How to Stay on Message with the Media

Posted on August 25, 2015 by Mark Macias

By Mark Macias

Politicians are notorious for not answering the question. Journalists ask the yes or no question, and they scramble to another topic instead of staying on the message. Here’s how it came across recently when an MSNBC reporter asked candidate Scott Walker a simple yes or no answer.

KASIE HUNT: Do you think that birthright citizenship should be ended?

SCOTT WALKER: Well, like I said, Harry Reid said it’s not right for this country — I think that’s something we should, yeah, absolutely, going forward-

HUNT: We should end birthright citizenship?

WALKER: Yeah, to me it’s about enforcing the laws in this country. And I’ve been very clear, I think you enforce the laws, and I think it’s important to send a message that we’re going to enforce the laws, no matter how people come here we’re going to enforce the laws in this country.

HUNT: And you should deport the children of people who are illegal immigrants?

WALKER: I didn’t say that — I said you have to enforce the law, which to me is focusing on E-Verify.

The Importance of Staying on Message

I work with many tech startup entrepreneurs who are typically less media savvy. Their delivery frequently works to their advantage because they are authentic, but this isn’t politics. If you’re trying to promote your business or service through the media and you have a reporter listening to you, it’s important to stay on message and to continually sell your services.

Don’t learn the hard way. A video client recently told me that she was interviewed by NPR, which is a national news organization that reaches influential and educated listeners. She told me a reporter spent two different days on the phone with her but she wasn’t mentioned in the story. She asked me what she could have done differently.

I wasn’t listening to that interview, but if a reporter calls you twice – he or she is rooting for you. They want you to give them the context or sound that they need for their story. Journalists are inherently self-interested, which isn’t a negative stereotype in this situation. When it comes to writing their story, they need to be self-interested or every other person will influence the direction of their message.

Media Advice for Interviews

This is why it’s so important to stay on message during an interview with the media. You have little time to persuade this journalist that you belong in his story, so measure that time well. Don’t spend 15-minutes giving background on facts if the reporter didn’t ask for that. Facts don’t sell the story. Context sells your story. Perspective brings commentary and color to any story. Reporters want color and context because color brings a story alive and context makes it relevant.

Remember that the next time you get a chance to sell your tech or business story to the media. Stay on message, the clock is ticking.

Macias PR was named the 2015 “PR Consultant Firm of the Year – USA” by Finance Monthly. The firm was founded by Mark Macias – a former Executive Producer with NBC and Senior Producer with CBS in New York. Macias is a weekly contributor with CNBC.com and author of the communications book, Beat the Press: Your Guide to Managing the Media, which has been featured in the NY Times, Fox Business, NY Post and others. Macias PR has run media campaigns for tech startups, financial groups, service providers, nonprofits and politicians.

Case Study on Mobile App PR

Posted on August 25, 2015 by Mark Macias

By Mark Macias

It’s difficult for all mobile app developers to stand out – unless you have the media behind you.

Our passionate team is proud to say our new mobile app, Blush No More, is the fastest growing communications app on the app stores, according to statistics from Mobincube.

And that growth came without any advertisements. Our entire user acquisition campaign was driven by organic news coverage with the tech, national and international media led by Macias PR.

The Daily Mail in the UK called Blush No More the “ultimate dinner party app – able to feed you a conversation starter at just the right time.”

Yahoo News said the “App ‘Blush No More’ Helps Keep the Conversation Rolling.’”

Channel 11 in New York City aired a 4-minute story on the mobile app, saying it suggests “perfect ice breakers to keep the conversation going.”

Channel 11 also tracked down a Blush No More user and asked him what he thought of theapp. Here’s what Iwan Lubberts from Holland told their reporter on TV:

“It really makes you feel like a local. If you look up the lines, they are pretty American. It’s helping me out to understand American people and how to deal with American people in language,” Lubberts said.

That Channel 11 video on Blush No More went viral within hours and was picked up by AOL, spreading the word around the world. Since then, other news publications have run stories on how this is a genius idea that everyone can use.

Yahoo China, AOL News, Yahoo News, GQ Italy and Metro Global newspapers all wrote glowing, positive stories about Blush No More and how it can help consumers.

LovethatMag – a popular US online publication that covers the latest trends, wrote this review: “If you’re someone that tends to find yourself not knowing what to say amidst an awkward silence, then new app ‘Blush No More’ could be your one stop shop for ice breakers, and a whole lot more.”

That is publicity and endorsements that no ad can buy.

How the Media Drives App Downloads

Blush No More has seen exponential growth in downloads following this international and online media exposure. The percentage of downloads has grown more than 1300 percent following just 3 days of media exposure. It maintained that momentum throughout July and August 2015, becoming the fastest growing mobile communications app, according to its publisher, Mobincube.

So the next time you’re looking at your app analytics, wrinkling your forehead, wondering what can you do to make your tech startup stand out – take the initiative and reach out to Macias PR. If the green box at the bottom of your screen shows we are online, ask for Mark and I’ll give you a media strategy after learning more about your app.

How to Sell Your Story to the Media

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Mark Macias

By Mark Macias

Identifying a great narrative is the most important element behind any successful media campaign, but selling your story to the media can’t be overlooked.

You can have the best idea, but if you sell it the wrong way, your story will never be pitched in any morning news meeting. More relevant, you typically only get one chance to make a first impression in business, and in journalism, it lasts only a few seconds.

During my time as an Executive Producer with NBC and Senior Producer with CBS in New York, tech startups, business owners and publicists pitched me all kinds of stories on topics ranging from consumer tech to medical, health to features.

At the same time, I had to pitch stories on a daily basis to a room full of jaded, experienced journalists who had heard every news idea possible. It’s very hard to reinvent the wheel or spin a square idea with that group.

So how do you sell a story idea to journalists?

Don’t try to tell any reporter that this is a great story, or revolutionary or why everyone loves your product or service. They will read right through it. Instead, take an objective approach and back it up with words that aren’t opinionated.

For example, take a look at that truck in the photo above. It has a story just like you and I have a story to tell. What has that truck seen, or why is it still running years after others have failed? How did it accumulate that rust? What are the stories that took place inside of that truck? Any scandalous cross-country ventures that took place inside the cabin?

That is how you sell a story to the media. And please, don’t use those words or phrases that are on the left box. Every journalist hears those phrases several times a day, so that is the quickest way to get your story rejected before it is even pitched.

Macias PR was named the 2015 top “PR Consultant Firm of the Year – USA” by Finance Monthly. The firm was founded by Mark Macias – a former Executive Producer with NBC and Senior Producer with CBS in New York. Macias is a weekly contributor with CNBC.com and author of the communications book, Beat the Press: Your Guide to Managing the Media, which has been featured in the NY Times, Fox Business, NY Post and others. Macias PR has run media campaigns for tech startups, financial groups, service providers, nonprofits and politicians.