Tweet

The importance of having a media policy

Written by: Catriona Pollard

Article Overview: A media policy is essential to maximising all media opportunities – for any type of business, even if you are working from home. The following is an example of a media policy which you can use for your business. It should be treated as one of your key policies/procedures.

The importance of having a media policy

A media policy is essential to maximising all media opportunities – for any type of business, even if you are working from home. The following is an example of a media policy which you can use for your business. It should be treated as one of your key policies/procedures.

Example media policy
All media calls are to be treated as important calls and we must ensure that we respond to the journalists’ enquiry and/or interview request in a timely and informative way.

It is important not to respond to any questions on the initial call.

The person taking the call should say:
• “I’m not the best person to talk to, but I will organise for the right person to call you back.” OR
• “I am not an expert in this area, but I can get someone to call you back.”
• For spokespeople – “I am in a meeting at the moment, but will call you back as soon as possible”

The person taking the call must ask:
• What is your name?
• What publication are you calling from?
• When is your deadline?
• What information are you looking for or what is the topic of the interview?
• What is your phone number?

Once you have this information, tell the journalist that a spokesperson will call them back before their deadline.

If you can’t locate a spokesperson, contact your PR consultant (provide the number in the policy).

If you can’t locate a spokesperson or your PR consultant before the deadline time, call the journalist back and explain the situation, saying that a spokesperson will call as soon as possible. Do not to do the interview yourself.

Before the official spokespeople undertake the interview they should:
• Review key messages
• Write out a game plan – what do you want to get across to the journalist?
• If possible, find out the journalist background and personality.

Related Articles
  Tips for Preventing Issues with Employees Using Social Media at Work
  Social media: Risk and regulation in the financial service industry
  Auto Insurance Companies - How To Cancel A Policy
  Monetary Police is Science, Everything Else is Stamp-Collecting
  “How To Be More Media Savvy and Less Media Ignorant. Tips From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach”

Article Tags: Catriona Pollard, CP Communications, media, media policy, PR tips, Public Realtions Sydney, public relations



Related Forum Posts
Re: Introducing a New Management Innovation - Trust Enablement - Well, I have many favourite books. The World is Flat is just one of them. It is a very important book for our times. For me it sets the strategic business and policy agenda for this period in history. It also lends support for the increasing importance of optimizing conditions for trust (services my company provides) in a more open and less hierarchical, global marketplace.
Re: Recoverable/Non-Recoverable Sales Draw - I agree, I will keep him on sales draw salary for one more month at which point I will be following Astral Medias HR policy of going straight commission. I had high expectations that the inventory would be sold quickly, but I was basing these assumptions on Radio sales which is: an established media low touch (can purchase one day or 1 decade) accepted by advertising agencies One benefit the sales guy has brought us is creating awareness of our brand in Canada. We have been in touch with many advertising agencies, which are very reluctant to try new media. In the last week we have had many advertisers send us to their agencies, which if we do not impress, we will never get business from. I'm quickly learning in order to sell media, we must prove ourselves to agencies before clients will even think about it. And when they do consider us for a media, they consult their agencies first. So we will have to keep knocking on the doors of agencies before we get a contract. Had this been a low-touch product that was not new, I would have been more worried about my sales guy, but we are getting through to the decision makers in Canada, and once we establish a relationship with them, then we will be selling media. The process has turned out to be more of a commitment then I had initially thought, which means I will have to make a commitment to my sales guy as well. I will keep you posted, and we will have a little e-celebration when that door finally opens!!!! - Peter
Harsh reality - I am a patent agent and an entrepreneur. Two questions. Question 1: Are you willing to invest $60K and two years into this invention? If YES Question 2: How can you protect your investment? This may seem harsh but if you don't invest who will. In my opinion, a patent has zero value, (and is in fact a liability), until the invention that it protects is generating or dang close to generating revenue, with a chance for profit. A patent is an insurance policy. Like every insurance policy, you have to buy before you know what's going to happen. My typical patent preparation fee is $6-9K. Is it worth it? That depends. Is your life insurance policy worth it? That depends. The real value in any invention is the business that is built around it. If you have what it takes to build a business around an invention then filing a patent is a business decision. Like all business decisions you make it and you keep going. If it was a bad decision, you deal with it.
Personal Policy - While I have a personal policy to never do business with family or friends on that level, I do know people who have. For most, it worked out very nicely. I do believe if I were ever to reconsider my personal policy and went for it, I would ensure I had a solid commitment from the partner with a fair partnership agreement in place, drawn up by a lawyer specializing in it. As for percentage of ownership, I believe in all fairness it should be based on who is taking on more risk and also dependent upon how much time each of you will be spending managing the business. There are many factors you both need to take into consderation when making that type of decision.
The Pasta Express - ha haa haa. I thought it was only me! Thanks everyone for clearing that up. I usually consider myself a good shopper and someone who does their due dilligence. Every once in a while though, I see one of those ads and think, that is just what I need. Thanks to the As Seen on TV store at some malls, I can now really check them out before I buy. One thing I will say, the cancellation policy and return policies for these products are great! I realized that they count on the fact that most people think the return policy will be cumbersome so they dont bother to do it. Just like gym memberships! Less than 30% of people that have a gym membership dont go. But only 3 -5% actually go through the process to cancel the automatic withdrawal from their account. Sadly this doesnt say much for our laziness as human beings! Jude


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Work at home Opportunities for the Disabled

What I Really Want Is...

Here's a great ROI

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.