Be Proactive
The burden to forge effective media relationships should be on the communicator who is seeking positive press. However, in the likelihood that a journalist reaches out to you first then make sure to thank and welcome him/her with open arms. Leverage the opportunity to educate the reporter about your organization and “hot button” issues facing it. Then follow-up by making plans to meet. Yet, most of the time, it’s up to the communicator to be proactive. Therefore, try getting out of your silo, leaving the trenches and inviting journalists to meet you in person. You will likely be pleasantly surprised by the response. Consider the following:
- Meeting for breakfast, coffee or lunch.
- Visiting their newsroom.
- Providing an informal “off-the-record” tour of your organization.
- Introducing them to your boss and the major players in the C-Suite.
Remind yourself that a free press is a critical component of a democratic society, per the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. This is arguably more relevant now than ever due to the normalization of “fake news” and sensationalizing unequivocal facts. If necessary, keep a copy of the First Amendment on your desk as a constant reminder of why freedom of the press mattered so much to the framers of the Constitution and still matters so much today.
Express Genuine Interest
Finally, do not forget that expressing genuine interest in a journalist (or any person/professional) can go a long way toward solidifying positive relationships. That’s why it pays dividends to go the extra mile by learning some basic information about reporters. This can lead to common ground and help build mutual trust. Consider some of these questions:
- Where did the reporter go to college?
- What’s their home state/city?
- How did they first become involved in journalism and why?
- How are their kids doing in school these days?
- Did the dentist finally fix that troubling toothache?
Like most people, the journalist may enjoy talking about himself/herself for longer than you might expect. In essence, find the sweet spots of common ground and build upon them.
The Takeaway
Fostering positive human relations is a key factor in achieving successful media relations. Yet with the explosion of digital news and social media, relationships are usually disregarded. Too many newbie PR peeps would rather text than talk. This is due in part to the nonstop breaking news cycle of the modern Information Age. The speed at which news is disseminated and reported creates even more time constraints than ever. That’s why you need to stand out from scores of other communicators when seeking a busy reporter’s fleeting attention. Don’t just put a face to a name, or a Twitter handle to a byline but take the next step by making it a priority to foster a one-on-one relationship with reporters.
Remember, personalizing media relations allows each party to view the other as an individual rather than just part of a perceived adversarial institution.
That’s why the first rule to maximize and harmonize media relations is humanizing it. The second and third rules of this three-part process — being accessible and transparent — will be further examined in the next post.
Stay tuned…
