1. Launch the press office if it is new to the organisation! Let people know who you are and what you can do

 

2. Teach people to be a newshound-led organisation – every trading day you make news – be prepared to harness it

 

3. Be the journalist in their midst – behave like one, be hungry, but be mindful of the corporate messaging – you need to get the right headlines at the right time

 

4. Handle stories professionally and well. Always get sign off from a senior manager.

 

5. Be passionate about process – it needs to be quick and easy to mine information and easy to track success

 

6. Court your early adopters and get good newslines out to build confidence

 

7. Be prepared to explain about how media works, what they want and how to give it to them

 

8. Circulate press coverage – as you get it, then in frequent bound or portal format. Make sure it’s a book building in size

 

9. Report back on the kind of coverage, where it’s coming from and results from it – leads driven, business converted

 

10. Impress upon budget holders how coverage helps build a positive culture of endorsement and knowledge around a business, sound business sense and  essential for quick recovery when a crisis hits

your reputation is our business