This question was asked by Kathryn Barry of KB Communications to about 30 business owners and their representatives who attended the public relations/media workshop hosted by the Saipan Chamber of Commerce in Garapan on Tuesday.
Barry, who conducted the workshop with Maureen Maratita, publisher of the Glimpses of Guam and Marianas Business Journal, told the workshop participants to start writing press releases and create a rapport with the media to better market their businesses.
The participants were given tips on how to write press releases, how to speak to the media, and how to be prepared for interviews.
Barry gave the participants pointers on what to do and how to deal with coverage that is not positive, how to cultivate media relationships and how think about the “PR effect.”
Maratita presented the “5Ws and 1H” of preparing an advisory and press releases which should include the importance of timing (when), contact numbers (who), and media list (where).
She said the workshop gave the participants an idea of the importance of the link between businesses and the media.
IT&E marketing associate/data manager Brad Ruszala, a former sports reporter, said he learned a lot from Barry during her time with IT&E.
“But I still walked away from Tuesday’s workshop with a number of techniques from Barry and Maratita that I’ve already implemented in my daily communication with our local media,” Ruszala said.
“As a journalist in my younger days, and later working in corporate automotive communications, I was interested in seeing how much would seem familiar and how much would be new perspectives from two successful women I know and have worked with in recent years,” Department of the Insular field representative Jeff Schorr told the Variety.
“You can always learn something new,” he added.
Tatiana Ilmova, owner of the newly opened Island Bath & Ceramics on Middle Road said she learned a lot from the workshop.
“I was so thankful for the insights the presenters gave us. It is helpful especially for new business operators like me,” Ilmova said.
