Articles: Anthony Mora Communications

Working on the Media's Timetable
By Anthony Mora

7/24/10

Synopsis: Remember that the media works on their own timetable. Although you often have time to plan and arrange your schedule to do an interview, that's not always going to be the case. There will be times that a producer or editor schedules an interview at a time that is inconvenient, or reschedules it at the last minute, forcing you to scramble and change your plans. My advice - do it! Always keep your objective in mind. Your objective is to build your business, to create success through media exposure.

Unlike advertising, direct marketing, online marketing or other types of promotion, when it comes to traditional public relations, keep in mind that the media works on its own schedule. Short lead news-oriented media outlets such as newspapers, TV and radio plan much of their content around the news of the day, long lead publications that specialize in certain areas such as beauty, fitness or entertainment, are not as news-driven, but they too can change plans or direction at a moments notice.

That's not always easy when you're a business owner with your own busy schedule. Your time is valuable. You have a business to run, clients to take care of, or products to sell. It's difficult to (and sometimes not possible) to drop whatever you're doing to do an interview on the media's time table. But that is often the reality of dealing with the press and if you play it smart, it can pay off for you big time. Although you will usually have time to plan and arrange your schedule to do an interview, that is not always going to be the case. There are going to be times that the media wants to do an interview and wants to do it immediately, or wants to schedule it at a time that is inconvenient, or (the most annoying of all) reschedules it at the last minute, forcing you to, once again, change your plans. First of all keep in mind, that producer or editor is not intentionally scheduling a time in order to make your life more difficult. He or she is juggling a number of stories and working on several deadlines. You wouldn't believe the amount of times that an editor or producer has to switch from one story to another on a moment's notice. A million things can come up, a fire, an international breaking story, a Presidential speech; any number of stories are going to preempt you. This is just the nature of the business. It happens all the time. Keep in mind by working with them; you are positioning yourself and your business as the news.

But to do so you need to work with the media. For example, don't tell the producer of a national morning news show that they have to come to your office to shoot the segment and that you're only available on Saturday between 1 and 3 p.m. That's a guaranteed recipe for never getting on that show. Remember you meet your needs by meeting the media's needs.

There may be times that you're just not going to be able to accommodate their schedule. There are going to be some interviews that you'll have to miss. But only miss an interview if it's completely unavoidable - the plague, an alien invasion - you get the picture. You may be annoyed, and you may be angry, but if you can possibly arrange your schedule so that you can make the interview, do it.

Above all keep in mind that if an interview is changed, or if your segment is bumped, don't take your anger or disappointment out on the interviewer or the producer. That might make you feel better while you're ranting and raving, but once that's done, all you've accomplished is burning a valuable bridge. Always keep your objective in mind. Your objective is to build your business, to create success through media exposure. Never forget that only media reaches your target market and offers you the credibility of being featured as a news story. No other form of marketing offers that type of validating exposure. Your objective is to do those interviews, and use that media exposure to gain more coverage, not to alienate the press. Media begets media. Every interview you do is helping to pave your way to greater success.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2010

For further information visit:
www.AnthonyMora.com

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