01 Mar 7 Common PR Questions Answered

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7 Common PR Questions Answered

We hear many questions from a wide variety of clients. But some questions are asked by nearly everyone at some point. That’s why we compiled a list of the seven most common PR questions along with our pro’s real-deal answers. We hope this helps you in your PR journey for success.

1. Can I get paid for my appearance? Yes and no. While you won’t likely get a check made out to you by the news station for your appearance, you’re receiving earned media coverage and reaching a mass audience without paying for the spot. So in a way, yes you can get paid! We also note that most clients see a jump in sales within four days of the interview and have a longer lasting effect the more consistently they have interviews.
2. Can I see my article before it runs? Don’t count on it. In some cases you may be able to, but for the most part, and we mean 97% of the time, you’ll have to wait to see your article when the rest of the world sees it as well. Look at it like opening a bright and shiny birthday present and getting a wonderful surprise J In case you’re wondering why you cannot likely see the article, it’s because the reporter / writer has their role, then an editor, production team, bosses, etc. and so on. It’s also a big part of media etiquette to trust what the reporter is going to run.
3. Can I get more advance notice for media interviews? We love advance notice; however, with the media working 24/7, sometimes we have no choice but to deliver news on a very quick timeframe. That might mean in some cases we can schedule your interview in a week and in other cases you need to be camera ready by tomorrow morning. We get it, the more notice the better. However, enjoy the rush and excitement that comes with finding out you’re about to be interviewed very soon (that way you have less time to stress about wardrobe).
4. Can I suggest a different angle for the story? It depends. Usually we always go with the reporter, editor, or producer’s angle; after all, it’s their news piece and they know the news best. However, if you have something truly unique, outstanding, or amazing to add, then it might be appropriate. We suggest rather than changing the angle, letting us follow-up pitch the new angle for another interview.
5. Can you get me in NY Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today? We always love getting our clients in major publications; our client’s love the notoriety, exposure and awareness generated for their business too. However, major news outlets receive hundreds of thousands of pitches on a daily basis. Also, the relationships with such media outlets need to be carefully concentrated and targeted. Sometimes it takes months for this to happen. The short answer is we are truly confident in our ability to make strides to get you in major publications; but sometimes it takes an amazingly unique story, expertise, strength against competing interviewees, large-scale appeal and…time.
6. Can I see the questions before the interview? Usually clients don’t get to see the questions prior to the interview. This is because the reporter is likely running on their own deadlines and their questions might change as the news does. However, another issue reporters often have with not sharing questions prior to an interview is to avoid ‘canned’ responses. This means responses that are so rehearsed, or ‘canned’, that they lose their natural appeal. Often having a genuine conversation with a reporter elicits the best responses. They want the piece to look and feel as good as you do; we assure you. So, we recommend going with the flow and savoring the experience.
7. I saw XYZ on the news and our product/service is so much better, can we be on the same show? We love a little competition every now and then, and our clients do too. Especially when you see an interview that is similar to what you do, only, you know you can do it better or you have more expertise. We get it. However, there are many factors to booking on the same show. Some interviews are actually not ‘earned media’ and they are paid for, but appear to not look like an advertisement. At NSPR, we focus on the earned media type interviews where you do not have to pay and it is not an advertisement. So, if the show accepts these types of interviews, they will likely go with the individual who is paying. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get your chance. We will just want to craft a different approach so as to not repeat the same segment (as producers won’t want to have the same topic twice). So the answer is, yes, we can work to get you on the same show, but let’s take a different approach to the one we just saw.

If you have questions you’d like to ask, don’t hesitate. Email us at info@nspublicrelations.com.

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