Is media a friend in business?

THE ABILITY to effectively communicate with media is a valuable skill that must be present in every organization.

Media can be an ally to help inform the public of your uniqueness in the market, your events and advocacies that the public can participate in.

However, though media is a resource available to all, not everyone is able to take advantage of this nor make an effort to bring desired messages out there.

We asked Pennie Azarcon-dela Cruz, senior desk editor of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, some questions regarding how companies can relate to media.

Here are her thoughts:

Q: What are the common mistakes companies commit when it comes to corporate communications?

A: Overselling an event, company or product. “Love your own” is a great corporate morale booster, but when it comes to press releases, tone down the rah-rah factor. It makes your write-up sound like an advertorial or an out and out self-promotion.

Remember, a press release is an announcement of a new product or service, an event or a significant achievement that you’d like the public to take an interest in. Present the facts briefly and accurately and let them speak for themselves.

Another common mistake is ignoring the target audience.

Tailor your announcement or press release to the readers you’d like to reach by choosing the print or online publication and respective sections that cater to them. Do some research on these possible outlets before sending out a one-size fits-all material to make sure your materials are properly appreciated by their intended audience.

Q: How do you ensure publication or online use of your company announcement?

A: There is no guarantee.

To increase the chances of the announcement getting used, make sure it’s publication-ready: submitted days before the event and in time for the deadline of the particular section or publication you are targeting, short and accurate, and with hardly any grammatical error so minimal editing is needed.

Q; How do SMEs with limited resources gain attention for their products and services? How do they get noticed?

A: First, they have to create a buzz that media can’t ignore.

And the best way to do that is to come up with goods and services that have a unique selling point, something new, novel and newsworthy.

If they’re confident enough about what they’re offering, they can have a small media launch that would showcase the distinct qualities of their product which the media can then report or write about.

They can also use this launch to solicit comments and suggestions on how to further improve their product before they market it.

Pennie Azarcon- dela Cruz is a senior desk editor at the Philippine Daily Inquirer and was executive editor of the Sunday Inquirer Magazine. She has been writing for popular media for the past 30 years and has handled writing seminars and workshops for at least 20 years. She has a National Book Award for Anthology as well as a Quill Award for travel writing.

Azarcon-dela Cruz will be the resource speaker for the workshop on Effective Corporate Communications (Building Relationships with Media) on March 31, 2016 at the Inquirer Academy Building, Chino Roces Ave. corner Ponte St., Makati City. The workshop will focus on writing effective press releases and planning press conferences.

The professional workshop is brought to you by Inquirer Academy and would be ideal for entrepreneurs, PR practitioners, corporate communications and strategic marketing communications practitioners. Representatives of politicians and celebrities are also encouraged to join the workshop.

To know more about the workshop or Azarcon- dela Cruz, you may write to [email protected] or call 8341557. Look for Astrud De Castro. You may also visit www.inquireracademy.com.