We’ve made it. A journalist asked a question. The journalist has enough interest in our topic that he or she e-mailed us. Once you respond they are likely going to report, Tweet or whatever.
Quick background: Most professional outlets will contact you before they report on your organization; often it’s part of their editorial guidelines. Too often, public affairs offices have nameless e-mail boxes. Too often, public affairs officers respond via email creating an inhuman exchange prime for misunderstanding, confusion and delay.
Let’s be better, here’s how.
Rules to Live By:
- Be human: create a human connection with the human on the other end of your phone call or e-mail. It’s easy to criticize, second-guess and demonize a faceless and nameless robot. We’re not robots; we’re the good guys.
- Engage to understand: build the mutual human respect and understanding which satisfies everyone’s needs and gives us the opportunity to be seen as credible, correct and competent.
- Fast is good, accurate is vital: own your responsibility to be correct, clear and clean – and do it in fast, flat and precise ways. Our job is to be right, all we do depends on the trust we earn, maintain or rebuild with every interaction.
- Be golden: the golden rule means acting with empathy. What would you need to write an accurate and contextual story if you were the journalist? Maps, visuals, historical background? Anticipate their needs and you both win.
- We’re on the record until we mutually establish we’re not: speak with authority and assume you are always on the record. Establish attribution as soon as possible in every interaction with the media – even follow-up phone calls. Until you absolutely determine another attribution, you’re speaking for posterity – and for the President and your mother to read your response.
- Be available: accessibility is a key part of our credibility. We miss the opportunity to be right when we’re late. Take ownership of your responses to incoming queries to our shared inbox and be as responsive as you would expect if you were the one with the questions.
- Everything matters: the picture others form of us is complex and multi-faceted. They will believe we are credible and competent if we prove it. If our attitude, eye rolls, sarcastic tone or sloppiness show, others will notice. And judge.
(Photo from the USAID Archive, DVIDS)
