Good manners equal good public relations

In the field of public relations, there is a basic element that is often overlooked and given far too little importance, but when applied correctly it can give a solid foundation for success in dealing with the media. That is, good manners.
Most successful PR agencies are made up of gracious and good mannered personnel. They do not compromise their decorum even if it’s hot and sweaty under the collar. While the sole intention is to achieve their media target they do not blame or make excuses about their shortcomings. In short, they inspire confidence and trust. The businesses they lead are empowered and success ensues.

A successful public relations agency knows that the first rule of easing human relations is possessing good manners. This is by far a better tool than a sexy PR Consultant or a laptop that can send a mass email in a jiffy. Good manners are respected as a public relations technology. Therefore no public relations technology will be successful if this piece of equipment is omitted.

PR Consultants, who return telephone calls of reporter’s promptly, acknowledge interview sessions or take the time to do basic research on the reporter’s work before inviting the person to meet a company spokesperson will earn respect and enhance their personal standing. This in turn will reflect the company’s image.

In dealing with members of the press, you – the client - must hold hands with your PR Consultant – and do it professionally with common courtesy. This approach is more likely to attain better results that are reputation enhancing and help ensure the client will be asked to comment again in future.

In other words, if you want a PR agency to represent your company name or brand, ask yourself this question: Who is representing the PR agency? It matters and here’s why: A magazine reporter who used to give tonnes of coverage to a PR agency was shocked and dismayed that he was quickly forgotten by the PR Consultants of one agency after he resigned. This he discovered when by chance he met and greeted one of the PR executives in a public place. The PR executive could not even recognise the person nor remember his name. It was not long when the reporter when back to his old job and you can guess it, he chose to give the PR agency a voluntary media blackout. This time around, however, he was not a reporter. He had been promoted to editor. Needless to say, the kind of power he now wields.

In the case of another story, a PR Consultant had to break a fight between the client and a journalist due to a misunderstanding. The client chose to ignore the PR Consultant and threatened the journalist with a complaint against him knowing full well it could afford to do so due to the advertising dollar it was pumping into the publication. In a move that surprised the client, the PR Consultant chose to defend the journalist and strongly advised the client to back off. Reason? Crude as this may sound, clients come a dime a dozen while journalists are precious contacts the PR consultant wants to keep long term because when the client-PR contract is over, the PR Consultant can always look for a new business. But to create friction with a journalist means losing contact unless that person is willing to commit seppuku.

Regardless of the term, “professional” it is necessary to bear in mind that people who are dubbed “members of the press” are like you - human beings. They expect to be treated as fellow sapiens. How many PR Consultants do you honestly think recognised or remember the previous article of a journalist to make them want to contact them and pitch a related story? It’s a numbers game is it? Journalists, like customers, want to be dealt with professionally and afforded common courtesy. If the PR Consultant can remember the journalist’s name, hobby and favourite song, you can also expect the journalist to have total mind recall of your PR Consultant and your brand name.


Khaled Talib, Managing Director, Newsline Communications