How to Manage Media Relations (part 7)

Media Events: How to Make Them Work for You

 (part B)

by

Charles Lamson

Announcing the purchase of property and the building of a new facility provides unparalleled opportunities for positive media and community relations. It also serves as a fine example of how to plan a media event. It will however, tax your abilities if you find yourself operating in new territory without the benefit of established relationships with local reporters and editors (or even knowledge of the local geography).

Integral to your planning should be the knowledge that your plans very likely are not going to be kept secret until announcement day. If the deal is a big one---in terms of size of the property, cost of construction, prestige of the company or number of potential jobs, for example---you should count on the fact that there will be a leak. Real estate agents showing property, local boards approached for zoning regulations, a hotel visited to evaluate conference facilitates, news can slip out no matter what precautions your organization takes.

You should have approved and ready for immediate use a standby statement in case a reporter calls seeking your comment on rumors. If your plans are so uncertain that you do not even have an announcement date tentatively set, you should probably say nothing more than your organization is looking at a number of potential sites for possible future expansion, but no plans are firm yet. If you have a timetable in mind, you might want to go further by adding that you will let the reporter know when a decision is made and an announcement is imminent.

You also will want to develop a solid relationship early on with others involved in the project. People from such disciplines as real estate, legal and finance, either on your organization's staff or retained for this job, will become critical resources as announcement time draws near. Your involvement in the planning stages helps build their confidence in you and in your contribution to the project's successful outcome. It also makes it more likely that you can get their early concurrence on an objective and working strategy---not to mention their personal involvement in the implementation of your information plan.

Once you know the announcement is a "go"---even before you have a firm date---you should immediately develop a checklist of all activities that need to be undertaken and write down any related issues that must be considered. This will be your overall master list. It will also spawn a number of more "to-do" lists for many of the entries.

For a major announcement, you will probably be working with other departments within your organization or even an outside agency hired to put on this event. It is critical that you colleagues know who is doing what and do not overlap your work. You are in charge of the media side of the event while someone else should handle the logistics of permits, food, parking, limo pickup and so forth. Included on your media list should be the following:

1. Date/time of announcement. Probability of bad weather? Other conflicting events such as a holiday or an election? Best time for the local news media? Availability of key participants?
2. Site of announcement. At your organization's headquarters or at location of new property? On-site or in a hotel or commercial establishment? Ease of accessibility for guests and news media?
3. Main theme/primary message. Expansion of your organization into new territory? New business? Move from older facility?
4. Guests and media. Federal, state and local government officials? Key community and business leaders? Local people helpful in site selection? News media---local? national? trade? Other VIPs? Employees? Spouses? Financial analysts?
5. Speakers. Only your organization's executives? Governor or top state or federal official? Mayor or local official?
6. Type of occasion. News conference alone? Low-key or big blast? With lunch or dinner? Reception?
7. Media relations. Press kit materials? Transportation to site? Satellite tour? One-on-one interviews?
8. Invitations to media. Reporters and editors? Editorial board members? Bloggers?
9. Mementos. Appropriate? Different ones for media?
10. Collateral materials. Exhibit? Printed program? "Who we are, what we do" brochure for guests? "Working news media only" sign outside news conference room?

It is a good idea to ask others who will be involved to review your list to see if you have left anything out or overlooked any local media customs. Next, you should establish an information objective and budget, assign responsibility for each of the activities, develop an overall time timetable, and set specific due dates. Then you must oversee implementation of the media plans on virtually a day-to-day basis to ensure everything gets done on time. 

To be continued . . .

*SOURCE: ON DEADLINE: MANAGING MEDIA RELATIONS 4TH ED., 2006, CAROLE M. HOWARD AND WILMA K. MATHEWS, PGS. 133-134*

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