A quick guide to communicating with the media about CMI

Contents

1. Introduction

2. Whatdoesyourlocalmediawant?

3. Buildingrelationshipswithyourlocalmedia

4. Howtotalk(andwrite)aboutCMI a. Key messages b. Describing CMI and its work c. Press release boilerplate d. CMI facts and figures

5. Templatepressreleases a. Pre-event press release b. Post-event press release c. Chartered Manager d. Employer successes

6. Examplesofsuccess

7. Mediainterviewhintsandtips

8. Gettingstartedwithsocialmedia

9. WorkingwithyourlocalMP

10. Contactdetails

MikePetrookCMgrHeadofCommunications

Working with the media is a vital part of getting the message out there about the benefits of being part of CMI. In the last 12 months alone, the organisation generated 2,810 items of coverage – 127 national, 1,016 regional and 336 in the business and trade titles. This growing level of media awareness about CMI and the benefits of its membership helped increase membership by 5% over the last year.

At a local and regional level, media relations (and social media) can help you with everything from attracting new members to encouraging attendance at events and celebrating the achievements of local individual or member businesses. But it can often be time consuming, especially when balanced with other commitments, and it can be difficult to know where to start.

That’s why this media toolkit has been developed. Based on feedback from the Branch Networks, and discussed at the Branch Conference 2011, it aims to provide you with helpful advice and a suite of tools to help make media relations easier, and hopefully more effective. Not all elements of it might be useful to all people, but we’re hoping that everyone will take something from it that will help with their communications plans. We’d also welcome your feedback on anything else that might be of use to you, for future editions.

Best of luck with your media relations activity going forwards!

1. Introduction

2. What does your local media want?

a. Whatmakesagoodlocalstoryandhowtoboostyourchanceofsecuringcoverage

A good local story is one that features an individual, group or event that is directly relevant to the area that the paper covers. Having a truly local story is vital to securing media coverage – for example, a Newcastle newspaper will not cover an event in Gateshead unless there is a clear link to Newcastle, such as a well-known speaker from Newcastle speaking at the event. Ideally, it should include some kind of personal story or feature an event celebrating achievement in the local area or available to local residents. Examples of types of stories involving your work with CMI that would work well are:

• CMI-related events in your local area

• hitting a milestone in local members – for example 50 new members, or reaching 500 members in your area

• local managers who have been awarded Chartered Manager status

Once you have a story idea in mind, please check that it links in with the approach to media work that CMI’s central press office is taking – it needs to fit with CMI’s stance to ensure we are being consistent. You can discuss this with Mike Petrook (contact details on page 26) and get a copy of CMI’s areas for comment document – which details CMI’s views on key management issues – from him.

In order to boost your chances of securing coverage, before contacting your local media you should ensure you have the following:

• details about your story that answers the “what, when, where, why and how” criteria

• a drafted press release, including a quote from a local representative or a case study of a person involved in the

story if appropriate (some example press releases can be found in section 3)

• a digital photograph of an individual or small group involved in the story

• a spokesperson who is briefed on the story and willing and available to talk to the media about the story

Once you are armed with the relevant information, contact the news desk of your local newspapers to inform them of your story. Contact details can usually be found in the newspaper. You may also want to target local websites and radio stations. If you need help with a list of your local media, please contact Mike Petrook or CMI’s PR agency, Kindred (contact details are at the end of the document).

b. Casestudies/personalstories

The media has a tremendous appetite for ‘real life’ and human interest stories, often called case studies. Featuring an individual’s personal story, linked to your main story, often helps illustrate and bring to life the issue you want to communicate. A case study may not be relevant to every story, for example a group event. However, if there is an individual who has an interesting story to tell, such as a Chartered Manager, more detail on this is an excellent addition to your media package. For example, if you are holding an event looking at the gender pay gap or getting more local women into management positions, a case study of a local business which is working hard to stamp out gender inequality in the workplace – and is having success with this – would work well. The case study should take the form of a paragraph or two in the press release, which explains more about the individual.

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When you write up a case study, try to include the following, which will add a personal touch:

• age

• name of the area they live in (but please don’t give out their full address)

• their current job role and where this is based

• what they have achieved that is being celebrated

If you are using a case study in your press release, always check that the individual is happy to be featured in their local media before including their story and details. Also, make sure they agree to the information in their case study, including any quotes from them, being shared with local media. To do so you should ask them to check the information written and confirm they are happy with it, preferably in an email. They may also need to check with their employer that their job role and company can be mentioned within the release.

c. Quotes

A quote from the case study or a local representative is a good addition to any media information. People with a high local profile and/or influencers often make strong spokespeople. These quotes should try and capture something of the character of the person being quoted. Two or three sentences is a good length for this. As highlighted above, it is important you get permission from the person being quoted before sending it to the media.

d. Photography

A good photograph can often be a key factor in deciding whether or not a story gets published, so it’s important to get photography right.

For events, you can consider inviting the local paper’s photographer along. They may wish to send a photographer or to take a picture of an individual involved in your story. For example, if an award is being presented they may want a good shot of it being presented to the winner or if you have a high-profile speaker at an event the media are likely to want a picture of them.

If a photographer from a media outlet cannot attend, you may wish to take your own pictures or hire a photographer to take pictures that you can send to the media yourself.

