Top tips from Creative Territory consultants
- Never wear a striped shirt when being interviewed on television – it creates a “buzz” on the screen.
- Don’t embed videos into emails when you can put them on YouTube – but be aware that many government employees cannot view YouTube at work.
- If you’re doing a media interview take time to prepare yourself. The reporter will appreciate you having the right answer rather than saying “I don’t know”.
- If you’re being interviewed on television, let the viewer concentrate on you – not your dangly earrings, loud shirt, out-of-control hair or fabulous cleavage.
- If you introduce new information to a reporter during an interview, always follow up with the facts in writing - it helps them to get your story right.
- Unusual sized brochures and catalogues can help you cut through a cluttered marketplace - but be aware that printers or mail houses may charge you more.
- Creative headlines can help make people read your newspaper ad but don’t be too clever – sometimes a job ad for a receptionist is just a job ad for a receptionist.
- There’s no such thing as “off the record”. Don’t expect a reporter not to chase down a great story if they get whiff of one.
- Journalists work to tight deadlines – it helps to remember this when getting back to them with your breaking news.
- Media publicity is not the same thing as an advertisement. You can’t control the content but it is often viewed with more credibility.
- The media are always looking for a good quote – prepare some possible answers ahead of time.
- In a crisis, coordinate your messages and make sure everyone is telling the same story.
- When you're trying to get the media to run your great news remember this: IIf it’s not a story it’s not a story.
- Keep media releases to one page. When was the last time you saw a 2000-word essay in the newspaper about a new product release?
- In a radio or television interview, don’t be tempted to fill empty air time – that’s the reporter’s job.
- Know your message and get it into the story. The journalist can’t put your key message into their story if you don’t say it in the interview.
- Think about your target audience. Who are you trying to talk to? What do you know about them? What is the best way to reach them?
- How are you checking if your message is getting across? Evaluation is a critical part of every campaign.
- How long since you last updated your website? Web, new media and social media should be considered when planning every communication activity.
- Is your product or message valuable to regional Territorians? Don’t forget, Darwin and Palmerston are only 50% of the NT audience.
