Hi again!
So its Ramsha, again, reporting from Kuala Lumpur and the internship at Integrated Public Relations (to be referred to as iPR hence forth in this post).
One of the first things I learned when I joined iPR, after the importance of being patient (refer to my first post), was that you can never drop the ball when it comes to being polite. Though being polite is essential in all aspects of your internship of course, what I am referring to in particular is with regards to your interaction with the media.
By media I mean newspapers and magazine publishing firms, online media outlets like blogs and websites and television and radio stations. You will probably at some time in your internship or later in your career in the field of public relations, have to pick up the phone and call up these media outlets. You will do this to invite them to press related events like press conferences and event launches.
Now one would presume that the media would be glad to be invited to newsworthy events, giving them more items for their publications and channels but that is not always the case.
Let me start off at the beginning of the process (note that this is a generalized process as I am sure this can vary from firm to firm):
Step 1) Drafting a Media Invitation
Your firm will produce a letter of invitation that will be emailed or sent via other means to all appropriately chosen media outlets. The media outlets are chosen based on what the event you are inviting them to is all about. If it is an environmental event for example, you might consider media that caters to environmental issues and concerns and tourism and nature in general.
The invitation will include details of what the event is about, highlight important points like the parties involved, the sponsors (if any), VIPs that will be in attendance, why the event is special or important and obviously, the location and timing (if the location is obscure, it would be wise to add directions or a map link).
Once the media invitation has been drafted, checked and re-checked for errors and finally sent off to the chosen media outlets, you allow for some time to pass so that we can be sure the invitation as been received.
Step 2) Picking up that phone
Now this part, I was so nervous the first time I was told I would need to make actual calls. Even now, after a few times doing this bit for different events, I still get nervous as I punch in those numbers. Possibly because there is so much opportunity to make mistakes here.
What happens is that you will call a given number, wait for the phone to be answered and then you wing it, hoping your charm will get you through... no not really, I am just kidding there.
What actually happens is that you will be given a script or guidelines as to what you are expected to say before you start making the calls. You should make it a point to practice this script out loud so you can assess what you sound like. The aim is to sound self assured, calm and NOT rehearsed. You have to sound natural and completely unperturbed. Basically, you need to sound like you got this.
Now when that phone is answered, you need to ask for the right person to be connected with. Once that call goes through, make sure to be pleasant and introduce yourself, give the reference of the email so they know who you are and ask them to confirm if they received it or not and whether they will send someone to cover the event.
Make sure to record who you spoke with and take down any important information they give you.
Step 3) Sounds simple enough? Not quite!
Now at this point in the call you will most likely receive one of the following responses:
"No we have no received any email, can you please resend it? Call back in about an hour to reconfirm please".
"Ah yes we got your email but we cant confirm attendance till so and so time and so and so date because so and so person is not in office/the assignments have not been finalized. Please call back at so and so time and on so and so date."
"Yes we got your email, sorry we do not cover events like this".
Now the last one is the easiest one to deal with because that is basically a chapter closed.
The first two however require follow up action.
In the first case, you must confirm the email address and make sure you resend the invitation as soon as possible and then call back in due time to check again. When you call back you will most likely be given the second statement.
The second one requires you to swallow your frustration and note down every word of the call-back detail. Then make sure to call back accordingly.
This routine can get very frustrating, trust me. The more calls you make, the more you will be faced with harassed or uninterested sounding people that just want to get you off the phone. They may try to rush you or try and pass you off to someone else in their firm. You may be yo-yoed back and forth for a while before you are basically, yet again, told to call back at some other time.
Usually no one will out rightly be rude but you may feel a sting that borders on what rejection or being brushed off feels like. So even though you will get annoyed because all you want is a definite answer so you can move onto other things, you must remain calm and BE POLITE.
This whole charade plays heavily into my first post actually. You will need to call up that newly found PATIENCE you acquired and combine that with an unshakable graciousness and politeness in your dealings with the media.
It all comes down to the fact that we need them to cover our events. What is a press conference with no press in attendance? And for the press to be in attendance, it is essential that the media be treated with respect and be accorded every reasonable consideration.
Its not an easy task and it wears you down. You will get angry and feel discouraged. But there really is no two ways about it. You have to keep at it till you get results, or in this case, answers. Definitive, confirmed answers. Even if it takes hitting the redial button many times to get that.
Keep in mind that the representatives from the media you are speaking to are also just doing their job. It may feel personal to you but remember to not take it as that. Instead remind yourself how hectic a newspaper office can be, for example. These people work under a lot of pressure and unforgiving deadlines. So make every effort to not let your frustration show.
It all pays off and becomes worth the head ache when, after the event, you start the media monitoring activity and see the articles come out in the various publications you managed to get to attend the event. As a PR consultant it is part of your job to make your client the IT news (in a positive light, obviously) and seeing the articles that feature an event you organized for your client is extremely gratifying and makes the effort totally pay off.
So that's the second lesson that I had to learn, how to deal with people. It requires consideration, kindness, patience and POLITENESS to get the results you want. This skill is actually a very handy one to cultivate, not just in the practice of public relations but other aspects of your life too. Knowing how to handle people in the least damaging way will ensure that you have a peaceful life and smooth sailing.
Until next time, happy interning!
Ramsha Zia Siddiqi
Miri Campus
ID: 7e2b1164
Miri Campus
ID: 7e2b1164