Some hints and tips for taking photographs yourself are:

• local newspapers do not favour pictures of big groups. They want their readers to be able to see everyone in the images clearly. Pictures featuring more than 15 people will stand less of a chance of being published than a smaller group

• action shots are preferable to people standing in a line up – try to introduce some movement/action into the image

• if you are taking pictures yourself, zoom in to the subject matter and have as little background as possible (unless it is key to the story)

• try and make your pictures look as natural as possible. Avoid obviously posed shots where possible

• photos for local newspapers must be accompanied by captions giving the names of everyone in the picture, or they may be rejected. Job titles are helpful too

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• make it clear to people at any event where photos are being taken that they may be sent to the media or used on social media. This could be done by putting up notices at the event or mentioning it in the event confirmation. Give people the opportunity to mention if they don’t want photos of themselves to be used

• if you are using under 16s in your photography, or even some vulnerable adult groups, you may need to obtain signed parental /guardian consent for using the images. If this might be the case, do contact CMI press office or Kindred for advice

Some technical information:

• local media usually prefer digital images rather than prints

• If you are taking the pictures yourself on a digital camera, set it to the highest resolution setting

• for newspapers and magazines, photos need to be at least 1800 x 1200 pixels, however 2400 x 1600 pixels is preferred. You will need to use at least a three megapixel camera. However, images for websites will not need to be high definition

• save your pictures as jpeg (filename.jpg) or tif files (filename.tif). These are the two main types of images used by newspapers and magazines

If you are hiring your own photographer, you will need to brief them about exactly what types of images and shots you require. The best way to do this is by writing a brief for the photographer prior to the photography session so they know what is required and come prepared with the relevant equipment. Please note, central office does not have a budget for hiring photographers so the cost of hiring an external photographer will need to be covered in your event costs.

e. Commentandbackground

As well as wanting details of your stories, local journalists may also want your comments or CMI’s views on local business issues. You don’t always have to provide these, especially if it’s a negative story or something you feel uncomfortable commenting on. Further tips on how to handle these types of media enquires / opportunities are given later in section 7 of the document. If you are asked for comment, get in touch with Mike Petrook (contact details at the end of the document) to ensure your comments are in line with what central office and the other CMI branches are saying about the issue in question.

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Date INSERTDATEOFEVENT

Time INSERTPHOTOGRAPHERSSTARTANDFINISHTIME

Event/Place INSERTFULLADDRESS

Image resolution INSERTRESOLUTIONOFIMAGESREQUIRED (HIGHORLOWRES)

Agreed fee incl. VAT INSERTAGREEDFEE

Images on CD to be delivered by INSERTHOWTHEPHOTOGRAPHERISGOING first class registered post/ emailed TODELIVERTHEIMAGES

Date images to be received INSERTDATEIMAGESTOBERECEIVED

Shots required INSERTTHESPECIFICORTYPEOFSHOTSYOUREQUIRE ie:pictureofcelebrityguestsmilingwithcrowd.

An example photographer’s brief is below:

a.Identifyingyourtargetmedia

The first step to developing a relationship with your local media is to identify who the best contacts are. Some larger regional papers will have a specific business correspondent, but smaller papers will have a correspondent that covers the specific area where your event is taking place or case study lives. If you are unsure who your most appropriate local contacts would be, please contact CMI’s press office or PR agency, Kindred, who would be happy to help: mike.petrook@managers.org.uk, harriet.fitzgerald@kindredagency.com or lucy.dormandy@kindredagency.com.

b.Contactinglocaljournalistsanddevelopingrelationships

Ideally, you will already have a story developed that you can talk about when you first speak to your local media contact, so you have a starting point for the conversation.

If the journalist is not interested in the story then feel free to use this as an opportunity to ask why, but without appearing defensive or pushy – you should try and build relationships with journalists in the same way you would with other business relationships. You could also outline some of the other things that your Branch Network has coming up in the next few months and ask their opinion on these stories and whether they might like to cover them or get involved. It may also help to emphasise the fact that you are a volunteer, rather than calling from a local commercial organisation.

If they are interested in the story, you should offer to email them over the press release or media materials and any

photographs you have (ensuring they are not more than 1MB in size) as soon as possible after your conversation. You should then follow up with them a few days after you’ve sent the release to see if they’ve had a chance to look at it and whether they would like any further information. Please note that a big journalist bugbear is people phoning to ask if they have received a press release so be careful about how you word your follow-up call – offering additional information such as an interview or photographs from an event are good reasons to follow up. If the journalist says they are hoping to feature the story in the paper, it is wise to check which date they hope it will appear, so you are able to look out for the coverage.

One of the frustrating things about working with the media is that stories sometimes don’t appear when you are expecting them too. For this reason, it is best not to tell people coverage is definitely going to be appear on a certain date, in case last minute changes mean it gets dropped for another story. If this happens, it is worth contacting the journalist again to see if the story is likely to feature in a future edition instead. As above, it is useful at this stage to be offer updated information, anything that will give a new angle to the story so the journalist doesn’t consider it ‘old news’.

c.Journalistmeetings

If during telephone conversations you build up a good rapport with a journalist, feel free to invite them to meet up for a coffee to discuss other activities that your branch network has coming up, or invite them to events that you are holding. They are likely to be short on time, but if they are able to meet with you face-to-face, this could provide a significant boost to your relationship with them.

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3. Building relationships with your local media

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It is important that everyone talking about CMI and its work does so in the same way, using consistent messages. This is vital to ensuring employers, individuals and influencers understand who we are, what we do and our points of view.

a.Keymessages

The following groups of key messages summarise succinctly what CMI is, what it does and what it is trying to achieve. These are the key things we want people to know about CMI. They should be used as a guide when talking to the media about CMI and writing media materials, including press releases. Not all the messages will be relevant to every media opportunity, but you should aim to include the relevant ones each time you are doing any media relations work.

