Six No-Fail Ways to Form a Winning Relationship with the Media

For many people, the biggest impediment to getting publicity is taking that important first step – introducing themselves to the media. They’re not quite sure what to say, or how to begin forming a relationship, and they’re even afraid the reporter will hang up on them if they call.

It’s true that reporters do work on tight deadlines and don’t have a lot of patience for idle chit-chat while they’re at work, which is why the way you approach them is so important. But as I always maintain, reporters are people, too, and if you go about it the right way, you can form lasting, meaningful – and mutually beneficial relationships with them.

Here are a six tips to get you on the right path:

Reporters don’t need more friends. They need solid news and great sources.
I’m not sure why, but a lot of people are under the mistaken impression that the way to ingratiate themselves with reporters is to meet them for lunch, dinner or drinks. This is one of the most ridiculous PR fallacies I have ever heard. Reporters have enough friends. And they are busy. And they certainly can’t accept any free meals. So before you plan your dinner invite, regroup and understand what they really want – news. Which brings me to my next tip:

Understand their “beat.”
A reporter’s beat is, simply, the types of stories they cover. There might be several business reporters at your local paper, all covering different beats within the business category (medical business, real estate business, small business, international business, etc.). So before you contact a reporter, make sure you are targeting the proper person for your industry.

Bring them trends. Reporters love trends, pure and simple. Are you a lawyer noticing that more senior citizens are getting divorced? Let your local lifestyle and legal reporters know. Whatever your industry, tapping yourself into larger trends is a great way to form relationships with reporters and to get publicity for yourself. And don’t forget to localize trends you are noticing nationally. Reporters love that.

Offer yourself as an ongoing expert source.
Reporters are always looking for sources to lend credibility to their stories with “expert” quotes. By offering yourself as an expert to reporters covering your industry, you will be making their lives easier and opening the door for some great media coverage for yourself. Just make sure that when you offer yourself as a source to a journalist, you validate your credentials and offer to send a brief bio. Then, make sure that whey they do call, you respond. Otherwise don’t expect a second chance.

Give them a “scoop.” Every reporter wants to break that important, big story – the “scoop.” But to a local reporter that scoop doesn’t have to be akin to Watergate or Iran/Contra. It might be a big real estate deal that just took place in your city (with you just happening to be the broker of record). When offering your scoop, tell the reporter that you will give her an “exclusive,” meaning that you will let her be the first to publish the story. The unspoken understanding is that since you are making this consideration for her, she will in return give you major play in her story.

Thank them for a great story. When you do achieve your first publicity placement with a reporter, drop her a note thanking her for such an interesting, accurate story. An e-mail note will do just fine. But never, ever send her a gift, or say anything in the e-mail to imply that you in any way controlled the outcome of her story. Those are two sure-fire ways to never hear from her again.

The PR industry is definitely not for wallflowers, so take a deep breath, pick up the phone and be determined to break the ice. Just be sure to follow the steps above.

Copyright 2007, Diana Laverdure