20 Tactics for Becoming a Journalist’s Go-To Source
People often confuse media relations with public relations, but it is safe to say media relations is a subsect of what public relations entails. Wikipedia defines media relations as: “the relationship that a company or organization develops with journalists, whereas “public relations” extends that relationship beyond the media to the general public.
In this blog, we will dive into why media relations matter and how you can use its power to build connections that last.
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What is Media Relations and its importance?
Media relations is the strategic use of communication tools and tactics by public relations practitioners to engage and build mutually beneficial relationships with members of the media on behalf of an organization. Members of the media include news reporters, journalists, editors, writers, hosts, producers, bloggers, researchers and creative directors.
The art of building positive relationships with the media acts as a bridge between your brand and the public, shaping perceptions and amplifying your message across various platforms uniformly. We can agree that the purpose of media relation is to get through to the public, with an aim to drive change or action. Without the general public, there would be no need for businesses to build relations, in fact there would be no business at all.
Media relations is important as it can benefit your company in:
- Brand awareness and recognition
As your organization gets coverage from many and well-known media outlets, it will get exposure from the necessary audience you want to attract for growth. This will assist customers to be familiar with your brand offerings and make you recognizable among competitors in your industry. Familiarity means people are able to spot your logo, packaging and messages from anywhere and anytime. When more people are able to recognize your brand, it is easy to get recommendations/word-of-mouth from those who have used and trusts it.
2. Brand validation
When a brand is often featured in media, it gains the confidence of being a credible source of information and offerings. This comes across as a validation statement that the brand is an expert in its niche. People who usually follow the news will always try brands that are mentioned and recommended by their trusted news outlets.
3. Builds more relations
Media relations is a give and take relationship. Therefore, when other media outlets see your brand being mentioned in the media frequently, they will come to you for information and opinion. Which sets your brand as an expert in your respective niche.
Investors pay attention to what is being said about brands in the media because they want to be affiliated with businesses that are sure to succeed. To attract new investors, make sure your brand is a never-ending name in the mouths of journalists and lists of successful business reports.
4. Proud employees
We know human tendencies right, one of them being perfection. If employees find that the companies they work in get positive media coverage, they are most probably going see it as a perfect company to be in. Giving them satisfaction and urge to work even harder to keep the title of being an employee in the company, resulting in increased productivity.
5. Crisis control
Crisis is unavoidable in any business environment, especially with people having freedom of expression on social media platforms. Media relations ensures trust with members of the media which you can reach out to in times of trouble. By having established relationships with journalists and media outlets, an organization can disseminate its side of the story more effectively, potentially defeating negative publicity to follow. Timely and transparent communication through the media can prevent the spread of misinformation, keeping stakeholders informed and engaged with the facts as the situation unfolds.
Best 20 Strategies to Build Effective Media Relations
- Build an A-team: Having a strong team makes the process easy for your brand because hey can serves as the bridge between your brand and the public, crafting messages that resonate and managing how those messages are shared through various media outlets. A trained media relations team can develop and maintain strong relationships with journalists, ensuring your brand is top of mind when opportunities arise for coverage. They are also crucial in crisis management as they remain ready to weaken negative publicity and protect the brand’s reputation.
2. Target the relevant media outlets: It is important to align your media outreach with outlets that resonate with your target audience and overall objectives to enhance the relevance and impact of your content. This will give you a strategy to crafting your messages that will drive a desired outcome for your business success.
3. Understand the targeted journalists’ needs and interests: It is with no doubt that journalists are always on the lookout for juicy and newsworthy content that will satisfy their audience. So, take the time to learn about the journalists you’re approaching and familiarize yourself with their previous work and the topics they cover to tailor your pitches effectively. According to targetwire.com, over 92% of journalists prefer to receive the news they are interested in by email.
4. Make your outreach human: Businesses tend to forget that journalists are human too and always tie their communication to a robotic feel. This often leads to less interaction or none at all. Avoid generic communications and add persona to your emails to demonstrate a genuine interest and respect for the journalist’s work and the impact they can have for your brand.