AboutCMI

• CMI provides information, training, qualifications and advice to support you

• CMI is the only chartered organisation committed to improving the performance and impact of the UK’s managers and leaders

• CMI is the voice of 90,000 professional managers, from students through to chief executives, and 450 employers, that make up its growing membership base

CMI’simpact

• CMI qualified managers and leaders make an impact on businesses, organisations and the bottom line – helping them to survive and thrive

• CMI membership and resources makes you a better manager and leader, improving your career prospects and getting you to the top of your profession

CMIandUKmanagement

• improving the quality of managers and leaders has a positive impact on business/organisational performance through increased performance levels, efficiency and productivity

• bad management is harmful to UK plc

b.DescribingCMIandmemberbenefits

The paragraphs below describe CMI and the benefits membership brings to individuals and corporate members. They can be used as a guide when talking and writing about CMI.

CMI is a chartered membership body dedicated to professional managers and leaders. 90,000 managers and leaders are currently CMI members.

Key benefits of CMI membership include: networking opportunities; ManagementDirect (an online portal packed full of management advice and resources); the CMI Management Library (25,000+ books are available to borrow); professional recognition in the form of letters after your name; the ‘Ask a Researcher’ service; a legal helpline; career and CPD support; and, a subscription to Professional Manager magazine.

As the voice of managers and leaders, CMI speaks up for them and airs their concerns to those with the power to

4. How to talk (and write) about CMI

influence the workplace. This happens through CMI’s policy and research team which works with bodies across Government. This team also helps CMI understand the demands of the marketplace so that it can better serve members and clients.

CMI helps managers get qualified through the 96 different qualifications it offers. It also works with employers to deliver in-company courses leading to CMI qualifications.

c.Boilerplate

All press releases should have a boilerplate (sometimes called the ‘notes to editors’) – some brief points which describe the company – at the end. CMI’s standard boilerplate is below and should be included at the bottom of all press releases, below the ‘contacts’ section.

Notestoeditors

• CMI is the only chartered professional body dedicated to raising standards of management and leadership across all sectors of UK commerce and industry. CMI is the founder of the National Occupational Standards for Management and Leadership and sets the standards that others follow

• by setting minimum professional standards – built into our qualifications, membership criteria and learning resources – we recognise individual capability and give employers confidence in their managers’ performance

• as a membership organisation, CMI has also been providing forward-thinking advice and support to

individuals and businesses, for more than 50 years. As the only organisation to offer qualifications from Level 2 (GCSE) to Level 8 (PhD), CMI is committed to equipping individuals with the skills and knowledge to be exceptional managers and leaders

• qualifications and accreditations such as Chartered Manager, combined with products such as CMI’s Continuous Professional Development scheme and the online support resource, ManagementKnow, support the development of management and leadership excellence across the UK

• through in-depth research and policy surveys of its 90,000 individual and 450 corporate members, CMI maintains its position as the premier authority on key management and leadership issues

• all CMI members are required to comply with its Code of Practice for Professional Managers. This ensures they are accountable, professional and competent in their work and are committed to keeping up to date with current management thinking and practice. For more information visit www.managers.org.uk/code

• CMI is the only body that can award Chartered Manager status to professional managers and leaders who make a significant, tangible and consistent difference to their organisation’s bottom line. Chartered Manager gives individuals official, independent recognition for the job they do and assures employers that their managers are top flight. For more information visit www.managers.org.uk/cmgr

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d.CMIfactsandfigures

The following facts and figures may be useful when giving interviews about CMI and drafting media materials:

• CMI currently has 90,000 members, 33% of whom are women

• there are 1,444 members in Northern Ireland, 6,021 in Scotland, 7,390 in the North West, 2,962 in the North East, 5,311 in Yorkshire and the Humber, 2,591 in Wales, 6,217 in the West Midlands, 3,757 in the East Midlands, 5,317 in the South West, 12,986 in the South East, 6,721 in the East of England and 12,399 in London. The remainder are located overseas

• CMI’s network of 80 local and regional branches organises over 650 member events each year. These offer members the opportunity to network with their peers, hear from keynote speakers and develop their managerial expertise. There are also annual regional conventions and a national conference

• CMI has 450 corporate members, including Coca-Cola, Serco, OfCom, Hays and a variety of NHS health trusts and police forces

• the average cost of CMI membership is £103 per year, although it varies for different levels of management and CMI regularly runs management offers

• all members (including studying members) sign up to a Code of Professional Conduct and Practice when they join CMI. This Code is what we stand for, as professional managers buying into and personifying the CMI vision. The Code refers to competence, professionalism, honesty and integrity and the duty to keep up to date with current good practice

• CMI is increasingly working in partnership with other professional bodies, including the ACCA, School Governors One-Stop-Shop and the Facilities Management Association, to up-skill managers as management is relevant to every industry sector

• more than 35,500 people registered to do a CMI qualification last year alone

• CMI currently offers 96 different qualifications in management and leadership-related areas, ranging from Level 2 (comparable to GCSE) through to Level 8 (equivalent to PhD)

• CMI is the only organisation which can award Chartered Manager status to individual managers. There are currently 1,600 managers with ‘CMgr’ status after their name

• Chartered Manager is the highest status that can be achieved in the managerial profession. It is an independent endorsement of an individual’s ability to deliver business impact for their organisation

• CMI qualifications are delivered through a network of over 680 Approved Centres – these range from HE/FE colleges to private providers (which may include employers). We also partner with StudyFlex to deliver management and leadership qualifications to pupils in over 100 schools around the UK

• CMI offers e-membership which enables to people to access some of its online resources for free. There are currently more than 6,000 e-members

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Below is a selection of press releases that you can tailor and use as a guide when publicising events, announcing that local managers have been awarded Chartered Manager status, and when local employers have put employees through CMI qualifications.

