This morning, Baltimore awoke enveloped in the panic-inducing bear hug of snow. Our local reporters were up way before the crack of dawn (WBAL-TV went live with its snow show at 4:30 a.m.) to bring us various tales of snow-related horror – unplowed streets, downed electric wires, abandoned cars, school closings and so on and so on.
With all of this media coverage, you’d almost think there’s nothing else going on in Baltimore. And, honestly, there probably isn’t.
In the PR world, an event like a snowstorm is enough to bring our activities to a grinding halt. Much of what we do depends on media coverage and the ability to generate buzz and conversations via the media and social networks. And, on a day like today, if you don’t have something to say about the snow, no one really cares what story you have to share.
So, what is one to do when a major story steals the spotlight and derails any attempts at media coverage and PR buzz?
- Look for an opportunity. If everyone wants to talk about the snow, figure out how you can add your brand to the conversation. If you’re an organization that works with children, offer tips on fun and/or educational things to do when school is closed. If you’re work is in the home improvement field, provide advice on making due without electricity or protecting your home against snow. If you’re a personal trainer, talk about how to get a good workout while shoveling or how to recuperate properly.
- Back off and be flexible. Things like this happen. If it’s winter in Baltimore, it’s a pretty good bet that there’s going to be snow; and if that snow is anything more than 2 or 3 inches, it’s going to dominate the news. So, don’t bother spinning your wheels trying to get someone to notice your story. Figure out a back-up plan (or better yet, be prepared with one in advance), and get ready to strike the moment the hot story cools down.
- Stay up on the news. It’s a known fact that the media hates being pitched “fluff” when they’re working on something big. So, don’t be that person who calls with a pitch in the midst of a new-dominating event. While it’s hard to miss a snowstorm, other events might be less obvious, so stay up on what’s going down by following media outlets’ websites and, probably more importantly, outlets’ and reporters’ Twitter feeds. Keeping on top of those can normally give you an indication if news is in the process of breaking.
With any luck, this snowstorm will fade into our memories by tomorrow (wishful thinking?), and we can all get back to our normal lives. At least, until the next snowpocalypse hits.
