Public Relations: Lessons from an election by Harry Zlokower

Harry Zlokower, Zlokower Company

If there was one lesson we can learn from our recent election, it is the sheer power of media, not journalist commentary, not candidate declarations, not even advertising, simply print, broadcast and online media which kept millions of Americans occupied from morning till bedtime. “The medium,” wrote Marshall McLuhan in 1964, “is the message.”

Whether you are promoting yourself or company, setting the record straight or forced to defend your reputation as a good landlord or honest broker, here are three good rules to follow in the event the media might one day be on your doorstep.

1. When something positive and newsworthy occurs, run with it. If you are a buyer, seller or broker in a commercial transaction, be assured at least one major publication is going to learn about it and publish an account you may not agree with or which does not give you proper credit. Prevent by preparing a news release with all parties’ approval and delivering it to the media by the time of closing or sooner before the publication publishes their own possibly erroneous version.

2. Deal with problems immediately before they fester and take on a media life of their own. Violations and lawsuits are fodder for media stories, so if you anticipate such an event  occurring,  discuss with your lawyer and PR person to  resolve the situation and what to  say, if anything, should the media contact you. Do not procrastinate and besmirch your reputation.  If the press is on the story, clarify any misunderstandings.

3. Stay on message. How many times did we hear that during the election? Determine   what you want the market to think about you, whether you are commenting on trends, interviewing for a profile, or making an announcement about a deal you completed or an expansion of your firm. 

Harry Zlokower is president of Zlokower Company Public Relations, New York, N.Y.