When hot-button issues arise in the media, should your company offer to comment? While we don’t advise taking political sides, if your spokesperson has relevant non-partisan industry insight, advice or analysis to offer, it can be a great opportunity for timely though leadership opportunities.
The agency has been working with client Pace Harmon, a business transformation and outsourcing advisory firm, to provide input for articles surrounding impacts of President-elect and now President Trump’s tech and outsourcing-related policies and Executive Orders. The strategies for leveraging mainstream news stories, however, can be applied universally.
- Follow the story. You or your spokesperson can’t be a valuable resource or expert on an issue if you haven’t read the latest documents and/or articles about the topic.
- When reading these stories, take note of the reporter and editor names that are covering the issue. Often times, if the story is big enough – as it has been lately – new reporters will be assigned the beat, often providing more opportunities for education and basic insights on the topic.
- Make yourself available but agree how far you want to take the opportunity. Timing is everything but time is also precious. Talk to your spokesperson about availability, frequency and priorities for interview opportunities. It can be 24×7 but it also can be managed.
- Be concise and non-partisan. No matter which side of an issue you or your spokesperson is on, recognize you both are representing the company as whole.