‘PR isn’t rocket science, but it is’

Newly appointed Chinese Health Minister, Chen Zhu, whilst concluding his media debut last week received a rare round of applause from the assembled journalists. Lauded as being part of a new generation of media-savvy Chinese leaders, the minister has received praise that includes his avoidance of using ‘no comment’. Instead, questions were met with a warm smile and a gentle persona.

For a journalist looking for a story, not necessarily a negative one, there is nothing more frustrating than hearing a ‘no comment’. For PR folks, it is equally disappointing when opportune moments present themselves for key messages to be delivered – only for them to be wasted. ‘Was not available for comment’ changes a story with the potential to be positive into one that leaves the negative image of a tall well-dressed faceless man, when confronted by a reporter armed with a voice recorder, swiftly making a bee-line for the revolving-door.

In fact, the voice recorder should be seen as an opportunity rather than a threat. I would bet that the faceless man’s external relations department knows this too. They will know, as PR professionals and experts in communications, that ‘no comment’ for the reader is akin to guilty as charged; the reader being led into believing there is something being hidden – when in fact, there isn’t. Even if there is, it’s up to the PR people to make sure that’s not the message in the newspapers the following day.

Common sense should prevail; common sense tells us that the faceless man won’t make a bee-line for the revolving door because he also knows what could appear the next day. He should, at least, ask them to contact the external relations department for a comment, as that is what the PR people have told him to do if this scenario was to arise. However the fact remains, he still makes that bee-line and declines to discuss anything.

Perhaps the reason for this is because, after all, the problem with common sense is that it isn’t too common. So the question is how to minimize the risk of your carefully articulated communications strategy from going down in smoke; there are no blemishes in this line of work where one mistake is often a disaster.

You need to get it right, and others not directly involved as members of the PR team, also need to get it right. For a successful PR department to do what everyone knows it should and can do, communication within the whole organization is paramount. From the CEO down, everyone identified as a possible media target (another discussion point) should be in the loop – and realise the importance of what’s being said in the loop. They need to be updated of new developments and be aware of how these developments might impact their day – particularly when they are making there way out of the office through the seamlessly empty lobby of their office building.

Although it sounds simple enough, in reality making sure this happens smoothly is a tough job and one that needs doing well and by the right people. After all, doing the easy things well is often the most difficult. I once heard: ‘PR isn’t rocket science, but it is’. Too true.