5. Provide quality over quantity: Journalists are very busy individuals who receive countless pitches in a day. So, it is better to offer newsworthy stories and exclusive insights from the get go to grab their attention. High-quality and valuable content helps you stand out among numerous pitches journalists receive and positions you as a go-to source for journalists.
6. Strive to build long-lasting relations: Media relations should be nurtured over time through regular and meaningful contact, beyond just pitching stories. An effort to build a relationship outside business goes a long way because you will get an opportunity to understand exclusive information about the journalist that gives you an advantage of giving them what they want. For example, efforts such as sharing relevant articles or data that might interest them, remembering their birthdays, anniversaries or even leaving a comment on their latest posts will give you an advantage.
7. Show appreciation: Always express gratitude when a journalist covers your story. A simple thank you email or note can strengthen your relationship more because there are plenty of email pitches they could have given attention to, but yours was the lucky one. This encourages journalists to continue with their work diligently.
8. Be responsive: Ensure that you are timely and reliable in your communications. We are not saying spend your 24 hours looking at your emails but try to check your inbox frequently as possible because journalists operate under tight deadlines. Being responsive can set you apart and journalists will recognize you as a reliable source.
9. Offer exclusives: Journalists love being the first to see or get information before it reaches other media individuals. Therefore, providing exclusive content or first access to certain information can make journalists more likely to engage with your pitches because they want to be the first to cover a story on breaking news.
10. Prepare for interviews: You cannot pitch a journalist unprepared; this will show your immaturity for the media industry. Journalists usually responds by asking for more details, an interview, or additional media related to what you have enticed them with so, be ready with all the necessary details and practice answering potential questions they might have.
11. Monitor and adapt to media trends: The media is an ever-evolving landscape that keeps media individuals and those who want to be seen on their toes. Being on top of changes happening such as how people consume media and what new interest journalists have can help you tailor your strategies effectively.
12. Create an all-inclusive media kit: Save a journalist some time by sharing a media kit that includes all essential information about your company, this can include high-quality images of your team, logo varieties, links to your website and its media content and contact details. They already have a lot on their plate, so doing this will not only save them time but want to work with you again in the future.
13. Engage in mutual topic interests: Don’t just stick to business, show interest in the journalist’s work and engage them in conversations on topics of mutual interest. This increases chances of ongoing media opportunities, deeper industry insights, and stronger connections with key media figures, amplifying the brand’s presence and impact in the public sphere.
14. Be honest: Build trust by being open about your intentions and providing accurate information at all times.
15. Acknowledge their work: Recognize and compliment journalists on their successful stories, a phase when they bounced back from backlash or when they receive awards. This shows kindness and mutual respect.
16. Face-to-face meetings: Whenever possible, try to meet in-person. This personal interaction can help build a stronger bond than emails or phone calls alone as journalists can see you express your emotions. It helps journalists deliver your story in a manner you need since they have realized the personal connection you have to the news.
17. Share useful resources: Help journalists by providing resources or contacts that might assist them in their work. Avoid appearing as a selfish friend that is available only when the situation favors them and do not be.
18. Set objectives for each interaction: Identify different media outlets that will serve unique objectives for your brand. Know what you want to achieve from your media relationships and have clear strategies tailored to each journalist or outlet to better maximize your returns. This will allow a better measurement of outcomes, as both the brand and the media outlet can establish specific metrics for success from the beginning.
19. Respect time and space: Being considerate of a journalists’ time constraints, providing concise and relevant information, and avoiding unnecessary follow-ups helps build a respectful and professional interaction. Understand when to push for a story and when to step back to keep your reputation intact.
20. Measure results: This process involves using tools that provides actionable insights that allows brands to adjust their strategies, better allocate resources and enhance their overall media presence. Without this critical evaluation, media relations efforts may miss opportunities for optimization and fail to contribute strategically to a brand’s growth and reputation.
If you’re ready to elevate your brand’s presence in the media and strengthen your connections with journalists, don’t wait another moment. Click [here] to dive deeper into our exclusive guide, and find ways to apply the 20 media relations strategies. This resource is packed with expert insights and actionable tips designed to help you navigate the complex landscape of media relations effectively.
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