Posted: Dec 22, 2009

If there's one thing that we all wish we had more of, it would most likely be time. The to-do list gets longer as our days seem to get shorter. So when we have such a limited amount of a time, who doesn't want the assurance that the time spent on a given project will bear maximum results?

Consider a media interview. Admittedly, volunteering to participate in 30-minute interviews with reporters or writing a 1,500-word byline can seem like a large amount of upfront effort with an unpredictable result. After all, no one can give you a 100 percent guarantee that a reporter will ultimately include your quotes or that the editor won't cut your byline altogether. But what we, as communications professionals, can promise is that your effort is not for naught. One hour of preparation and a couple of hours writing a byline (or working with Allison & Partners who will help write the byline on your behalf) can mean added credibility among your peers, clients and prospects, and recognition in your area of expertise. With just one interview, you can:

• Build credibility and brand recognition -- Media hits are fundamental marketing materials that can help you and your company expand brand awareness and audience reach. It's one thing to say you're an expert, but it's a whole other thing for your peers and target audiences to read your expertise in the morning paper. Your internal communications and marketing team can take that 20-minute interview and the resulting article and use it to illustrate your – and your company's – expertise in a given area to your colleagues, current and prospective clients and peers.
  

• Speak out and explore conferences and panel opportunities – Conference organizers across industries are always looking for fresh points-of-view and emerging experts. Media clips showcasing your work, expertise and audience reach can help enhance your panel submissions and requests. In some case, the media hits themselves will bring to light a lesser-known topic that could be developed into a full-blown roundtable discussion.
  
  
• One leads to two, leads to… --    While they may be reluctant to admit it, industry reporters read each other's work. In order to say informed and up-to-date, reporters are constantly looking at what their fellow beat reporters are writing and who are their go-to sources. (Case in point, we frequently field calls from reporters who "noticed" Tom Smith's comments in, say, the Washington Business Journal and wanted to speak with him for a Washington Post story.) One or two solid interviews with key media can really cement you in a reporter's Rolodex and subsequently help lift the profile of you and your company.
  

Again, there's no sure thing when it comes to media interviews.  But like any relationship, a ten-minute conversation can come in handy and prove worthwhile. Once you get that hit and have the contact, leveraging it to the right places and people will help maximize the time spent. While we could all use another hour or two in our days, there's no reason why we can't get the most out of the ones we've got.

All the best-

Your Allison & Partners team
Sonia Taylor, Karyn Barr and Shannon Mitchell
202-223-9260
wmacca@allisonpr.com