There is space within each release to insert quotes and talk more about the individual/employer/event in order to make it as specific as possible to the topic in question and your local media. We strongly recommend tailoring press releases as closely as possible to the media outlets you are sending them to as it increases the chances of them getting published. Areas for tailoring are in square brackets and in bold font.

When structuring press releases, it is important to capture the essence of the story in the first two sentences (some journalists won’t read any more than this before they decide whether or not the story is for them) and that the headline succinctly summaries what is coming next. Press releases should be engaging but neutral in tone – if they come across as too pushy in selling a service or work of an organisation they are less likely to be used. You should use clear, simple language and avoid jargon and acronyms. Common practice is to paste press releases into the body of emails, rather than attaching them, and to use 1.5 line spacing.

5. Template press releases

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NewsRelease[Insertheadline,eg‘Managementadviceeventtohelpcitybusinesses’or‘TopManchesterentrepreneurtospeakatbusinessevent’]

[InsertDate]

[Insertaudienceforevent,eg‘womenmanagers’,‘businesspeople’,‘aspiringentrepreneurs’,‘SMEs’]across[inserttown/city/areaname] are being given the opportunity to [insertdetailsaboutwhatpeoplewillgetoutoftheevent,eg‘hearfromsuccessfullocalbusinessleadersabouthowtheygottowheretheyare’,‘investigatemanagementtrainingcoursesonoffertothem’,‘networkwithhundredsofpeers’] at a Chartered Management Institute (CMI) [insertnameofbranch]event.

At the [insertnameofevent] on [insertdate] at [insertdetailsonwhereeventistakingplace],[insertoneortwoparagraphswithfurtherdetailsonwhatwillhappenattheeventandwhatattendeeswillgetoutofit.Thiscouldincludedetailsoneventspeakers,businessesattending,partners/sponsors,whytheareaneedssuchanevent].

The event aims to help [inserthowtheeventwillhelptheaudiencesinquestion] following news from CMI that [insertlinkstoCMIresearch/statsrelevanttotheevent,egforawomen’snetworkingeventyoucouldlinktoCMI’sgendersalarysurveyresultsbysaying‘Theeventaimstohelpfemalemanagersintheareaconnect,discussworkplaceissuesandfindmentors,followingCMI’sfindingsthat,onaverage,malemanagerscontinuetobepaid£10,000morethanfemalemanagersdoingthesamejob.’]

[Insertspokespersonname],[insertjobtitle] of [insertbranchnetwork/companyname], said: “We’re delighted to be able to host this event for [insertaudience] in [inserttown/city/area].[Insertdetailsonwhytheeventisimportantandwhatthehighlightswillbe]. We are looking forward to welcoming as many [insertaudience] as possible to the event, but places are limited so get in touch now if you want to attend.”

The [insertnameofevent] is part of a programme of events run by the [insertbranch] CMI to help the area’s managers, and future managers, develop their skills and expertise, network with their peers, and keep up-to-date with current management thinking and practice. Improving the quality of managers and leaders in [insertarea/town/city] will positively impact the performance of local businesses and other organisations, benefiting the whole area.

To attend and find out more [insertcontactdetails,eventregistration/rsvpdetailsandanyrelevantwebsitelinks].

-ends-

Further information:

[Insertyourcontactdetailsincludingemailandphonenumber.Iftherearephotographsavailableofthepersonquotedoryoucanofferinterviewswiththem,thisisagoodplacetomentionit].

[Insertboilerplatefromsection4c]

a.Pre-eventpressrelease

Events provide a great hook for securing media coverage about your work and publicising your events through the media will let people know they are happening and encourage them to attend. Here is a template release you can tailor and use as a guide for promoting an upcoming event.

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NewsRelease[Insertheadline,eg‘Localbusinesswomenunitedinfightforequalpay’or‘TopManchesterentrepreneursharessuccessstorywithlocalSMEs’]

[InsertDate]

[Insertaudienceforevent,eg‘womenmanagers’,‘businesspeople’,‘aspiringentrepreneurs’,‘SMEs’] from across [inserttown/city/areaname][insertdetailsonwhattheeventenabledthemtodo,eg‘metwithbusinessleaderstodiscusswaysofhelpinglocalyoungpeopletolearnmanagementskillswhilststillatschoolthatwillhelpthemgetanall-importantfirstfootonthecareerladder’,‘gotsometoptipsonbeingasuccessfulmanagerfromXXX,whorunsatopXXXbusiness’] at an event on [insertwheneventtookplace] hosted by the Chartered Management Institute’s [insertbranch].

The [insertnameofevent] was held to [insertaimsofevent,linkingtoCMIinitiativesandresearchwherepossible] and involved [insertdetailsonnotablegroupsandindividualattendeesandnumberofattendeesifrelevant].[Insertdetailsonoutcomesoftheeventandwhatwillnowhappenasaresult.Anythingimportantdecidedattheeventoranystrong/topicalcallsforpeopletoactwouldalsobeofinterest,eg‘Localheadteacher,XXX,calledforalllocalbusinessestothinkabouthowtheycanhelpthearea’syoungpeoplelearnworkplaceskillsbysigninguptoCMI’sCampusCMIinitiative’].

[Insertspokespersonname–thiscouldbesomeonefromthebranchorahigh-profilespeakerattheeventoranattendee], [insertjobtitle] of [insertbranchnetwork/companyname], said: “The [insertnameofevent]was a fantastic opportunity for [insertdetailsonwhathappenedattheevent].”

