Article written by Lisa Clift

Become a Credible Source. The best way to receive free press coverage is to become a sought-after, quotable source.  Why? Because when you have something insightful to say—and you are not afraid to stand behind your words—you build a reputation as an expert within the markets your company serves.

During two tenures as a chief editor over two decades, I have found that the most engaging interview subjects for trend-based articles and columns are those who have enough industry-specific insight and confidence to talk both on and off the record without using PR and marketing scripts. Also, their conversations flow without awkward pauses and the repetitive use of words such as “like,” “well,” and “you know.”  Here are the top three things you can do to develop your reputation as a knowledgeable contributor to trade media outlets.

No. 1: Know Your Industry. Intelligent business people, just like smart editors, get out into the market and continuously learn, track happenings such as mergers and acquisitions, and look at economics outside of their business areas. They are inquisitive, connect with other industry executives, and are good at identifying patterns that foretell future trends. Editors are professionally trained to do this, and when they spot industry leaders that have the innate gift of seeing the big picture too, they are drawn to them as sources. It’s the Law of Attraction in action.

One of the best ways to get to know an industry and its key players is to attend events including trade shows, conferences, and industry summits. They cost money, but the intangible returns in terms of heightened visibility and opportunities to learn what’s happening in your business world are worth every penny. And, as discussed in Part One of this article, you need face-to-face events to make contact with the trade press and start building a rapport.

Moreover, if you really want to get the most out of events, become a speaker. If it is intimidating, start out by participating on panel discussions and then work your way up to bigger presentations. Not only are you likely to get press coverage for the event at which you are speaking, you will be at the front of the interview list when an editor knows that you are knowledgeable enough on a particular subject to discuss it in public. Whenever I was planning an article on a specific topic, I would review the agendas of recent and upcoming industry events and identify speakers to call for interviews. And many times during the course of a subject-based interview I would learn interesting information about that individual’s business that would prompt additional coverage in future issues, and it might even lead to a company profile.

No. 2: Share insider information. Most trade media outlets are not looking to develop reputations like tabloids. They are in place to educate and report on industries, not see how far they can push the limits of liable law. Objective news reporting is a keystone of any good publication and, honestly, I’ve never met a trade editor who purposely intended to slander a company in print. So have some faith and develop a relationship with at least one editor you believe is going to respect your confidentiality. In return, it’s likely that individual will look out for your best interests in the press by notifying you of editorial opportunities or giving you the inside scoop on things before an upcoming article’s publication date.

Good chief editors understand the concept of off-the-record information and use it wisely to make informed decisions about which stories to pursue and the angle(s) to take on a particular subject. If you told me something was for my knowledge only, it was off the record. I knew that if I breached a source’s trust I would lose his or her confidence and word would get around the industry that I could not be trusted. Many times, for example, close confidential sources would steer me away from covering companies if they were aware of potential trouble behind the scenes. I worked in industries where most of the firms were privately held, and it was difficult to dig up accurate financial information. However, there were a lot of closed roundtable networking groups, and people often would tip me off if I should avoid a particular company that was in financial or legal trouble.

No. 3: Avoid Canned Commentary. Do you remember the old commercial “Is it live or is it Memorex?” If so, think about it when you agree to an interview. You will be wasting your energy if you start playing back a tape that the sales and marketing department downloaded into your brain. Canned responses end up in the editorial trashcan because they lead to boring discussions about your company’s products rather than lively talk about the topic at hand. (I’ve had to throw many tapes in the garbage after coming away with nothing but marketing fluff.)  If you know a subject, you are going to be passionate about it, and it will come through positively in an interview. If you are nervous and fearful of saying anything significant, don’t bother.

In preparation for an interview, it is fine to ask for a list of questions beforehand. However, it is not acceptable to ask for the opportunity to review an article before publication. You shouldn’t give an interview to a publication if you do not trust the capabilities of the editorial staff. If you step over the line by demanding to see something before publication, a credible media outlet usually will cut your material from the story.

I also know it’s easy for an editor to say “trust me” and not take that obligation seriously or quote something out of context. For that reason, I suggest you do a little research before agreeing to an interview, especially if it is regarding a controversial subject. Find out who will be writing the story, read other stories that the editor has authored, and then call some of the people who were quoted in those stories. Ask them how the writer conducted the interviews, find out if any mistakes were made, and determine how impressed these people were with the final stories. Finally, the sign of a careful editor is someone who calls back to clarify quotes and ask follow-up questions. If you feel that an editor might have been unsure about something you said, trust your instincts and contact him or her to see if there is anything from the interview that you can clarify because it’s much better to be proactive than reactive.