Media etc.

Media Relations and ‘Squeaky Wheels’

We’ve all heard the expression, “The squeaky wheel gets the grease.”
When it comes to media relations, one has to ask if the squeaky wheel is indeed the one that needs the grease, and further, what kind of grease it really needs.

One size, or to continue the analogy, one grade of grease, does not fit all.

What might work for a political candidate will not necessarily be appropriate for a major manufacturer. A law firm’s needs will usually be different from those of a college. A nonprofit might need an approach quite distinct from the one required by a local medical group.

Also, it’s not just the type of client. Where are they located? What is their size and position in their field or industry? What are the particulars of their news? Who are their employees? Their customers? Whom do they want to reach the most? Are there secondary or tertiary audiences? Many more questions could be asked.

Those who work in media relations should know this. They forget it at their peril.

But—having borne witness to many poor media relations efforts in my years as a journalist—my sense is that they often do. In such cases, they end up counting on their clients’ ignorance to keep themselves in business.

That’s when clients should seek another consultant or firm.

Don’t get me wrong. Good media relations providers have much to offer clients, that the clients might be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. These include a good network and the skills needed to use it effectively; savvy about how the news business works; good research skills, including the ability to ask the client the right questions; and top-notch writing and editing skills.

These are all important points, but the media relations provider’s network is a big one. Does the principal or firm personnel have media experience in the market?

And a network is not a static thing, especially nowadays. It used to be that, particularly in small markets, you might deal with the same people at the same media outlets for years. That’s occasionally true in smaller places, but less so now in larger markets, if it ever was.

Does the media relations provider know how local radio, television or print (now often digital) cover the news, what types of stories they look for, what types of resources they need?

Not only that: If you’re in this business, you’ll have to find the right person to receive the message (often called a “pitch,” though I dislike the term). Often, it’s a reporter, but are you in touch with the reporter who covers that “beat?” The media relations pro is wasting her time if she’s pursuing the wrong reporter.

Does this or that newsroom prefer that all incoming communications go through one person? Sometimes it’s the editor (usually called a news director in broadcasting) who wants to be the point of contact. The media relations professional or firm has to know.

Media relations people sometimes get so caught up in talking that they forget about listening. Listening, linguists tell us, is a passive language skill, but here it’s really active—aggressive, even. Conscientious providers really need to ask questions and do research.

A squeaky wheel needing grease? It could be something the client does that isn’t obvious. Does the media relations person(s) need to find out the specifics of what the client does, what its markets are, how it makes a profit, how it achieves its mission?

Once good research is done—that is “done” for the time being, research should be ongoing—are there industry publications or websites that also become targets of media relations efforts?

In fact, those trade magazines/sites could be primary contacts for getting the word out to constituencies the client might consider more vital than the general audience of local media.

In other words, a real squeaky wheel. Apply the right kind of grease, and the client is well served.