• How Lawyers Can Become Valuable Resources for Journalists (and Get Quoted)

    How Lawyers Can Become Valuable Resources for Journalists (and Get Quoted)

    Given the number of attorneys in the United States (some 1.2 million practicing ones), it seems unlikely that the majority of these lawyers can become trusted resources for journalists. It is possible, and before such a union can materialize, there are rules that apply for both parties. The below focuses on a lawyer’s role in forming a mutually beneficial relationship with reporters.

    Rule 1. The Media Do Not Work for Lawyers, Clients or Firms

    Simply put: Reporters are interested in getting a scoop and writing an article in a compelling, accurate way. To achieve this, they seek and cultivate relationships with people-in-the-know to glean information to report their stories out. It’s up to the journalist to decide what the angle is, with whom to speak, what information to use. In short, they call the shots and decide what goes in a story and how it’s presented. Lawyers – no matter how high up a firm’s food chain – have no say.

    Rule 2: Say Something Relevant, True … and On the Record, Preferably

    On a positive postscript to Rule 1, lawyers can influence a story by controlling their messaging, especially if what they say is relevant beyond their internal audience and business goals.

    One obvious rule is that lawyers know their topics inside and out before positioning themselves as thought leaders to the media. Because of their work, attorneys are on the frontlines of human and corporate drama, amassing relevant insight and perspective. Information based on experiences is the currency reporters and readers crave. Focus explaining a legal issue’s impact on various audiences depending on the media outlet. Get to know a reporter’s beat and previous articles.

    A journalist may seem like an ideal contact given a recent article, though it’s best to review previous ones to get a sense of their style and what they’ve covered previously (and how). Reporters love trend pieces so upon reviewing articles, ask yourself (or discuss with your PR team) why this is important and what’s next. The “what’s next?” question will help develop potential follow-up articles.

    Client sensitivities by lawyers are certainly legitimate concerns, and sometimes attorneys must pass on a media opportunity due to a client conflict. Clients naturally come first, though there are other ways to work around not commenting or providing insight. Specifically, a lawyer can set interview conditions, perhaps speak on-background with the goal of educating a reporter while cultivating a long-term relationship.

    Rule 3: Never Blow Off a Deadline (or a Reporter)

    Time is money for lawyers, and the same goes – albeit indirectly – for journalists. The reason reporters have deadlines is to feed the process of the news cycle. In this age, it’s about posting to the web as soon as possible to attract readers to a site (which in theory would generate ad sales and more viewers). Before the web, deadlines kept the process moving by ensuring that copy would get to the typesetter and presses in time to make the press run. A missed deadline then, meant overtime pay. Now, it’s more the speed of disseminating information that translates to Benjamins, though most news outlets continue to publish hard-copy editions.

    Reporters are generally mindful of a lawyer’s time, and it’s fair and kind to be mindful of theirs by keeping appointments. If anything crops up at the last minute that forces a cancellation, check with an equally qualified lawyer as a replacement to speak with the reporter. That extra effort and attention to detail will resonate with the media.

    Rule 4: Never Ask to See an Article Before Publication. Never.

    Only select people are permitted to read a reporter’s article before it’s printed, specifically their main/news editor, copy editor and perhaps someone else in the newsroom. That’s it, so asking will only demonstrate a lawyer’s misunderstanding of the media and make the process awkward. Only one thing annoys a journalist more than this, and that is providing juicy information – and then saying, “That’s off the record, right?”

    Certain media will agree to review quotes beforehand with a source, though that condition is set before the interview, not during or after, and it’s becoming more rare.

    Rule 5: Embrace Media Training

    When it comes to seeking legal counsel, people (including PR professionals) rightfully defer to the lawyers. The same dynamic should hold true in media training. While not lawyers, PR counsel are just as valuable as legal advocates because reputation is at stake in both cases. Lawyers – no matter how legally brilliant – are best served by listening to a PR professional. If there’s a disagreement over an approach, an engaging, healthy back-and-forth often leads to a thoughtful and agreed-to media plan.

    Rule 6: Follow-up, Keep in Touch … Though Don’t Overdo It

    After an interview, continue to keep reporters in mind. Send a brief thank you email. Make investments by keeping in touch by providing information that is relevant and useful. If a lawyer anticipates a regulation to kick-in that would affect clients, chances are a journalist for an industry publication or a beat reporter for a business outlet would like to cover it – or at least know about it.

    Send along a timely and germane client alert with a note saying that you are happy to discuss – even if it means no immediate ink for you or the firm. It’s simply helpful gesture highlighting a lawyer’s knowledge and one step closer to solidifying a one’s status as a trusted media resource.

    A version of the above post originally appeared in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly and its affiliates.