The [insertnameofevent] is part of a programme of events run by the [insertbranch] CMI to help the area’s managers, and future managers, develop their skills and expertise, network with their peers and keep up-to-date with current management thinking and practice. Improving the quality of managers and leaders in [insertarea/town/city] will positively impact the performance of local businesses and other organisations, benefiting the whole area.

The next event [insertdetailsonfutureeventsandhowtogetinvolved].

- ends -

Further information:

[Insertyourcontactdetailsincludingemailandphonenumber.Iftherearephotographsavailableoftheeventandpersonquotedintherelease,thisisagoodplacetomentionit].

[Insertboilerplatefromsection4c]

b.Post-eventpressrelease

Depending on the sort of event you are holding, you may also want to send out a press release describing what happened at the event and how successful it was. This template can help here.

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NewsReleaseTop business accolade for [insertarea/town/city] business leader

[InsertDate]

[Insertname], from [insertcity/town,region] has just been named as the latest person to achieve coveted Chartered Manager status. [Name], who is [insertjobtitleandemployer], joins an elite group of just 1,600 [alwayscheckwithcentralofficetoensureyouareusingthemostuptodatefigure] managers UK-wide who have been able to demonstrate that their excellent management and leadership skills are among the best in the country.

[Insertname] was awarded the top business accolade for [insertdetailsoftheCharteredManager’sworkplaceachievementsandhowithasbenefitedtheiremployer].

[Inserthe/she] said of [inserthis/her] achievement: “[InsertquotefromtheCharteredManager].”

The Chartered Manager title is awarded by the UK’s expert body on management and leadership, the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), to managers and leaders who are able to demonstrate how they have made a significant impact and lasting difference to the success of the organisation they work for.

To become a Chartered Manager, hopefuls undergo vigorous assessment in areas of practice including ability to lead people, meeting customer needs and managing change. The scheme – the gold standard for managers in the UK – also enables employers to benchmark the quality of their management teams against nationally accredited standards.

Currently, Government figures show that only one in five managers is professionally qualified to perform the role they are in, something which inhibits the ability of the UK as a whole, and its businesses, to recover and be competitive on a global scale. CMI research shows that 48 per cent of workers have left a job because of a bad manager and almost half (49 per cent) of employees say they would be prepared to leave a job to work with a better manager. CMI is, therefore, committed to driving up the quality of managers and leaders to enable UK businesses to perform better. Recognising impact and developing the skills that help managers perform better on a practical level, through programmes such as Chartered Manager, is key to this.

[InsertnameofregionalCMIbusinessdevelopmentmanager], [insertname], [insertregion] business development manager says: “Our Chartered Managers perform at the standard of management and leadership excellence that all managers should aspire towards. Gaining Chartered Manager status is a very impressive achievement, requiring time, dedication and commitment to raising your game and improving your career prospects. Particularly in the current economic climate, organisations need people who can lead, be innovative and inspire if they are to be competitive and profitable. Getting involved in Chartered Manager brings significant benefits to both the individual and their employer and we’d like to see more managers put themselves up for the challenge. I wholehearted congratulate [insertnameofChartedManager] on this fantastic achievement.”

For more information on the Chartered Manager scheme visit www.managers.org.uk/cmgr or call 01536 207429.

-ends-

Further information:

[Insertyourcontactdetailsincludingemailandphonenumber.IftherearephotographsavailableoftheCharteredManagerinquestionoryoucanofferinterviewswiththemortheiremployer,thisisagoodplacetomentionit].

[Insertboilerplatefromsection4c]

c.CharteredManagerpressrelease

Achievements and good news stories also attract the media’s attention. Here is a template release you can use as a guide for announcing Chartered Manager success.

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NewsRelease[Company]managers celebrate new skills with CMI qualifications

[InsertDate]

[Insertaudienceforevent,eg‘womenmanagers’,‘businesspeople’,‘aspiringentrepreneurs’,‘SMEs’] from across [inserttown/city/areaname][insertdetailsonwhattheeventenabledthemtodo,eg‘metwithbusinessleaderstodiscusswaysofhelpinglocalyoungpeopletolearnmanagementskillswhilststillatschoolthatwillhelpthemgetanall-importantfirstfootonthecareerladder’,‘gotsometoptipsonbeingasuccessfulmanagerfromXXX,whorunsatopXXXbusiness’] at an event on [insertwheneventtookplace]hostedbytheCharteredManagementInstitute’s[insertbranch].

The [insertnameofevent] was held to [insertaimsofevent,linkingtoCMIinitiativesandresearchwherepossible] and involved [insertdetailsonnotablegroupsandindividualattendeesandnumberofattendeesifrelevant].[Insertdetailsonoutcomesoftheeventandwhatwillnowhappenasaresult.Anythingimportantdecidedattheeventoranystrong/topicalcallsforpeopletoactwouldalsobeofinterest,eg‘Localheadteacher,XXX,calledforalllocalbusinessestothinkabouthowtheycanhelpthearea’syoungpeoplelearnworkplaceskillsbysigninguptoCMI’sCampusCMIinitiative’].

[Insertspokespersonname–thiscouldbesomeonefromthebranchorahigh-profilespeakerattheeventoranattendee], [insertjobtitle]of [insertbranchnetwork/companyname], said: “The [insertnameofevent] was a fantastic opportunity for [insertdetailsonwhathappenedattheevent].”

