The relationship between PRs and the media is one reaped with mutual benefits. Just as PRs rely on the media to communicate their brand’s message to the public, beauty and health journalists rely on PRs to help fill their pages or sites.
With communication at the core of many a successful relationship, some of Australia’s top PR personnel - both from agencies and in-house - are opening up about their top advice to help continue making this a lasting and happy partnership...
1. Let PRs know if you can’t attend an event
“Always let us know if you’re unable to make it to an event, even if it’s half an hour before. We completely understand that life, kids, last minute deadlines… anything can happen! We would rather know so we can start the event on time rather than having other guests waiting or shortening the event time.”
“If you are unable to attend an appointment or an event, make sure you let the client know. Events in particular are expensive to put on and we are entrusted with the client’s money to promote the brand positively and often based on a ‘headcount’ basis. If you don’t want to go to a friend’s wedding, you’d let them know, so let the PR know if you cannot attend an event.”
2. Be aware stock might not always be available
“Australian-owned brands will receive stock of new products often only days before it’s on counter. We have minimal samples for sales and media purposes - gone are the days where we would have samples months in advance! We know this is hard, particularly for long lead magazines, but we will always have imagery and press releases well in advance.”
"Samples, especially pre-series, are limited - do not request every shade in lipstick, foundations, concealers etc. Also, please do not request samples of brands that do not suit your platform (i.e. Nail blogs, do not request foundation shades and brushes - you will never post about it and your audience is not on your page for that)."
3. Always keep open lines of communication
“Open communication is essential. We are in partnership and we trust you as a media partner to be truthful regarding pitches and product feedback as it helps us build a genuine brand and following.”
"Don't hate us for having to do annoying follow ups (we wish this wasn't a part of our job too!). But it's important for our clients that we get feedback on their product or creative send out etc. It also helps us to know if it will be a successful launch or not."
4. Download requested images on time
“If you request images or press material, then please download it all by the date of expiry of the transfer. It isn’t a quick process to compile some requests, so it’s always appreciated when you download what you have asked for.”
5. Be patient with stock requests
“Usually we can get samples out to you within 24 hours as PRs and agencies will have a certain amount of products on hand, especially for key brands and best-sellers. If you require specific shades, it may take a little longer and this is usually dependent on how the priorities stand in our warehouse at that time.”
6. Don’t be afraid to advise if a story is not right for your publication
“Always respond to emails, even if it’s just to politely decline. We understand not all pitches are relevant but we appreciate a response so we know not to follow up.”
“If we pitch a story that you just aren’t in to, tell us rather than leaving us hanging for weeks on end!”
7. Be open to working together
"PR and media have a love/hate relationship. We both need each other, so why not treat each other with respect."
“[The role between] media and PR is 24/7. Credibility is earned and a partnership [is] built with the delivery of relevant information for content generation. We can help you think outside the box and create ‘click bait’ to ensure your site is driving strong readership numbers for your publisher. We understand acquisition and retention and know it is a two-way street.”
"We are PR - not advertising. At some point not everything can be paid for and 'sponsored', there still has to be value in editorial for us."
8. Show gratitude
“It is always a pleasure to receive a handwritten note, personal call or email when you have been a guest at a brand event or on the receiving end of a substantial product send out which you loved.”
9. Provide the correct information
"Check with us first. We’re always happy to provide information, contact details or give a quote, our phones are always switched on."
“Always list the correct stockist details for the product so Australian readers can access it. We do have instances quite often where they either aren't listed at all or only the overseas brand website is listed. Readers are then left to Google instead, often taking them to powerful international websites to shop at rather than keeping them within our market.”
10. Full disclosure
“An overview or framework of what stories are coming up over the following six months would be very helpful.”
“It would be great if journalists could add their address details to the bottom of their emails. Not the PO Box but a street for deliveries.”
11. Be realistic with deadlines
“If you need something ‘now’, a PR will go to the end of the earth to get you what you want (pics, prices, product). If your deadline is actually not ‘now’ but in a few days time, be realistic with the timings.”
12. Don’t sell product you have been given by a brand or PR
"Do not sell your gifted beauty products on eBay, Gumtree etc. Samples for a number of brands are few and far between - regardless of availability, each has a cost and this comes out of our budget. If you do not think you will use the product, do not request it."
“Product is expensive, particularly with smaller, boutique clients. Only request product you actually intend to shoot. If you love a particular something, we are more than happy to organise a gift for you, however, if you have no interest, we’d much prefer to receive it back rather than it be gifted to your friends/sold on eBay/thrown to the back of the beauty cupboard only to expire/etc.”
13. Assist in the media monitoring process
“It would be great if journalists could mention which publications a product request is for and which issue so we can diarise it. Also sending a PDF of the editorial would be simply heaven!”
“We love it when journos let us know the run date of a story so we can ensure we monitor it. Media monitoring is not 100 per cent reliable. We love it when journos give us a publishing date, and even better when they send you the link or the story (we know this isn’t always possible, but a bonus when it comes through).”
14. Make briefs as clear as possible
“There are so many products on the market, we want to ensure we’re hitting the mark rather than sending way more product than necessary.”
15. Avoid begging
“Don’t be greedy – we don’t like it when media ‘beg’ for product or stories or experiences [e.g. events]. If a PR is good at their job, they would have already sought out the media in question to determine their suitability for the brand they’re promoting.”
Image: Instagram.com/JasmineDowling
