Scotland’s lockdown rules: A golden opportunity to share your story

From Friday, we can legitimately leave our local council area.

And 10 days later, enjoy a meal out or a drink outside.

We can stay overnight in a hotel and get back swimming and to the gym.

The TV and radio news and newspapers will be full of people doing all these things.

But will it be your rivals who steal the limelight?

Or you?

Read on.

The news cycle

News works in cycles.

Expect Christmas stories in December.

New Year, New You in January.

Stories of renewal at Easter.

Summer holiday dramas in July and August.

And it’s a certainty that every story needs to be illustrated with real-life examples.

So it’s 100% predictable that we’ll see people eating out.

Having a drink outside.

Swimming in pools.

All from April 26^th in Scotland.

How to get your story out there

Now there are two ways journalists can choose where to film and who to interview.

1. They can approach mainly people they know and have worked with before
2. You can contact them

So in the next 10 days, every business re-opening can step into the spotlight if they’re proactive.

Like Sovereign Grooming did this week.

All you have to do is this.

Write to your local newspaper.

Contact your local radio station.

Email your TV stations.

Your message is simple.

We’re open for business and keen to share our story.

Prepare for the interview

Now preparing for the opportunity is crucial.

Firstly, offer a compelling reason why you’re a good example.

Have you innovated during lockdown?

Have you kept in constant contact with your customers?

Did you take on a job volunteering?

Did you have to work hard to avoid your business collapsing?

The answer to these questions form your story.

Now what are you doing to welcome people back?

Have you got your gym, leisure centre, hotel, restaurant, café looking fantastic?

If yes, now work on your bullet points.

Simple points you want to build your interview on.

(Please go beyond repeating familiar lines about two metres and hand sanitisers.)

This is what we call our A-List.

It’s a shopping list of the main points you want to make in the interview.

But ask yourself what awkward questions you may be asked.

Have you had to make people redundant?

Did you feel like giving up?

How much money have you accepted from the government?

These questions form your B-List.

And they need answers.

The advice we share

At Pink Elephant Communications, we spend our days asking clients to follow these guidelines.

In media training courses at our Glasgow studios.

In our Edinburgh media training courses.

And the media training we run all over the world.

The same advice is available in our online Working with the Media training course.

In short:

1. Be proactive – and tell the media you’d like to help them tell the story of the return from lockdown
2. Prepare your A List – things you want to say
3. Prepare your B List – questions you may be asked

Finally, approach the task with relentless enthusiasm.

Our Communications Lead Colin Stone explains more on that in this 60-second video.

Show your clients how glad you’ll be to have them back.

And then the media is more likely to approach you next time they want to showcase a successful business.

One last crucial reminder.

The media can offer you free advertising.

But you must be proactive to grab it before your rivals steal the spotlight.

Bill McFarlan is Co-Founder and Executive Chairman at Pink Elephant Communications in Glasgow.

You can read his full profile here.

Photos in Edinburgh Media Training blog by Pink Elephant Communications /Anete Lusina / Thgusstavo Santana / Pixabay / from Pexels.
Edinburgh Media Training blog edited by Colin Stone.

Edinburgh media training blog