The [insertnameofevent] is part of a programme of events run by the [insertbranch] CMI to help the area’s managers, and future managers, develop their skills and expertise, network with their peers and keep up-to-date with current management thinking and practice. Improving the quality of managers and leaders in [insertarea/town/city] will positively impact the performance of local businesses and other organisations, benefiting the whole area.

The next event [insertdetailsonfutureeventsandhowtogetinvolved].

-ends-

Further information:

[Insertyourcontactdetailsincludingemailandphonenumber.Iftherearephotographsavailableoftheeventandpersonquotedintherelease,thisisagoodplacetomentionit].

[Insertboilerplatefromsection4c]

d.Employersuccesspressrelease

You may also want to celebrate the successes of some of the employers you work with on a local level – for example in gaining qualifications. A template is supplied to help with this.

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6. Examples of media successes

Below are some examples of great media coverage secured in regional titles recently:

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7. Media interview hints and tips

If you’re not used to dealing with the media, giving interviews can seem a bit daunting at first. However, the vast majority of journalists will be looking simply for additional information, or to give you the chance to put positive messages across. Preparation for any media interview is key to helping you make the most of it – and the following hints and tips should help you make the best of your media relationships.

a.Whoshouldgivetheinterview?

If a journalist approaches you with an interview request, be flexible in thinking who would be best to give it. An ideal spokesperson would be:

• comfortable with talking to the media – perhaps they have been media trained, or do this as part of their job?

• familiar with the CMI and its aims and objectives, both on a national and local level

• be based in the relevant area for the journalist

• available in the time scale the journalist needs!

• know about the subject matter the journalist wants to discuss – e.g. the details of an event you’re promoting, or which CMI qualifications are on offer at your local college

Ideally, you will have a small team of people who are happy to do media interviews, and pick the best person for each opportunity.

b.WhereshouldIstart?

If you receive a call from the media asking for an interview, remember the following points:

• never use the phrase ‘no comment’ – hear them out and work out how you can respond first

• don’t get accidentally drawn into the interview – even if you’re the spokesperson, you can ask to call back later

• check the facts the journalist has – if they’re wrong, you might not want to respond

• find out what questions the journalist is looking for answers to so you can ensure your response covers all the key points

• inform others in your team, and CMI central press office if you’re concerned about any issues

• keep the reporter informed, and be helpful and positive!

Once you’ve had the initial conversation, and have decided to respond with an interview, you may well need to gather some additional information. Ask as many of the following questions as you can of the journalist, then share the answers with your spokesperson:

• who are they and what title or media outlet are they calling from? Don’t be afraid to ask for a bit more detail if you’re not familiar with it

• what’s the story that they’re wanting to discuss? Is there a particular angle or aspect that they’re interested in?

• do they have a particular person or type of person in mind they would like to speak to?

• what exactly do they want – is it a quote (in which case, you might be able to do it over email) or would they like a wider ranging discussion? Do they need pictures?

• what questions do they have? (please note – journalists might not be able to give you exact questions, but should be able to give you an idea of the sorts of questions they have in mind)

• where did they hear about the issue they are interested in (and CMI) from?

• are they talking to anyone else about this?

• what’s their deadline?

• when are they available to do the interview?

• if it’s a request for a broadcast interview, check – is it live or recorded? Can it be done over the phone or will the spokesperson need to go to the studio?

Journalists are used to these types of questions, so should be helpful in giving you what you need to come back with a response. However, always be polite and accept that not all of this information will always be available.

c.TheCMIapproach

When communicating on behalf of CMI, you are a representative of the national organisation, as well as on a local level. First and foremost, CMI media coverage needs to communicate the impact the organisation has for business, member and stakeholder audiences, so think about how to mould your message for these audiences.

Coverage should position the CMI as the authoritative voice for managers and leaders across the UK – whether that’s

talking about professional development, or providing them with a competitive edge. For example:

• a recent campaign to help promote CMI’s new ManagementKnow tool called for managers in the UK to ensure they are competent as well as confident by highlighting that poorly trained managers are leading to stressed employees: http://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/pm/articles/2011/06/incompetent-bosses-making-staff-stressed.htm

• the CMI tone of voice is passionate, challenging, progressive and savvy. This means spokespeople should aim to be confident, bold and problem-solving in any interviews

They can do this by:

• being direct – making the point as succinctly as possible but being careful not to come across as arrogant

• avoiding jargon – don’t use language that is exclusive or elitist

• not being aloof – say ‘we/our’ in quotes and remember bad management is everyone’s problem

• speaking like a business, with business issues at its heart, but avoiding jargon

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d.Hintsandtips

When undertaking an interview, remember that time is limited. You will only have a limited opportunity to get yours and CMI’s messages across, so make sure you prepare all the information you need in advance. Other hints and tips to get the most out of an interview include:

• research the title and if possible the journalist before the interview – it’s good to see what types of things they might be interested in

• if you try and communicate a lot of different things, people are unlikely to remember them. Choose the three most important points you want to get across and stick to them – repeating them more than once is fine!

• make sure these points are easy to digest and understand – the impact will be lost if you have to explain them. Keep them short and to the point

• a good way of structuring how to get your points over in an interview situation is the PEP model:

- point – make your point clearly

- example or evidence. Back up and justify your point

- point. Make your point again – say the same thing but in a slightly different way

• don’t assume prior knowledge – either on behalf of the reader or the journalist. Always offer to explain background and avoid jargon

• examples and analogies can be a really great way of bringing a dry subject to life – for example, how a local business has used CMI training to improve its results, or

how an individual has found CMI membership beneficial to their career

• be as open as you can, but stick to the areas you know – speculation can inadvertently get you into trouble!

