All PRs and journalists are familiar with a certain love-hate relationship. We need each other in order to perform at work, but when we don’t, it seems that we both like to rant and be at war.
Nick Davies pointed out in his book, Flat Earth News (2008), that there are more PRs than journalists in the UK. Putting this into perspective helps us understand that journalists get bombarded by press releases, which after a long day can be overwhelming. We all try and target our pitch e-mails as best as possible, but as a PR you know time is precious. The best way to create a satisfying relationship is to build a rapport with a journalist.
Top Tips for a Harmonious Relationship
Respect time. Like PRs, journalists are super busy so keep phone calls short. Be friendly but get to the angle straight away. Remember that without an attractive pitch you are useless to a journalist.
Read their work and find an article that you found particularly interesting & relevant to what you have to offer. Flattery gets you everywhere so interact with journalists on Twitter to say you enjoyed a piece they recently wrote- refer to that piece in pitch e-mails so they become familiar with you.
Interact face to face. Breakfasts, lunches and coffees are great ways to bond with journalists without taking too much time out of their day. It allows you to build a deeper relationship and make you more memorable for when they have a piece that suits your client. It also gives them a chance to tell you what they’re working on or interested in so you can personalise your pitches, allowing a likely feature.
Make your resources accessible. A journalist views PRs as a resource to make their job easier. When building relationships make all of your resources clear. Can you get interviews with clients? Relevant quotes? A service they can review for their readers? Whatever it may be, show that you can react to the needs of a journalist.
Actively make their life easier instead of constantly trying to push your brand. MediaVision’s Head of Digital PR, Jodie Harris says, “If all you are doing is bombarding journalists with new products and content, they are less likely to have respect for you as a PR. Be genuine and show that you want to help them.”
Just remember a good PR delivers real news and develops real relationships. Sometimes we need to tone down the spin and get back to good old fashioned basics of public relations so be patient- it all comes with experience. The MediaVision Digital PR department is headed up by Jodie who has over 12 years of experience in media relations. Find out more about our PR services here.