Get IN With The Media

Throughout my CCPA coursework and internships, it has been stressed numerous times how essential it is to build strong relationships with the media. Not only does this allow you (the PR professional) to get ink for your client, it gives you a consistent reliable source of information.

Tip 1: Don’t ignore the freelance writers! Nettie Hartsock wrote a blog in which she discussed their importance. Many of the largest magazines have freelance writers and they are always looking for story ideas (Nettie Hartsock). This is a way to get your foot in the door with one aspect of the media!

Tip 2: Maintain contact. Blog-writer, Liz Strauss, whose mission with her blog is to give advice and show you how to “connect[ing] people and ideas to make business irresistible” (Liz Strauss). She says visit them at least once a year, however, if possible, I would suggest more. You don’t have to spend hours together, a 30 minute lunch meeting is enough (a phone call would do also).

Tip 3: Comfort is key. Joe Mindo, writer of the sPRingboard blog, notes “the more comfortable a writer feels with you, the more likely he or she will utilize you as a resource.” He says to always be courteous and respectful and stresses the latter, maintain contact (sPRingboard).

Tip 4: Make sure your pitch and topic is newsworthy and relevant to the area the media covers. On Tuesday, Victor Godinez of the Dallas Morning News, talked to one of my other CCPA classes about this very topic—except from the opposite side of the spectrum. As a journalist, he said you must know who you are sending your information to and don’t send them press releases and pitches for sports if they are technology writers. Once you become a dependable source, that journalist is more likely to pick up your pitches.

Tip 5: Be persistent. Jeff Crilley gives a great example of how persistence can pay off in one of free PR tip videos posted on YouTube (Jeff Crilley).



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