Mr. Luciani

Social Media & PR

Hotel Communications: Working With Journalists

By Doug Luciani, Chief Associate, PRofit from PR - Public Relations & Marketing

It's important to be media savvy in order to communicate your message. This applies to both good and bad news. Do you even know what constitutes a good news story? What about any bad press that may come your way? Are you prepared to handle it?

In the hospitality industry, there are numerous ways to work with the media. You can send out news releases to alert the media to new amenities or packages. You can host travel writers who will then include you in their stories. If your releases and hosting go well, writers may then follow up with you for an interview. This may all sound easy to deal with. But, take it from someone who has been a journalist and now works with them daily, the media can be finicky.

Let's start with sending your news to journalists. The first question you have to ask, is this really news? Just because it is important to you, doesn't mean it is news. If you are continually sending non-news or fluff to journalists, they will very quickly begin ignoring you and your information. That will make it tough to communicate real news when it does come along. One question you can ask yourself when sending something to the media, will their audience care? After all, that's what the journalist will be asking. Will my readers, viewers or listeners care? How does it impact them? Be sure to be honest with your answers and review it objectively.

Once you've determined you have news, the next step is to get it to the media. If you are going to draft and distribute a news release, it is important to be sure it is well written and contains all the facts. It is also important to go easy on the heavy sell, or as I call it, brochure language. Your news release shouldn't read like a brochure or sales kit. Journalists just want the facts. I also recommend writing a release in AP (Associated Press) format.

When sending out a release, be sure to get it to the right person at a publication. If you are using email, do not send it as an attachment, just cut and paste into your email text box. Also, it is important to know and respect a journalist's deadlines. If you miss their deadline, they don't get the story and you don't get the coverage. If you are dealing with magazines, be sure to know their lead time. Some magazines publish two, three, six months out. If you wait until December to send them a holiday package, you will have missed the opportunity for coverage.

If you are responsible for handling the media relations for your property or travel business, you've probably been contacted by travel writers seeking assistance with accommodations, meals or activities. Individual media visits are one of the best ways to introduce journalists to your business. This gives them an opportunity to truly experience a resort or attraction firsthand. When working with a writer, it is important to remember, they are not meeting planners, travel agents or tour operators. They do no respond well to a hard sales pitch. It is important they experience the resort as a guest would experience the property.

Having guidelines and an action plan in place for hosting a journalist will make their visit successful and put your property or business in a favorable light:

Dealing with the media also means talking to them and doing interviews. For many, this can seem daunting. When dealing with interviews, it is important to determine who on your team can actually do them. Others are not permitted to speak with the media or grant interviews unless they have been given prior approval from the appropriate manager. The purpose of this policy is to ensure your message remains consistent and clear on all issues.

Any team member being interviewed by a reporter for a story should only comment within the scope of their professional responsibilities. For example, if the story is on kids programs, the person being interviewed will comment only within the scope of their responsibilities as a member of the recreation team. They should not be answering questions about food and beverage issues, engineering, etc.

Also, when planning for an interview, it doesn't hurt to practice and prepare. Know the facts. And, if you do not know the answer, don't speculate or guess. It is OK to say I don't know. Then, if you can find the answer, do it.

Working with media can be a tremendous benefit to the marketing of your hotel or travel business. But, you have to respect the fact that a journalist is doing a job. Their job is to serve their audience, not you. Make sure you respect their deadlines, their audience and their efforts and you will find that the coverage that ensues will help you increase the exposure of your business and your bottom line.

Doug Luciani leads PRofit from PR, focusing on media relations, marketing communications, e-marketing strategies and media training. PRofit from PR's clients span the U.S. and feature technology, healthcare, security, real estate and corporate training. Mr.Luciani also serves as VP of PR for Dickinson & Associates, and Chief Communications Officer for Florida Vacation Auction. A graduate of the University of Florida, he is a member of the Florida Public Relations Association, the Public Relations Society of America and several regional business development organizations. Mr. Luciani can be contacted at 407-719-6102 or doug@profitfrompr.com Extended Bio...

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