How to manage effective international press relations?
In large companies, press relations require many competencies, which often lead to add the support of external teams.
Companies often point out the shortcomings of their press relations agencies. For example, their inability to master expert content, or to have their client profiled in articles of specialized and targeted newspapers. Also, these agencies lack the ability to reach media outside their geographical areas.
In this article, we tell you about how to deal properly with the media. We also present the original formula proposed by Skills to build effective international press relations.
Developing your press relations is building a relationship with the press
To build effective press relations, it is necessary to understand the word «relation». It means knowing how to create an exchange of value recognized as such by the company’s target media. It is therefore a matter of identifying these target media and agreeing to enter into an exchange relationship and not a commercial one, aimed at simply offering content. The media are very fond of knowledge and new expertise. They appreciate the exchange with specialists who help them develop their understanding of the topics of interest for their readers.
For each type of media, the media relation specialist should understand who they are dealing with. What readers the media wants to reach, what level of technicality is sought by the journalist. Developing relevant press relations thus involves cultivating an understanding of the media that we target.
This takes time and requires a great deal of availability. It is then essential to be able to rely on specialists, a press relations agency that knows the constraints and expectations of these target journalists. As this is a long-term task, it calls for the establishment of a retainer contract whose effectiveness will be judged after several months. This type of retainer contract generally covers only one main market and must be duplicated according to the number of markets that the company regularly wants to reach.
Developing press relations in several countries in parallel requires the implementation of local contracts. Consequently, the company has to brief as many teams as there are markets to cover. This approach is therefore unthinkable for companies with limited budgets or human resources.
An affordable multi-country approach is possible for your press relations
Another option is to create a central press office. Its mission will be to generate content for a highly targeted press in several countries, and then distribute it to a limited number of media outlets in those countries. Their impact will then be monitored by contacting the journalists concerned.
This «Press Push» contract is more affordable, as it allows to cover several countries while having a single contact person closest to the company’s media teams. This offering is a specialty at Skills Communication. Indeed, our teams master the expertise of our clients (in the investment and banking sectors) and know for a long time, the most important journalists in all the major countries of Europe, North America or Asia.
We first set up a press office around a senior person who is proficient in the subject matter of expertise of our clients and is able to quickly handle all press questions. Responsiveness and expertise are essential to ensure a lasting relationship with journalists.
We then study the editorial calendars of the various target media in these countries and use our network of independent journalists to understand and anticipate the expectations of each of these media markets. Then, after testing the interest of a few target journalists, we propose the writing of papers related to the expertise of our clients and the expectations of these media.
Interested in this type of contract? Contact us for more information!
An expert and responsive international press office
These contents once written by our editors, trained journalists, are disseminated to this targeted press. The press office ensures that they are well received, checks journalists’ interest and organizes the necessary press meetings.
This “press office” service includes a monthly production of an expert paper to strengthen the credibility of the company in its field. It also strengthens the company’s presence on the web and involves it on selected topics via socials. Although the Press Office does not include the construction of proactive press relations in all the countries targeted at the outset, it nevertheless allows the relationship to be maintained with a few journalists through the dissemination and monitoring of expert papers.
Our international press relations teams are based in the major capitals of Europe and specialize in asset management, investment, impact and CSR.
Do you have questions about the press relations services offered by Skills? Our experts are at your disposal.