    Claire Papanastasiou

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  • Why selecting a PR agency with a national presence Matters

    The opening of our new and expanded office in Boston has me thinking about all of our office locations – 5 nationwide – and how we’ve situated our smart and savvy staff in regions that directly benefit our clients. Here are a few credible reasons as to why clients should consider PR and social media agencies with the depth and breadth of multiple geographies.

    First, it really does help to have team members sharing a time-zone with the writers and editors they connect with so frequently. Matter is as flexible of an agency as I know of – and constantly we speak of getting things done wherever the team or client may be – but it really does make the working situation better when you have the opportunity to react and respond to inquiries at a time of day that makes convenient sense.

    Second, it also helps to have the creativity that comes from varying geographies. What’s smart and savvy in the great northwest may be different than a noteworthy communications trend in greater Boston. Like the way we leverage the strategies and successes we experience when working with both consumer and technology clients, we have the opportunity to learn from happenings occurring in other local markets.

    Third, some prospects and clients gain a sense of comfort knowing the team working on their business “gets” what it’s like to do business in their region. When an agency is able to hire stellar professionals from the local market, they reflect some of the region – and what makes that particular region special – within its walls. They understand local habits and nuances, and ultimately those team members can strengthen the relationship with the client.

    Fourth, there’s opportunity for employees who have the freedom and flexibility to consider growing their career elsewhere – and the positive enthusiasm that comes with embracing a new city or town can positively impact performance. Here at Matter we’ve had a number of employees transfer from an East Coast office to our locations in Boulder and Portland, and their energy and enthusiasm is directly contributing to the positive vibe in each location. And, that positive energy is transferring to the work being done.

    And, finally, and this one is very tactical, having a national presence is extraordinarily helpful for social media monitoring and execution. There’s really no way around it, but starting the work day early – and having the opportunity to end it late – is necessary these days, and having someone in the agency and from the team involved will allow for timely social activity.

    Can you think of any other reasons as to why having a national presence Matters?

    Scott Signore

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  • 3 Lessons in: Client Relations

    Welcome to Lessons in PR, an ongoing series of public relations tips and advice from the professionals at Matter Communications. Have your own tip to submit? Respond in the comments or email [email protected].

    Ever lost a client because you didn’t “gel”? Ever had a project slip through your fingers, and you know you could have done more to keep it? Yes – we’ve all been there.

    We spend a lot of time talking about how to improve our relationships with media, and even customers/end users. But our clients’ values, aspirations, products and initiatives are what really drive the work we do every day. Luckily, there are simple methods we can employ to make sure our client relationships are beacons of trust and communication:

    1. Get in Their Heads. “Read what your clients are reading. Relevance resonates, so it’s important to read-up on industry trends affecting your clients, and not just from media standpoint.” – Claire Papanastasiou, Director
    1. One Size Does NOT Fit All. “Get to know your individual client contacts. No two accounts are the same – nor do they want to communicate in the same way. While onboarding, pay attention to their preferences. You’ll see soon enough whether they like smiley faces or no-nonsense; phone calls or in-person meetings; lots of details or just the essentials, etc.” – Jackie Fraser, Account Executive
    1. Visit the Trenches. “Sit down with the sales team. Whether you and your PR team are just getting on board with a new company, or you’ve been working with them for years, you need to get everyone together: PR, marketing and, most importantly, sales. If outbound communication doesn’t line up with the language used by the sales team, there’s a dangerous gap. Sales personnel know the product and they know how to sell it. PR pros know how to put together and implement killer company messaging. Learn from them, educate them and get everybody on the same page.” – Jackie Fraser, Account Executive

    Vanessa Boynton

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  • PR: Is Proximity Relative?

    As the newest team member at Matter Communications in Portland, OR, I take time to reflect on the words of one of the most influential voices of my generation to help make my transition as seamless as possible:

    “When opportunity knocks, you better let him in. Sit him on down and try to be his friend.”

    I’ve taken Coolio’s words to heart during my first month with Matter and the weeks leading up to my start date. Yes, Coolio AND the Space Jam soundtrack referenced in my first Matter Chatter.  I stick by my “most influential” claim. #noregrets.

    Throughout my career, I’ve been a part of numerous PR campaigns ranging from basic US-based media relations to global product launches and reviews. I’ve worked in agencies on the east and west coasts and have come across opportunities with clients down the street and half way around the world.

    Many times, potential clients, who are not necessarily within driving range of the office, will question the reliability or ability of an agency to meet their needs. Are time zones really that big of an issue? Of course, it may be inconvenient to be in our Portland office on a call at 6AM, but if the work is done satisfactory and in a timely manner, should that be an issue?

    Whether we like to admit it, a PR professional is on call at all times. In this day and age of constant connectivity, do the miles really make a difference? Will a potential client in the Bay Area pass over the most qualified or affordable agency if they’re not in San Francisco? Will a Seattle company be more content with an agency headquartered in Newburyport, MA who has an office down I-5 in Portland?

