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- 11:41am: A TV producer calls me and tells me about an office shooting. She wants our client, venue safety expert Steven Adelman, live on the phone as soon as possible.
- 11:45am: I leave voicemails for Steve and his wife. I also text both of them.
- 11:48am: Steve calls me. I explain to him the sitiuation. We both Google the shooting to update ourselves on the breaking news. I read him a news story. I turn the TV to the news station requesting him and describe to Steve the live video of the scene. Steve is busy, but we both know you don’t turn down a TV interview especially for breaking news. You build yourself a reputation as being available anytime, anywhere.
- 12:03pm: Steve goes live on the phone with the TV station, discussing the situation and potential security issues.
If you position yourself as an expert in your industry, the media over time will call you for interviews instead of vice versa. Those 22 minutes did not tick off as smoothly as they did by accident. Steve and I have discussed several times the importance of my ability to reach him in a hurry. And we’ve discussed no matter how much work is stacking up on his desk, he’s ready to go when asked.
A congresswoman once asked me if I knew why the media often ask her, instead of others in her political party, to appear on TV. She said the reason is because she responds “yes.” She is willing to wake up in the early morning hours and make herself available. Many other people do not. For the media, accessibility is half the battle. No excuses.