Who Stepped In It
 
Media Relations Matter:   Regardless of the size of your business, media relations is one area that should be taken seriously.  The opportunity of success and the risk of failure are too great to do otherwise.  Apparently Lyon Shipyard Inc. in Norfolk, Virginia, didn't get the memo.
 
A recent article in The Virginian-Pilot reported that five shipyards in Hampton Roads received more than $7.8 million in federal stimulus funding.
 
Lyon Shipyard was awarded the largest amount in the nation from among more than 500 applicants.  That's news.  So the reporter called the shipyard and spoke with its vice president.  All is well so far.  It's better to have a company leader speak for your business than a public relations spokesperson or a public relations consultant.
 
However, for success to occur, that leader has to understand the media, have a dedicated strategy for each media encounter, and give some thought to the intended results of the media encounter.  You get there by having a media relations program in place prior to any media encounter. 
 
Whether that media relations program is developed by an in-house public relations team or is outsourced to a competent public relations agency on an hourly, case-by-case basis, the end result is proper media relations training and effective guidance to ensure the following never happens to you.  Here's what went wrong in Lyon Shipyard's case.  The following quotes appeared near the top of the story:
 
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Lyon Shipyard Inc. in Norfolk received the largest award in the nation - $4.5 million for a dry-dock modernization project.
 
"Frankly, I was a little surprised we got the amount we requested," said Tom Ackiss, vice president at Lyon.
 
When the shipyard applied to the program, Ackiss said, "we didn't really hold out a lot of hope."
 
"Nice surprises do happen," he added.
 
The other local shipyards awarded grants are:
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I don't know about you, but these quotes did not instill confidence in me toward  this executive, his company, or their ability to do the work.  Ackiss made it seem like it was an accident that his company was selected for this work. If Ackiss was hoping to make his company appear to be an industry leader and impress stakeholders, he failed miserably.  If you leave room to read between the lines, people will read between the lines.  Ackiss' quotes created enough room to drive a ship (or two) through.
 
During a media interview there are several fundamental media relations tactics to remember:
 
- Every media opportunity is a chance to get the core messages of your business to important stakeholders.
 
- Your words will either help or hurt your business. Everything you say will be evaluated by the audience.
 
- Every quote should have an intended effect and move the ball forward for your organization.
 
- Your words should match the actions and vision of your organization.
 
- Everything is on the record and could appear in print, even the chit-chat.
 
When you're part of a positive story and your organization is being recognized for success, your quotes should include:
 
- Recognition of your people.
 
- Recognition of company expertise.
 
- Articulation of the future impact this success will bring.
 
Just because an executive is well educated and has reached the top of the corporate ladder, doesn't mean he or she understands the intricacies of media relations and how to work with a professional reporter during a media interview.
 
When a reporter calls on deadline for a quote, who will be providing the answers that will be read by your stakeholders and tens of thousands of readers?  Will it be a smart person who wings it? Or will it be a person with media relations training and a well thought out strategy for responding to the reporter?