• always be polite, and be as natural as you can be – it will help build relationships with both the journalist, and the public

• if you have time, practice beforehand – get a friend or colleague to take the journalist role and feed back honestly on your performance

• remember – it’s always on the record! Never say anything in an interview you wouldn’t be happy to have reported

e.Broadcastinterviews

If you are invited to do a broadcast interview, it is a good idea to let Mike Petrook in central press office (see contact details at end of document) know so he can provide support. On the whole, the rules for broadcast interviews are the same as for print interviews – but there are a few extra tips which might also be of use!

• arrive in good time – you don’t want to be flustered

• if it’s radio, you can take notes into the studio as long as you don’t rustle them, which can be helpful if you’re discussing statistics or other complex issues

• no-one likes silence – if there’s a pause, it could be an opportunity to get one of your messages across

• radio or TV studio staff should tell you where to sit, how things work, and when to leave – if you get up of your own accord, they might still be filming!

• in a TV interview, most of the impact of what you do will be visual or vocal. Wear plain, sober clothes (not black or stripes, as this can show up badly on camera) and remove any distractions like name tags. Make sure you have a good posture, are making eye contact with the presenter, and using gestures where appropriate (but not all the time!)

f.Dealingwithtrickyareas

Although most journalists are very open and friendly, sometimes tricky issues may come up in interview that you’re not comfortable in discussing. The key to handling these is not to panic! Be open if it’s an area you don’t know about or feel comfortable discussing – and alert the central CMI press office if you think it’s something they need to know about or follow up.

Another technique to use is to take the ‘ABC’ approach to bring the interview back to your three key messages:

• acknowledge “That’s not really my area....”

• bridge “But what I can say is that.....

• communicate “CMI members throughout the region are seeing real benefits to their career from the services we offer”

g.Whentoinvolveheadoffice

The aim of this toolkit is to enable you to do as much of your own PR as possible, so there’s no need to inform CMI head office of everything you do. However, you might want to get in touch with CMI press office if the following types of situation arise:

• you become aware of a story which could have potential for negative CMI coverage

• you are approached by a national or trade journalist

• you are approached for a quote or information about something that is a national or central CMI issue

• you are concerned about the approach of a general journalist or would like advice on how to handle a particular issue

As a general rule, if in doubt, do call Mike Petrook (see contact details in section 9).

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8. Getting started with social media

a.Whysocialmedia?

Social media is one of the easiest ways of creating a community for your existing members and communicating with audiences you want to engage about your work and events. Social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter are now used by millions of people in the UK and are increasingly being utilised by businesses and other organisations as a means of letting key audiences know what they are up to and encouraging people to join them.

Socialmediapolicy

It is helpful to set up a social media policy (you can use CMI’s existing policy) so everyone who has access to the social media platforms you are active on is adhering to the same ‘rules’ when engaging with social media. This is an internal document that sets out guidelines or principles of communicating in the online world. It should cover all social media and content platforms – the places online where you and those helping you manage social media channels can have a dialogue or contribute content.

A social media policy is an important way of getting your team aligned on how and when to contribute to social media forums (both for work and for personal purposes). In essence, it protects people from themselves and helps preserve reputations.

CMI’s social media policy is available for you to view at http://www.managers.org.uk/forum/cmi-community-champions/social-media-policy

Of course if you are unsure how to handle something get in touch with Mike Petrook or Adi Gaskell (details at the end of this document). You should also be aware that CMI has officially branded Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter sites.

These should be your first port of call as we cannot endorse or allow our branding to be used elsewhere.

Monitoring

Things move very fast in the online world and people are active on social media 24 hours a day. One of the golden rules, therefore, is to monitor your social media channels regularly – we would recommend at least three checks a day. This means you can reply to posts in a timely fashion, keep up to date with what’s being discussed and, crucially, if someone posts something negative, you can address their concerns quickly.

As with any online communication channel, the openness and immediacy of social media channels mean that, however rarely, from time to time people can express negative viewpoints or level criticism at other individuals or organisations. Although the risk is minimal, you should agree a process for escalating any issues that may arise and require addressing before you set up a profile. This process should cover what types of criticism require a response (not all will) and who should respond. It may be tempting to just delete negative comments but we would recommend against this, except in the case of offensive language or viewpoints, as it tends to exacerbate the problem, rather than resolving it. By engaging with a disgruntled individual and alleviating their concerns, you can often turn a negative post into something positive.

It is helpful to set up Google alerts (see how here: http://www.google.com/support/alerts/bin/static.py?hl=en&page=guide.cs&guide=28413&rd=1) so you get an email when you or your organisation is mentioned online.

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b.Twitter–www.twitter.com

Twitter is a micro-blogging service that allows you to establish a profile and post, or ‘tweet’, short messages of 140 characters or fewer to people who have signed up to see your tweets (your followers). Setting up a Twitter profile for your branch to help communicate with members and attract new ones is something you may want to consider. CMI Wales has started a Twitter feed which is having great success. Visit @cmicymru at www.twitter.com/cmicymru for ideas.

You can also follow CMI (@cmi_managers) on Twitter www.twitter.com/cmi_managers, as well as the CMI press office (@cmi_press) www.twitter.com/cmi_press and the policy team (@cmi_policy) www.twitter.com/cmi_policy.

