A successful public relations campaign is a fantastic way to achieve free publicity and a lot of buzz. Unfortunately, no matter how many pitches you send out, reporters will always have the final say on running your content. This means sometimes you may get misquoted or mentioned less than you were originally promised.
Media communication is all about establishing two-way relationships. Here is a quick guide to working with reporters, how to maintain relationships and how get them to report your story.
Media Communication: 3 Tips For Working With Reporters
Are you building strong relationships with reporters? Follow these media communication tips.
- Be Accessible–An essential part of great media communication is accessibility. Reporters want to be able to get information for their stories easily and quickly. You want to make yourself as available to the reporter as you can be, which means including your contact information (phone and email) and preparing yourself to readily give out information at the drop of a hat.
- Be Flexible – Reporters are busy people. They are constantly fielding media requests from public relations practitioners, both good and bad. In addition to offering flexible timing to reporters, it is helpful to be flexible with your content as well. When communicating with the public, it is never good to keep certain topics off-limits; it creates the illusion of secrecy. With all media communications, be transparent with your message and willing to work with the journalist.
- Relationships Rule – Once you work with a reporter, send them a handwritten thank you note after your coverage has come out. A personalized thank you goes a long way, and you never know when the next project they are working on will align well with your product or service.
Media communications can be complicated, but by following these three tips for working with reporters you can build genuine relationships with reporters and media professionals. These professional relationships will help you stand out when pitching stories and aid you in achieving your goal of getting media coverage for your brand.
Our PR & Media Communications Expertise
Are you interested in working with the media? We can advise you on the best approach to media communication and how to pitch your stories to media professionals so they get told. Contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation and see how our public relations strategies can get your business the media coverage you’re looking for.
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