Social media and online news have made the possibility of a story going viral (when it’s picked up quickly by dozens, or sometimes hundreds, of sources) greater than ever before. However, you will never know you have a viral story until after it’s, well, gone viral.
We always say we love to give our clients media fatigue, but we also need to be respectful of their other responsibilities. If your client’s story ever does go viral, these three things can help you and your client effectively navigate the media storm.
Intercept all media correspondence. It’s very exciting at first to be receiving calls from outlets around the country – or world – but it will get overwhelming fast. You have to remember that your client has a job to do and can’t stop everything to field interviews all day. Instruct your client to stop answering calls from unknown numbers and forward voicemails and emails to you. This allows the PR team to be the middle men – finding times that work for both parties, determining which outlets will be granted interviews and even answering some questions on the client’s behalf.
Establish key messages…immediately. If you didn’t do this before the news broke, then the second you notice a story involving your client gaining traction in the media, get going. When multiple interviews are scheduled in rapid succession, it’s easy to forget something or get your facts jumbled A list of key messages will allow your client to feel fully prepared for each interview. The messaging could help you, as well. As more and more interview requests come rolling in, eventually you’ll need to get particular about which ones you send your client’s way. If you’re well versed in the messaging, you can, in many cases, answer reporters’ questions without having them speak to your client.
Track the coverage. This one may seem obvious, but it’s more than just recording who picked up the story. Like a game of telephone, it’s easy for the story to change as more and more people pick it up. A lot of this may be out of your control, but it’s your job to correct the media if they get factual information wrong. In addition, if any outlets start publishing negative stories, you can prepare your client with a response in case it comes up in an interview. There could be hundreds of stories being written, and your client won’t be able to read them all, so it’s up to you to monitor the pulse of the media.
Have you ever had a client’s story go viral? If so, what other tips would you provide?