12.04.08
Great Media Relations Tips from an Industry Pro
At our last PRSA Young Professionals event, we had the opportunity to meet a veteran PR and media relations pro within the furniture industry. Jackie Hirschhaut, vice president of PR and marketing for the American Home Furnishings Alliance (AHFA), manages media relations surrounding one of the largest trade shows in the country – the High Point Furniture Market. Before her role at AHFA, she spent many years as a journalist and even served as Editor-In-Chief of Elegant Bride magazine. Having spent time on both sides of the aisle, Jackie has great pointers for PR pros on how to work with, not against, the media. Here are some tips she shared with us:
- Respond to journalists’ queries immediately.
- Don’t offer journalists a source, photo or interview (anything!) you can’t deliver.
- When it comes to press kits, an electronic version and a hard kit are your best bet. Never send journalists an electronic media kit (CD, flash drive, etc.) without letting them know exactly what’s on it.
- Never include prior media coverage with your press kit. It is a sure-fire way to ruin any chance that a new reporter will write about your client.
- Always get your press kits in on time. During the High Point Furniture Market, press kits that don’t make it on deadline are filed under a shelf marked “Late Arrivals” – definitely not the impression you want to make.
Is there anything you would add to this list?