Reporters and editors have a simple request for those on the other side of the communications fence: practice professionalism, courtesy and attentiveness.
Editors and managing editors of Phillips Business Information (of which PR NEWS is a part) recently outlined their greatest pet peeves when it comes to PR executives. Additionally, they listed the best qualities of PR people in our second annual survey. Forty-five journalists were polled, with 33 responding - a 73 percent response rate.
The "peeves" were similar to last year's survey, showing that PR managers and account executives, at least in the business-to-business arena, have room to improve. But these editors also are requesting that PR professionals learn to walk the fine line between interaction and the hands-off approach.
Topping this year's list of "peeves" is the ominous: "please, return my phone calls." Journalists understand that PR pros are busy. They know account representatives spend all day on that media kit or quarterly earnings statement. But remember to get the coverage you want, your account executives must interact with editors.
Receiving repetitive phone calls about the same press release is likened to getting "phone spam," which ranked second among pet peeves. Continuously asking "did you get my press release?" won't get you anywhere.
If the journalist decides to cover an event or story, they'll call back. Usually one call is enough, so train account managers on this tactic and make sure they leave their phone number and email in a short message.
Two "peeves" tied for third place as the most despised PR tactic: stonewalling and the run around.
If the gate is closed and your clients are unwilling to talk to reporters, it's better to say the company has no comment than ignore a journalist's request for information. Additionally, it doesn't behoove you or your client when a PR representative interrupts the CEO during an interview.
Another related tactic is sending journalists to someone other than the contact they request.
In particular, technical and business-to-business writers are looking to speak to someone on a higher level, such as engineers or executive development managers, not a sales representative. So if you represent technical companies, be sure executives there understand that they might have to speak to a trade journalist about a new product or partnership. And you should think twice before asking inexperienced interns or account executives to call a business-to-business editor, who knows more about the industry than your representative.
...Now, the Good News
Don't be discouraged. Journalists also recognize quality PR. Topping the list of the best qualities in a PR executive is willingness to obtain information and eagerness to please. A helpful PR executive assists reporters in meeting deadlines.
Of their interactions with PR representatives, Phillips' editors say about 50 percent bear value. But some said they have valuable interactions as little as two percent of the time.
Below, you'll find direct quotes from some of the journalists who responded to our informal survey conducted earlier this month.
Question: What are your two top pet-peeves with PR people?
- "Persistence and repeated phone-calls trying to pitch their stories. One phone call and a follow-up will suffice. Two or three call in rapid succession irks me."
- "Calling to check whether you received a press release. It's kind of funny if you think about it. We have email, fax and those technologies don't really replace phone calls, they just add to them."
- "They run 'interference' for big shots, rather than facilitating interviews [and are] inattentive to deadline conditions." * "My biggest pet-peeve is failure to return phone calls. I hate it when I call a PR person early in the day, don't hear from them all day, try to check back around 5 or 5:30PM to see what's up, and find they've gone home. Even if they're busy, I wish they'd at least call to tell me they're really busy and don't have time to get back to me, or they're trying to get answers to my questions or something."
- "The tons of redundant press releases we receive. We'll get the same exact release faxed to the M.E.(managing editor), all the writers and the publisher. Then, everyone gets a hard copy via mail. And we'll get it via email. It's a waste of time to sort through the same thing over and over."
- "PR firms that call up and ask for a copy of the newsletter if their client has been quoted. If you want to be a real player in the niche industries we cover - regardless if you're in PR - buy a subscription." (Or use a clipping service)
- "Attempting to spin a reporter on something that is laughably false as if we just got to town yesterday."
Question: List the top qualities of a great PR contact.
- "I appreciate a PR person who will help me obtain useful information. Quotes, data or background that I can actually use in my story is the goal. Someone who meets my needs and those of my readers will gain the best publicity."
- "A great PR contact knows a little bit about the issue at hand, is well-connected to the higher-ups in their organization, is able to hook people up for interviews quickly, and does not insult your intelligence with endless, circular "spin-like" answers to a simple question."
- "Someone who knows [his or her] company and how it fits into my coverage. Someone who promptly returns calls and sets up appointments...someone who sets up interviews and doesn't always have to monitor the call and jump in with 'what he means is...' or 'what he's trying to say is...'"
Next week we'll publish the responses to the final question we asked our peers- What was the most impressive pitches or action by a PR person?
Survey participants included:
Seth Arenstein, Managing Editor, CableFax Daily
Evan Bass, Assistant Editor, Electric Messaging News
Tom Butts, Editor, DV Business
Chris Driscoll, Assistant Editor, EDI News
Paul Dykewicz, Senior Analyst, Satellite, Communications Daily
Charles Flippen, Editor, Electronic Commerce News
Shelia Foote, Reporter, Congress, Defense Daily
Bryant Frazer, Editor, DVD Report
Roger Friedman, Editor, Item Processing Report
Devorah Goldman, Senior Editor, Selling to Kids
Ian Goold, London Editor, Commuter Regional Airline News International
Ron Hudak, Senior Analyst, Electronic Commerce
Erik Huey, Reporter, Air Safety Week
Nicole Jackson, Contributing Editor, Corporate EFT Report
Eric Laing II, Editor, World Airport Week
Steve Lott, Reporter, World Airline News
Paul Leighton, Editor, Aircraft, Value News
Gordon Masson, Contributing Editor, Satellite News
Mike Maynard, Contributing Editor, PCS Week
Elisa Modugno, Assistant Editor, Intelligent Network News
Heather Montgomery, Editor, World Airline News
Ellen Mullally, Managing Editor, Washington Telecom News
Tom ORielly, Executive Editor, DVD Report
Gregory Twachtman, Assistant Editor, Wireless Data News
Michael Sabine, Editor, Multimedia Wire
John Scheinman, Senior Editor, EFT Report
Max Smetannikov, Senior Editor, ISP Business News
Malcom Spicer, Assistant Editor, Mobile Phone News
John Spofford, Editor, Broadband Business Report
John Sullivan, Contributing Editor, Washington Telecom News
Chuck Steele, Assistant Editor, Helicopter News
Benet Wilson, Assistant Managing Editor, Computer Regional Airline News
David Zeliff, Assistant Editor, Land Mobile Radio News