You've lost trust with a reporter due to miscommunication. How can you rebuild that relationship effectively?

- Acknowledge the Miscommunication: Apologize sincerely, taking responsibility. - Be Transparent: Explain what went wrong and how you’ll prevent it in the future. - Re-Establish Communication: Be available, responsive, and provide accurate information. - Show Commitment: Offer exclusive insights or stories to demonstrate your support. - Demonstrate Reliability: Consistently deliver on promises to rebuild trust over time.

Clarify the situation: Provide a clear, honest explanation of what happened. Propose a solution: Offer concrete steps to prevent similar issues in the future. Be transparent: Share any relevant information openly to demonstrate your commitment to honesty. Deliver consistently: Follow through on promises and provide accurate, timely information going forward. Add value: Offer exclusive insights or story leads to rebuild your reputation as a valuable source.

Be honest and keep it simple! In PR we have all been through an incident where we have had a 'not so good' experience with some journalist. We need to be understanding of their situation. Media is overloaded with covering updates, announcements and developments day in and day out. Time is of sheer significance for them, as it is for us. With the quantum of information we are processing all the time, any miscommunication only slows it down. So, - Research well before you reach a media - Get your facts and narrative checked - Strategise the communication flow If done this already, - Let it cool down - Try to own the situation and seed in the correct info without rubbing it on your face a lot - Reassure trust by telling the intent

Apologise profusely and start crying on the call. Works 9/10 times! (kidding) Understand that journalist are also humans and everyone makes mistakes. A pro-tip would be to not get overtly friendly and stay as professional as possible. Apologise where necessary, and try to be as transparent as possible about the whole incident. A positive, solution-oriented tone will go a long way here. The way you reply to the journalist will set the context for you in advance. Make sure you start by building the context that you're both working towards the same goal, which is to get the right story out/ get the right information to the journalist. That will help disarm the initial fuse from where you can build your case <3

First, provide some space, give the reporter a little air to cool things down. Then go to the reporter with an exclusive for a top story, rebuild with the right story and redeem yourself fast. As a former reporter turned PR leader, I easily forgave PR if they could just get me the stories I needed...

Listen to understand, not to reply. If you did do the reporter dirty, take time to self reflect and ask yourself if the short term win was worth (potentially) ruining a long term relationship. Chances are, it wasn't. Own up, repair, learn, move forward.

If the misunderstanding was legitimate, ask for clarification about where the reporter feels communication broke down. Summarize, in your own words, what the reporter said -- to demonstrate full understanding. Set up an additional and agreed upon communication guardrail with the reporter to help ensure the same misunderstanding does not repeat itself.

Additionally, take proactive steps to offer solutions and support to the reporter. Ask how you can assist in rectifying any issues caused by the miscommunication and provide any necessary resources or additional information. By being transparent and showing your willingness to go above and beyond to address the situation, you demonstrate your dedication to mending the relationship and supporting the reporter’s work.

I totally agree. It can be tempting to try to over promise with a too ambitious course correction. Even if you deliver, but fail to deliver to the fullest extent (I e. promising an exclusive interview with the subject of a story and that opportunity falls through due to faulty planning) you risk burning the bridge for good. Proceed wisely -- with what you are confident you can deliver.

As mentioned above, it's important to deliver on your word. The only way to build credibility is to deliver as promised. Do not repeat the same mistakes twice. We all make errors in judgement, just be mindful of long term consequences of repeated errors.