THE PRACTITIONER

When I’m interviewing a candidate to work at the firm, I will often ask about their approach to developing relationships with the media. More times than not, unfortunately, I hear how they call the media when they have a news release or a topical pitch, and may ask about their pet or kid or the weather… and that’s it.

Successful relationships – personal or professional — are those that are cultivated. They take time and commitment, and sometimes they take a lot of work. But the pay-off can be huge. My philosophy on relationships is that you get out of them what you put into them. I train my employees that the same goes for working with media.

As PR practitioners, we have a responsibility to our clients to develop deep relationships with the media that deliver long-term results – a partnership that provides mutual opportunity. The professional practice of media relations is what makes us indispensable to our clients, so shouldn’t we commit to get it right?

Much of what you can find to read about media relations will tell you how it’s done, but leaves out how to develop the relationship. Try a give-and-take approach to build stronger rapport with the press. It’s more than just an email or a call to place the next story. It’s also about connecting when there isn’t a story to sell. That’s when you discover the opportunity that might otherwise have gone to your client’s competitors.

Is it all about the relationship? No, whatever you are pitching needs to be relevant, compelling and packaged. Unfortunately, whether or not the news meets this criterion can be subjective to the pitcher (or his/her clients). But the practiced art of relationship-building can turn those outbound calls into inbound opportunities, positioning you as a source of insight or referrals.

Following are a few tips for building great rapport with the media:

Follow the reporter – Know what they are writing on a regular basis and reference it when appropriate or when you can add value. Provide a comment to their online story, send them a brief email, or follow them on Twitter.

Make the reporter’s job easy – Package your pitches with the entire components — customer reference(s), graphics, fact-based data, etc. – to ensure your vision for the article is effectively communicated and for an easier sell.

Counsel your spokespersons well – Brief your spokesperson on what the reporter is looking before you put them on the phone together. If they consistently deliver, and it is a meaningful conversation full of value to the reporter, you are more likely to become a credible source for future needs.

Once the rapport is established, pitching a successful story idea becomes much easier. Great skills are all the luck you need!  What works for you? Are there any techniques you have heard about that you want to try?