This week, cameras surrounded the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team (USMNT) for more than just its World Cup match against Iran. While all major sports teams and players hold press conferences ahead of a big game, USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter and team captain Tyler Adams faced questions ranging far beyond team strategies and tactics used on the soccer field.

Unprecedented political tension surrounded this year’s match against Iran, which prompted  media questions that no coach or player is typically equipped to answer. What started as a pre-match news conference quickly turned into a reminder of the importance of media training, with reporters repeatedly ignoring Berhalter and Adams’ efforts to focus solely on soccer.

At one point during the news conference, an Iranian journalist questioned Adams, a vocal supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement, about his representation of the U.S. despite its “discrimination against black people.”

Tyler Adams mispronounced Iran and was called out by an Iranian journalist – who followed up with a question on discrimination in the United States.

His response: An all time classy answer- Captain & Leader. #USMNT 👏 pic.twitter.com/pELQmBttPl

— Stu Holden (@stuholden) November 28, 2022

Adams responded in a calm and thoughtful manner. Coach Berhalter faced similar politically motivated questioning not relevant to his role or title. Both men navigated the difficult questions in a professional way. It is clear they prepared for the worst. Their preparation paid off.

Recently, I attended a North Carolina Public Relations Society of America conference. The event kicked off with a panel of Raleigh-area journalists who answered the question, “How can PR professionals do better?” One-by-one journalists echoed each other with the same answer: “When I ask a question, just give me the answer.” They were referring to a delicate dance often required when addressing a question you either can’t answer or don’t have the facts to answer. Ironically, in a following keynote session about media training, the speaker reminded everyone of the way Henry Kissinger once famously opened a news conference by asking, “Does anyone have any questions for my answers?”

Realistically, there will always be some questions that cannot be answered. That does not mean media will not ask them. Rather than worry if they ask, prepare for when they ask by investing in media training. Focused training will prepare you to not only survive an interview, but to thrive during the toughest of engagements.

At NP Strategy, former journalists lead our training sessions. They know how the media operates, how they might ask the difficult questions and how the pressure to make a profit is impacting news coverage today. Whether you’re getting ready for your next media interview, community presentation, or networking event, take the time to thoughtfully prepare and practice.  We know the U.S. soccer team’s practice on – and off – the field prepared them for this challenging World Cup event.

Have you ever wanted to say, “no comment”? It’s an easy answer to an unwanted media inquiry, but “no comment” is not very effective — and in today’s digital world, can actually be viewed as an admission of guilt.

Instead of saying “no comment,” you could say something that doesn’t give much away. Though that approach is not ideal at conveying your side of the story, it can avoid the risk of looking like you’re saying, “I’m guilty.”

For example, let’s say a former employee sues your company and then calls the media. A responsible journalist is going to want to try and get both sides to any story, so the reporter calls the main company phone line and asks for someone to comment. At NP Strategy, we work with a lot of lawyers handling all kinds of litigation.  Our first step is to always contact the lawyer or lead executive, get the facts, and then swiftly write a short general statement. In this example, one answer could be, “We just received the lawsuit in question and our legal team is currently reviewing the allegations.  We won’t be able to answer any questions until at least this review is complete.” In this scenario, you haven’t promised to eventually respond, refuted the employee allegations or divulged legal strategic tactics, and you avoided saying “no comment.” This is important because the court of public opinion can convict you a lot quicker than the actual legal court.

Another down side to responding “no comment” is that you are allowing someone else to tell your story. It is better for you to respond in a different manner than opening up the floor for someone else to write the narrative. You are giving up control of the story because the media will undoubtedly publish interviews with people who do have something to say, potentially even your competitors, along with your no comment response.

You do not want to be seen as a gatekeeper or someone who is trying to cover up something. You want to be seen as someone who is friendly with media so you will have a good reputation.

So the next time the media rings regarding litigation or some unwanted situation consider sending a short emailed response that says something, while giving nothing away.

NP Strategy (NPS+), a strategic communications firm providing crisis, media and public relations assistance, welcomes Denada Jackson to the growing team.  Jackson, an award winning public relations expert with established roots in the Charlotte area, will serve as a NPS+ Senior Advisor.

