Steve Bennett - Media Mentor - Media training, media coaching, and strategic messaging

Media training for executives of technology and science companies

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Media Musing #1

by Steve Bennett

We all know the old "message in a bottle" motif from books, TV shows, and movies: sailor survives shipwreck and washes up on deserted island; stuffs message in bottle; floats bottle out to sea; then waits for someone to rescue him. His effort, of course, is symbolic — the odds of someone's finding his plea for help, let alone locating the remote island, are astronomically small. In literature and the cinema, such low odds don't matter; in the world of corporate communications, getting your messages delivered and heard is the only thing that counts.

Unfortunately, many companies today follow the venerable "shipwrecked sailor model" when they deal with the media. In essence, they float a bottle filled with vague or convoluted messages that have little chance of leading journalists or editors anywhere. Some companies don't prepare message points at all for media engagements — they just assume it suffices to tell their story and see what, if anything, washes ashore. Often, little or nothing worthwhile does.

Why do companies so often miss the messaging boat? Based on my experience as a corporate media trainer, I believe two types of thinking are the major culprits:

1. That's Not My Department's Message. A lack of consensus is one of the biggest impediments to developing company-wide messaging. "We don't have any messages yet, because we can't agree on which ones are the 'right' ones," is a common lament, especially in organizations plagued by turf wars or the show-stopping "Not Invented Here" syndrome.

A variation on this theme is that separate divisions or departments may have their own proprietary message points and act as independent fiefs when dealing with journalists and editors. At best, this leads to inconsistent messaging; at worst, it results in confusion on the part of the media.

2. Let's Give 'em the Works. Many companies, especially those engaged in complex technological pursuits, assume that journalists and editors need — and want — to know all there is to know about their products and services, and that the message is … everything! Spokespeople for these companies often overwhelm interviewers with a "core dump," leaving it up to the journalists to figure out what's important. This often frustrates members of the media and diminishes a company's chances of getting its most important points into print.

How can you avoid these messaging pitfalls? I strongly recommend that you sit down with your colleagues and PR experts, call a truce on turf wars, and hammer out the most important ideas that you want to convey to the media. As you brainstorm, keep in mind that good messaging includes a few succinct points that can be delivered as sound bites. Good messaging also:

Strategically positions your company within its market segment.
Paints a cohesive picture of your company's main strengths, capabilities, and competitive advantages (without sales hype, which the media tunes out).
Captures your unique value propositions (again, without sales hype).
Provides an instant snapshot of what your company stands for and where it's headed in the future.

As you learn the art and science of messaging, your spokespeople will be able to more effectively navigate their way through oceans of media interviews. And they should find it clear sailing ahead.

Steve Bennett is a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based media trainer who specializes in helping spokespeople of technology and science companies deliver effective strategic messages to: the trade, business, and consumer media; analysts; stakeholders; and the public. You can reach him at steve@mediamentor.com or by calling 617-492-0442.