Pipsqueak Media

Public Relations is all about generating positive public conversations beneficial to you and your brand. And to achieve this in Public Relations, you have to unleash the power of unpaid communications channels. So, as well as Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Social Media and Content Marketing, you’ll want to engage journalists. Welcome to the world of Media Relations.

What is Media Relations?

Media Relations refers to activities whereby you work with journalists on either a local or regional to push and promote stories about you.

Journalists are always searching for new stories to report. But, discovering them independently and gaining access to sources can be difficult and time-consuming. With Media Relations, you can develop mutually beneficial relationships with the press. So, by sharing news regarding recent or upcoming events, they get access to new stories, and you get free publicity and promotion in news cycles.

Sounds great?

Just remember, this is a relationship that needs to be carefully managed. You’ll be collaborating with a 3rd party you don’t have control over. So, should they choose to report your story, there’s no guarantee it will be discussed positively. The key to success in driving positive discussions is building rapport. But how is this achieved?

How to build rapport with journalists

As mentioned, journalists are in constant need of new stories to report. This presents plenty of opportunities for you to engage journalists and thrust stories into the media. The key to success, however, is establishing harmonious working relationships between your press office and journalists covering your industry or sector. To help point you in the right direction, here are some helpful tips to consider.

• Come prepared: Before contacting or speaking with a journalist, ensure you are fully prepared. That means knowing all the relevant facts, anticipating possible questions and how to respond, as well as information to divulge what to withhold.

• Be genuine and personable: When contacting or speaking with a journalist, be mindful of how you come across. Be professional, but treat interactions like a conversation with any other work colleague. So be friendly and approachable, but also mirror their tone of voice. Your emails should also be short, succinct and straight to the point. Once a harmonious working relationship has been established, show interest in their work. You could send a short email or leave a comment in one of their articles complimenting their work. Maybe even send a birthday or congratulations card. Small gestures like these can go along way in showing that you’re genuine about the relationship.

• Be prepared to hold your ground: Working with the media can feel daunting. Just remember, hold your ground if things get tough. This is a mutually beneficial arrangement, after all. If they question why they should cover your pitch, outline precisely why it is newsworthy. If you can hold firm, you’ll gain respect.

• Request feedback: If a journalist rejects your pitch for a story, don’t despair. Consider it as part of the learning curve and ask for feedback. Try to ascertain why they felt the story wasn’t newsworthy or whether there’s another factor at play. Did you present the story appropriately? Is there another story circulating that’s drawing their focus? Whatever their reasoning, you can still share stories with them in the future. Just refine your understanding of what stories and pitching style piques their interest.

• Meet them face-to-face: Be sure to invite journalists for an in-person meeting should the opportunity arise. After all, Media Relations is all about forming professional working relationships. These meetings highlight the mutually beneficial nature of the arrangement and can present you as a reliable PR contact and source of information.

Need help managing your Public Relations activities?

As well as marketing your goods and services to the public, you must be mindful of how your audience views your brand. Does the public hold your brand in high esteem? Are internal and external stakeholders satisfied? Are you able to thrust news stories into local news media? If you need help rallying public support and driving up support for your brand, follow Pipsqueak Media today for the latest tips, tricks, and industry best practices!