Letters pages
16/01/06 12:58 While
I was media training...
An interesting point came up at a briefing I held
last week. The client had been effectively villified
in the letters pages of a well-known newspaper by a
customer. The customer, a known letter-writer, had
been with the client for many years but had decided
to have a go in the press. What, they wanted to know,
should they do?
It was a good question and I freely admit, not one I'd come across before. My main experience has been in training people to deal with journalists, not engage in mortal combat across the letters pages of the Nationals. My suggestion was to talk to the customer and assume the old adage about something being last week's news and therefore this week's chip wrappings would hold good. The alternative is to conduct your private business in public.
It was one of those sessions, though, that I really enjoyed because it made me think beyond my usual role as well as making my client do the same. I hope there'll be many more of those...
It was a good question and I freely admit, not one I'd come across before. My main experience has been in training people to deal with journalists, not engage in mortal combat across the letters pages of the Nationals. My suggestion was to talk to the customer and assume the old adage about something being last week's news and therefore this week's chip wrappings would hold good. The alternative is to conduct your private business in public.
It was one of those sessions, though, that I really enjoyed because it made me think beyond my usual role as well as making my client do the same. I hope there'll be many more of those...
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