Handling press enquiries

The thought of handling press enquiries often breeds fear in people. Surely this is only something that PR professionals can do isn't it? NO! In fact, if you follow a few simple rules, you should relish such opportunities.

There are various reasons why a journalist might contact you. To comment on a story or a feature. Or even a rumour. Whatever the context, the rules remain the same.

Read any publication - from your daily newspaper to your trade publications, and even your weekly glossies – and you will see quotes from people giving opinions, advice and responses to topical issues. Sometimes this will be the result of individuals contacting the press and asking to make a contribution . But sometimes the publication will call upon those who they see as experts to do just this.

First of all, if you do receive any press enquiries, it’s a sign that you are already regarded in your industry or area of specialism to be worthy of comment - which is great!

But you need to make the most of the opportunity.

1. Make sure you know exactly what the journalist is after. If it is a complex query you can always ask if they mind emailing you the questions. This buys you a bit of time to think about your response.
2. Ask what the journalist’s deadlines are and when he needs you to get back to him.
3. Make sure that any comment you give is approved by the appropriate person. (Ideally you should have a dedicated senior person to speak to the press or to approve all comments.)
4. If you want to provide a comment - make sure you do so before the deadline.
5. If you can’t meet the deadline, or are unable to comment - let the journalist know well in advance, and, if appropriate, explain why.

   (Now is a good time to outline what type of issues you would be interested in commenting on in the future. The key is to keep the publication on side. While you may not want to comment this time, you want to be kept on the contact list for future opportunities.)

6. Finally - always err on the side of caution and never say anything you don’t want to be published.