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Program Follow-up from Jane Von Bergen

Hi everyone,
Thank you so much for putting up with me at this morning's conference. I really enjoyed meeting you. Of course, I figured out all the things I should have said as I was driving back to the office.

Point one: Please call me with your ideas and especially stories. When I say stories, I am thinking about an almost novelistic approach -- a hero, a struggle, a problem, something overcome, a tough moment. A good story is a good story, whether it is in a novel or a newspaper. Think of your ideas in that kind of concrete approach. How would you tell the story at a bar? (See contact info below)

Point two: If a reporter calls you and your company has a no-talking-to-reporter policy without a p.r. person, you can do the following for the reporter (or yourself), if you are so inclined:

1. Establish the ground rules. Make sure it is an off-the-record conversation and make sure the reporter agrees. Don't assume it.
2. If you are the right person who can help the reporter and you want to, you can direct the reporter to the p.r. office and tell the reporter to tell the p.r. people that you are willing/able to talk. Then you can follow up by calling your p.r. person and expressing your willingness.
3. If you are not the right person, but you know who would be, you can give the reporter a name and direct the reporter to the p.r. office. The reporter will probably try to call that person directly. You should tell the reporter whether it is OK or not to use your name in making the connection -- either with the other person or the p.r. office. Mostly, reporters want a name. They can handle the connection-making on their own, but knowing the right person is key.
4. If you are not the right person, but you know of a pertinent publically-filed document that provides important facts, such as a lawsuit or regulatory filing, you can send the reporter in the right direction, again without your name having anything to do with it -- even if your name is on the document. Remember, it is publically-filed, meaning it is available to anyone to see. It's not a secret and that takes the onus off an individual person. The reporter quotes the document, not you.

Point three: Your public relations person is a resource to us as well, so work with your p.r. person. There are a lot of p.r. people who are totally frustrated by their clients who want miracles in terms of free publicity, but then are completely unwilling and unprepared to do what is required to get it. They try to push their p.r. people in a way that offends the ethics of these communication professionals. A little spin goes with the territory, but most p.r. professionals draw the line when the little spin becomes a tornado whirl of well, you get the point.

Thanks again. It was really fun and I thought the coffee was quite good as well, which is unusual for these conferences. Keep in touch.

Regards,
Jane

Jane M. Von Bergen
Workplace/Business/Labor
The Philadelphia Inquirer
400 N. Broad St.
P.O. Box 7788
Philadelphia, PA 19101
215-854-2769,
215-854-5553 (fax)
jvonbergen@phillynews.com
Visit my Digging Out blog at http://go.philly.com/diggingout.