“Denada’s relationships and dynamic background will immediately add value our clients and our team,” said Heather (Hoopes) Matthews, CEO of NP Strategy. “We look forward to growing our client base and our offices throughout North and South Carolina.”

Jackson joins NP Strategy after serving the City of Charlotte for seven years in a number of different roles. Most recently, Jackson worked closely with Mayor Vi Lyles and the Charlotte City Council to provide communications support, event and relationship management and also played an integral role coordinating initiatives with the White House and North Carolina Governor’s Office.

“I’m excited to join NP Strategy to offer my unique problem-solving ability and passion for storytelling to help clients thrive in the current marketplace,” Jackson said. “I look forward to accessing its deep bench of resources to grow public, private and nonprofit organizations in Charlotte and across North and South Carolina.”

A recognized community leader with a passion for youth empowerment and education, Jackson is currently a board member of the Thomas Davis Defending Dreams Foundation, which provides free programs and educational opportunities for underserved youth. Among her many professional achievements, Jackson received the Women in Business Award from the Charlotte Business Journal in 2017.

The Charlotte native graduated from North Carolina A&T State University with a degree in journalism and mass communications. Jackson is the fourth new team member to join NPS+ since August 1st.

Your business website serves as a snapshot of your brand — it is the fastest way for potential clients to see who and what you offer. If your website was created or has been updated in the past three to five years, you may think that everything is running smoothly. Think again. It may be time for a refresh.

Is website neglect responsible for killing your marketing?

The longer a website goes without updates or new content, the further your website drops in search engine rankings. And, when you finally decide to make a change with your website after years of neglect, you’re probably more focused on design aspects rather than content.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Google algorithms, and the technologies and software we utilize online are constantly evolving. What may have worked for your website a year or two ago probably isn’t working for your website anymore. Website development is no longer a one-time thing, but an ongoing process requiring constant care and attention.

Here are three things to consider when evaluating your website:

1) Create and implement an updated vision. What do you want your website to say about you and your brand? Who is the target audience you want to visit? What resources does your website provide them?

2) Make sure your website is undergoing constant content development. Updating your website with new and relevant information not only helps your search engine rankings but gives people a reason to come back. In that same vein, your social media channels should drive traffic back to your website. Create a calendar for your content — whether it is social media posts, blog posts, events, etc. — so that your content and message is clear and consistent across all platforms.

3) Monitor your site analytics and the changes that are occurring (from SEO to consumer trends). From there, you can adjust content as needed. This will also help identify when your website looks and feels outdated given the ever changing way people use digital platforms.

Having an updated, engaging website is attainable for everyone — it just takes a little work on the front end. So the next time you find yourself wondering why your marketing strategies aren’t producing the results you want, ask yourself, “Are we neglecting the website?”

Putting the “O” in PESO

In the world of public relations there is a model for everything. When it comes to handling media relations, that model strategy is known as PESO—Paid, Earned, Shared, and Owned media. The model is structured so each media type plays a role and serves a purpose to an overall well-rounded media strategy.

Those unfamiliar with the PESO model may naturally assume the media types are arranged left to right by level of importance, but in this case, it’s simply a memorable acronym. Paid media technically comes first, but owned media actually comes first in the process. Why? Owned media assets are the foundation of the media strategy and provide a means for the other pieces to work.

Everyone wants media coverage, but what are you doing to prove the value you are able to provide? In order to gain media traction, you have to show before you can tell. Almost all earned media starts with owned media. Owned media is the content your organization creates on its own: blogs, videos, visual content, podcasts, case studies, etc. This content is considered owned because it lives on your own platform, website, or channel.

Creating owned media means you are developing content that showcases your brand’s realm of expertise. It opens the door to which earned media can walk through.

When planning an owned media strategy, there are a few key pieces to keep in mind. Keep it unique. If you’re producing the same podcast, blog or video as everyone else in your industry, how do you expect to stand out? Find your secret sauce and own it! Next, identify the type of media coverage you want. It will serve as a guide and help you build out content that feeds each media outlet’s appetite.

Finally, instead of focusing on quantity, be strategic and put care into quality content that gets your message across in a clear way.

If your goal is increasing earned media, owned media should be one of your top priorities. Just remember: know your topics, stick to your plan, and keep it unique.