A radio producer needs someone at 4pm
At 1.30pm a radio producer asks for a guest on interest rate changes for the drive-time show at 4pm. The agency represents a mortgage broker with three possible spokespeople. The account executive emails the client's marketing manager, who is in a meeting. She tries the CEO's assistant, who says he is travelling. The head of lending is free, it turns out, but has never done live radio and is not sure she is allowed to talk about rates without compliance approving the lines.
By 3.15 the producer has booked someone else.
Why reactive comment is so hard to staff
- Spokesperson diaries are private, and the agency only sees them through an assistant.
- Which spokesperson covers which topics is agreed once and forgotten.
- Media training status, and whether someone is comfortable with live broadcast, is not written down.
- Some topics need approved lines or sign-off before anyone can comment.
- The request goes through a single marketing contact who may be unavailable.
What slow answers cost
Producers and journalists have a list of people to call. The first to say yes gets the slot. Being slow a few times means your client drops off their list, which is a loss that never shows up in a report. For the client, reactive comment builds a spokesperson's profile cheaply, and missed chances are missed profile.
How we build the spokesperson board
- For each client, spokespeople are listed with their topics, the formats they do (print, radio, TV, live, pre-record) and their media training status.
- With the client's agreement, each spokesperson's calendar in Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace shares free and busy time with the board, showing only whether they are free, not what they are doing.
- Topics that need approved lines hold those lines, with an approval date and who approved them, sometimes including the client's compliance team.
- When a request comes in, the account executive picks the topic and time, and the board shows who is free, suitable for the format, and cleared on the topic.
- A one-click request goes to the spokesperson and their assistant by text and email, with the brief and a yes or no link.
- Answers are recorded, so the agency learns who says yes, which is useful when choosing whom to put forward next time.
| Spokesperson attribute | Held on the board |
|---|---|
| Topics | What they can speak on |
| Formats | Print, radio, TV, live, pre-record |
| Training | Media training date and notes |
| Availability | Free or busy from their calendar |
| Approved lines | For topics that need sign-off, with approval date |
The same request, answered while it is still open
The request for a 4pm radio guest arrives. The executive selects interest rates, live radio, 4pm. The board shows the head of lending is free, media trained for radio last quarter, and has approved lines on rates from last month. The CEO is busy. She sends the request. The head of lending replies yes on her phone, gets the brief, and the executive confirms with the producer by 2pm.
The marketing manager sees the booking when she comes out of her meeting, rather than a missed opportunity.
The less tidy cases are covered as well. If a spokesperson's approved lines on a topic are past their review date, the board shows them in amber and the executive knows to check with the client before offering that person. If nobody suitable is free, the board says so straight away, and the executive can tell the producer within minutes instead of leaving them waiting for an answer that will be no. Producers remember agencies that answer quickly, even when the answer is no.
Does this sound like your clients?
- Reactive requests are lost while diaries are checked.
- Topic cover for each spokesperson is not written down.
- Nobody knows who is comfortable on live radio.
- Approved lines are hunted for in old emails.
- Everything goes through one marketing contact.