Truly, it’s best if your audience can understand you

If you are trying to reach your clients or potential clients, you need to discover which publications your clients and potential clients are likely to read and which radio and television programs they are likely to listen to. Then you need to find out which of the journalists working in these media outlets regularly write stories on topics you can talk about. Read, watch, listen and learn all you can about these journalists so that you can provide them with interesting comment for their stories.

Breaking news, great stories, scoops, angles, exclusives. What’s a scoop? A story no-one else has written before. What’s an angle? A different perspective on a story that may already have been told. What’s an exclusive? When you agree to talk to only one media outlet for a particular story – you’ll see lots of examples of exclusives in gossip magazines. By-the-way, it’s okay to send your media release out to every journalist you know, but if a journalist calls you for comment on a story they are writing, don’t pick up the phone and call another journalist and talk about the exact same thing, in the exact same way, on the exact same day. Journalists have competitors too.

Journalists are hardworking men and women working in a highly competitive, deadline-driven industry which is constantly metamorphosing. One of the most important things you need to know about how they work today is that often they are writing news as it happens. Some online news sites now have ‘Breaking News’, running stories every four to five minutes and sometimes even more frequently. Many of these stories are tagged, ‘more to come’ indicating that journalists are constantly working on and updating their stories. Journalists are therefore under constant pressure to get news ahead of their competitors and to get it right… every minute, of every working day.

Find out what topics the journalist writes about and only approach them if you can talk on those topics.

Choose evocative words, provide interesting facts, tell honest, compelling stories.

Journalists are always on deadline. If you can’t give a journalist what they need by deadline, say so. If you promise something, deliver. If you can’t deliver let them know.

Prepare your opinions and talking points – this will enable you to say what you really want to say. If you are nervous, practice expressing yourself in the mirror (contrary to popular belief, this does not mean you’re crazy!)

Journalists can spot a fake a mile away, so be as upfront and honest as possible. Unless you really can’t comment for legal or privacy reasons, avoid phrases like ‘no comment’ (they make you sound dodgy as). Bore your friends with your genuine, well thought out opinions at dinner parties – they’ll be delighted to tell you if you sound like an idiot.

If you develop good working relationships with journalists they are much more likely to make time to hear your story, especially when you have a genuine interest in contributing to hot topics and industry debate.

Some things to avoid when communicating with media include:

Of course there is no such thing when talking to a journalist! If you tell them that what you say is ‘off the record’, they probably won’t quote you, but they will start checking out the information you gave them. And before you start moaning about confidentiality, remember it’s a journalist’s job to be informed and distribute information. So bottom line - if you really don’t want what you have to say to get out – don’t say it!

Don’t talk about your competitors at all. Why would you? It’s not about them, it’s about you. Rubbishing your competitors is particularly bad form – and as a journalist will usually talk to them too, it will probably come back to bite you.

Resist the urge to ‘sell’ anything in an interview with a journalist. If you want to advertise your services, pick up the phone, call the sales team and pay for space. Articles and interviews are not advertisements, they are editorial – which translates to the opportunity for you to educate and inform the journalist’s audience.

64 Media’s Principal, Julie Bennett, is the daughter of a retired opera singer and (thanks to her Dad) began her working life as a child actress for Opera Australia in the newly opened Sydney Opera House. This experience gave her an up-close-and-personal understanding of stage presence and production which she carries through to her work in media today. After graduating with an Arts (Communications) degree and a Fairfax Newspaper Award for feature writing in the late 1990s, Julie spent 10 years working in media, first as a program manager creating corporate videos and then as a journalist, editor and managing editor across a range of consumer and finance publications. Julie spent two years working for Australian media personality David Koch as the inaugural editor of Wealth. She is also a former Managing Editor of a suite of financial services publications, including Money Management, Super Review and Financial Planning magazine. Today, Julie operates 64 Media, a boutique public relations and media training business specialising in financial services. Julie is also a director of 64 Media's sister business, Generation Publishing, which provides writing, editorial and publishing services.

Bruce Gingell is General Manager at 64 Media, providing technical and administrative direction. Bruce has worked in the financial services industry for over 35 years, and was a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) for over 20 years, providing financial advice to hundreds of individuals and building relationships with many professionals and corporates. Bruce has extensive knowledge of current business issues relating to the financial services industry. His experience and knowledge of financial services and specifically financial planning have been sought after by both the industry press and higher education providers. He regularly writes material for financial planners and other financial services professionals and is also a director of Generation Publishing.

From the moment you decide to work with 64 Media – and perhaps even before that decision has been made – you will meet Georgina Thompson. Georgina is 64 Media’s Account Coordinator and the face of Media Movements – a monthly vodcast following the careers of media professionals in the financial services industry. Georgina’s passion for financial services public relations began in 2012, when she worked on contract for Perpetual Private, one of Australia’s largest corporate wealth managers. She enhanced her understanding of public relations while working as a corporate intern with Buchan Consulting where she provided direct assistance to account managers. Today, Georgina is responsible for drafting, distributing and monitoring media-ready material on behalf of our clients. She is also largely responsible for the organisation and management of 64 Media client events. Georgina holds a Bachelor of Communication, major in Public Relations, from the University of Newcastle.

The Value Alliance brings together 64 Media and Pritchitt Partners, two specialist communications businesses in the financial services industry, allowing them to pool experience and resources to work together on major accounts. The principals and staff of The Value Alliance have extensive expertise in financial services. Our people are in daily contact with financial services media and the broader investment media and can help create opportunities for clients because of these strong relationships.

AdviceInnovation is a select group of innovators who have developed great new innovative and practical applications and services that financial advisers can use in their businesses to add value to their clients and their businesses.

• How do I get the attention of the media?
• How can I get a journalist to write a story about my business?
• Is there such a thing as 'off the record'?
• If I don't want to answer a journalist's questions, can I say 'no comment'?
• Can I ask a journalist to see what they write about my business before they publish or broadcast the story?
• Can I ask a journalist not to interview my competitor?

1. Understand the role of the finance media and its value as a public relations tool   

2. Identify the media most relevant to you and how they operate

3. Develop key messages

4. Build techniques to convey your key messages during media interviews

5. Understand the do's and don'ts of dealing with the media