    Matter is the second bi-coastal agency on my resume and I’ve seen the time zone bias play on numerous occasions. But with that, I’ve also been on a 7AM call with European contacts. The work gets done, clients are happy and we’ll occasionally get a good night’s rest!

    When it’s all said and done, I think the experience, willingness to adjust and success of a company should be the ultimate measure of a deal. Hey, there’s always a seat on the red eye if the clients back east want to thank you for your work in person!

    There are so many opportunities out there to increase the success of your campaign, but to a PR professional “home” is wherever you can connect to a Wi-Fi hotspot. We can make it happen on the road during a trade show, in the office or on the couch at midnight. If the opportunity to develop a communications plan for a company outside of your city limits arises, reinforce the quality of work rather than your ability to take them out to lunch!

    Seth Buchwalter, Senior Account Executive, Portland, OR

    Matter

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  • PR People: We Know Enough to be Dangerous

    PR People: We Know Enough to be Dangerous

    Public Relations was not my first career choice, or so I thought. I thought that I wanted to be a lawyer, in fact I took the LSAT not once but twice, but the universe it seems had different plans. Now I find myself in a career where I represent my client’s best interest in the court of public opinion – sound familiar?  I often find that when I tell people what I do, they scoff and dismiss me as yet another liberal communications person, who was too lazy to develop the skill set of say an engineer or physicist or… a lawyer. It might not help that I live right next to Harvard and MIT, some of the most renowned academic institutions on the planet.

    I think there is a major disconnect between what people think that PR practitioners do and what we actually do. People seem to either think that PR people are slackers or not academically inclined, or my favorite – “Your work sounds like that show Mad Men.” Well let me tell you that we work very hard, and the only thing that I have in common with Don Draper and the misogynists at Sterling Cooper is an affinity for good scotch and a catchy tag line.

    Like any profession slackers make their way into PR, but they never last long and are usually weeded out early in their would-be-careers. Real PR pros – the great ones – are experts in dozens of disciplines, or at least they can convince other experts of their superior knowledge. Today I may be trying to convince a producer at NBC of why a consumer product that shines shoes is superior to all other shoe cleaning options, and tomorrow I may be talking best practices for ensuring healthcare IT security compliance with an editor at the Wall Street Journal.

    In PR you learn quickly that editors, producers and journalists have no problem telling you that you clearly have no idea what you are talking about, so you have to get a clue and get it quickly. Learn enough to be dangerous in a number of arenas and present that knowledge intelligently and confidently in a way that convinces the real expert that you just might know something more than he does – that is what it takes to be successful in PR.

    The business savvy that PR practitioners must possess, even at a young age, is something else that I think that many outside of the profession do not recognize. The opportunity to work with C-suite executives on major accounts provides a level of access that most twenty something’s can’t even dream of. You have to believe that if you are writing the CEO’s byline for Forbes you are getting a high level of attention. You also can be sure that you have instilled a high level of trust in your skill set.

    Also, as PR agency people become more seasoned, we get to witness acquisitions, mergers, hirings, firings, product launches… you get the idea – another level of access that not many people are privy to. Throughout the course of all these business moves we also get to see what works and what doesn’t. Not that PR people are or should be business advisors, but I have met some senior people who are certainly capable.

    PR requires a constant personal evolution, whether it is to keep up with new or social media or simply to learn about a new client’s industry. Good PR people aren’t just master communicators they are master formulators, planners, organizers, managers, writers, technologists, sociologists, psychologists and whatever else they might need on that day to get the job done.

    Ryan Lilly

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  • And thank you, Matter Chatter

    Over the past month and a half, I hit the road for several weeks traveling on behalf of one my clients to media train local spokespeople and staff interviews with local print and broadcast outlets.

    The time away from home wasn’t one I initially embraced but once I was through airport security, sipping my Pumpkin Spice Latte and completed some trainings and interviews, I quickly realized the rewards. For three weeks I focused on being the best possible in-the-field resource for my clients. In the trainings, I taught media basics and helped our spokespeople understand why we craft messages the way we do and what to expect so when they stepped into the interview. In a matter of days I saw the result: polished, professional company spokespeople — some of whom with no prior press experience – beautifully deliver our messaging. A couple more days later I saw that translate into overwhelmingly positive press coverage. (more…)

    Matter

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  • Be prepared: not just a good motto for Boy Scouts…

    As a former Boy Scout (okay, full disclosure: I lasted maybe one year…), the importance of “being prepared” was hammered into my head quite a bit when I was growing up. Honestly, it’s still probably one of the best pieces of advice anyone’s ever given me in life. Especially in PR, preparation is everything. (more…)

    Matter

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