not good!) or it […]
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