Wednesday, December 16, 2015

When to ignore a "critic"



We usually tell clients to make good and then answer critics on social media.  

Recently, a fan who didn’t like a change, turned on one of our clients.   

She called and called—and called.

Even though the client talked to her, it made no difference.

When we got press, she added comments—pages and pages of comments.

Because we didn’t want “He said, she said”, we advised the client to ignore it.

Luckily, the length and belligerence of the comments made them suspect.

As it turned out, no one took her seriously from the media to other customers.    
And after that one intense outburst, we didn’t hear anything more from her.

For more information, contact us at Dell Richards Publicity, www.dellrichards.com.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Why you want to help the media



Recently, a local TV station called one of our clients for expert comments on an issue—and for help finding a person who was affected.

Luckily, we were able to do so in the 3-hour time frame the reporter had to gather information and visuals. 

The two-minute story ran on the local news a few hours later.

At the 5 p.m. hour, the story reached 37,900 people and had a publicity value of $25,244.00.

It’s great to get press that valuable, but being Johnny-on-the-spot has other benefits.

When people have called the media with a complaint, because the reporters know we’re honest and reliable, they call us to hear our side. 

Once we explain we’re fixing the problem, they have not done a story.

Working hard to build a reputation with the media gets clients press for what they do—and, in the past, also has protected them from unfair allegations.

For more information, visit us at www.dellrichards.com.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

How to really help a reporter


     Rule No. 1? Be prepared to drop everything and move fast. 
     Depending on the reporter, journalists only have a couple hours to collect everything they need and create a story.

     That means finding two to three people from differing angles to talk about the issue.

     In the case of television, it also means finding 20-plus different shots.

     Some of the still shots can be culled from the library or from the “morgue” where head shots of well-known people are kept.

     Companies can help by providing background material, including b-roll, experts in the field and people who are affected by the issue.

     While finding an expert at a company is pretty easy, coming up with a “man on the street” who isn’t at work and willing to go on camera can be a challenge.

     We’ve done this many times for our clients, but even so, it’s always a scramble.

     It’s hectic and crazed—and one of the most exciting parts of the business.

     It’s also one of the best ways to make friends with the media.

     For more information, visit us at www.dellrichards.com.