Home topics small-business-resources sales-and-marketing Managing Marketing Managing The DOs and DON’Ts of dealing with the media Philippa Lowe October 7, 2009 The DOs and DON’Ts of dealing with the media by Philippa Lowe, Publicity Express LEAD: Publicity is the art of getting journalists to write or talk about your products, services and company – without paying them to do it. The best way to achieve that – as I outlined in DIY Publicity Tips – is to ask them. How you ask can be an art in itself. Here’s a crash course in dealing with the media: Do respect media guidelines. Many publications and media outlets have specific guidelines that stipulate how you should contact them, when you should contact them and how you should follow up with them. Find out what they are. Do Provide Practical Information. Forget about self-proclaimed greatness, stick to the facts. Nothing turns off a jaded-journo more than hearing about the fastest, the slickest and the best – unless it truly is and you can prove it substantially. Do Choose Your Targets Wisely. Familiarise yourself with the media outlet and its particular focus. Save yourself time and embarrassment by doing your homework first. Watch several episodes of a TV show, listen to several radio shows (often available on the Internet), read several issues of magazines and blogs, and a week’s worth of newspapers, to really get a feel for a media outlet. Do prepare pitch points with all the pertinent facts about your company and