Once you have set up a profile (there is a good ‘how to’ guide here: http://business.twitter.com/basics/what-is-twitter). You can start following people on Twitter whose views you find interesting or who share similar interests to you. You then receive a steady stream of the updates the people who you are following tweet. Once you are established on Twitter and start tweeting yourself, people will begin to follow you so they can keep up to date with what you are tweeting. By tweeting regular, relevant, engaging content, you will be able to grow a network of faithful followers. Updates should be a mixture of proactive CMI Branch news, authoritative views on topical management issues and bit.ly links to helpful, external tools and information on improving management and leadership skills. All updates should relate to current happenings.

Ideas for ways to use your branch Twitter include:

• share news on what your branch is up to

• point people in the direction of useful resources and events

• raise the profile of your organisation

• create a dialogue with audiences – for example by posting news articles relating to management issues and asking people for their views

• link up with other local organisations and partners you work with so you can keep up to date with what they are doing

• engage in conversations with CMI colleagues and other branches

• build a relationship with key contacts you haven’t met face-to-face with in an informal way

• get a feel for what local media contacts and publications are interested in writing about – by following them you can not only hear what they are working on but also be the first to pitch them stories or invite them to events

• blow your own trumpet by tweeting about successes, eg new members, or tweeting links to media coverage you have secured

• bring events to people who can’t attend in person, eg through live tweets and photographs. However, do be aware that it is usual event etiquette to only tweet comments from the main speakers, and check they are comfortable with this first!

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c.FacebookandLinkedIn–www.facebook.comandwww.linkedin.com

In the UK alone there are over 32 million users on Facebook, each of whom spends an average of six hours on the site every month sharing information, giving peer-to-peer recommendations and generally looking for things to enrich their lives. Recent data from Hitwise UK shows that one in every seven page views on the internet in the UK comes from Facebook.

LinkedIn is a great way of targeting professionals. Similar to Facebook, but used almost exclusively for professional purposes, users go there for very specific reasons – namely building business connections, keeping up with what’s going on in their profession, professional development and hunting out opportunities for business growth.

CMI has a well-established presence on both LinkedIn and Facebook (www.facebook.com/bettermanagers and http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=22310&trk=anet_ug_grppro), both of which you can help grow by getting involved yourself and encouraging your local members and contacts to join up.

The Facebook page is a useful forum for branch members to ask and answer questions, for example on a management issue they might be having, it’s also a great source of management news. The LinkedIn group enables your Branch members to interact with a ready-made group of like-minded individuals, sharing expertise and inviting other members to your events.

Keeping LinkedIn and Facebook pages and groups updated and engaging – something which is vital to their success – is a challenging and very time-consuming task. For this reason,

we encourage branches to utilise the existing CMI Facebook and LinkedIn networks, rather than creating branch-specific ones. If you have any questions, please contact Adrian Gaskell (contact details at end of document).

d.RegionalandlocalCMImemberforums

Branches can set up their own communities on the CMI website (www.managers.org.uk/practical-support/management-community/cmi-in-your-area) where they can interact with other managers using the dedicated discussion forums, and find out about local events and news. Please contact Adrian Gaskell (see contact details at the end of the document) for more information.

Branches already have a dedicated local community on the CMI website at http://www.managers.org.uk/regions where they can engage with members at a local level. To make best use of this facility, consider some of the following points:

• who are you looking to attract?

• what benefits will they get from engaging with the branch online?

• who will staff the facility?

• how can you promote this online networking area to members?

A social media plan document is available to guide you at http://www.slideshare.net/cmi_managers/cmi-branch-community-plan. If you would like to discuss your plans and get help from CMI in implementing them, please contact Adrian Gaskell.

PR activities with a strong local focus are not only attractive to local media, but can also provide a good platform for getting your local MP involved. Doing so can help to build CMI’s profile with politicians and policy-makers nationally, as well as boosting your branch’s visibility locally – and in turn, helps to make your work more interesting to the media.

A typical platform for inviting the local MP might be a debate on the future of business in the region, discussing the challenges faced by managers locally and helping to showcase CMI’s role in supporting members. An alternative might be celebrations for branch members who have achieved their CMI qualifications, where the MP might be asked to present a particular award.

Bear in mind that all MPs have huge strains on their diaries and have to be selective about the commitments they agree to, so there are no guarantees that they will accept an invitation. It’s therefore best for you to be selective too: keep your powder dry for the event in your annual programme which is most relevant to them and their interests.

If you’re considering inviting your local MP to an event, CMI’s policy team can help by offering advice about how best to contact the MP, or by using existing links with them if we’ve previously worked with them. We can also provide background information on the MP’s political interests and activity in Parliament. In addition, keeping the CMI team informed will also help us to coordinate our public affairs engagement programme and maximise the benefits of our relationships with different MPs.

So if you are planning to invite an MP to a branch event, or would like to seek advice, please contact the CMI policy and public affairs team on 020 7421 2704 or via policy.development@managers.org.uk.

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9. Working with your local MP

10. Contact details

If you have received an urgent request from a journalist that you would like CMI’s press team to deal with, or have an issue you would like advice on, please contact:

MikePetrookCMgr,HeadofCommunications,CMI

Email mike.petrook@managers.org.uk

Telephone 020 7421 2714 or 07931 302 877

If you have any questions about the contents of this toolkit or creating regional and local media stories, please contact Mike Petrook in the first instance, or:

LucyDormandyorKatiePedenatKindred

Emaillucy.dormandy@kindredagency.com or katie.peden@kindredagency.com

Telephone 020 7010 0800

Lucy and Katie are also able to help with sourcing contact details for local and regional media contacts.

Queries about social media and setting up communities on the CMI website should be directed to:

AdrianGaskell,CMIWebContentandCommunitiesManager

Email adrian.gaskell@managers.org.uk

Telephone 020 7421 2734

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