How to work with the Media and Journalists

As a former reporter, I have a lot of experience working with fellow journalists and media personalities. There are certain steps and traditional etiquette that most reporters and PR consultants follow in order to keep healthy relationships with key outlets. Follow these suggestions to not only cultivate a good relationship with your media contacts, but also develop long-term contacts to further your business.

1. Call at just the right time:  call newspapers or media outlets and find out how your target reports are and the best time to contact them. If you catch them at a bad time, you may blow your chances of developing a relationship.

2. Deadlines: take the initiative and learn your key media contact's deadlines so as not to bother them during a stressful time.

3. Brevity: Be friendly and to the point when contacting reporters or editors. Always ask if they have the time instead of launching into your sales speech.

4. Don't talk about yourself: Reporters don't care about you. They care about why their readers should care about you.

5.  Crisis Communications: if you're contacted by a reporter during a crisis, make sure only ONE person is handling the situation so as not to garble your story.

6. "No Comment": Just don't do it. This makes you look like you'r hiding something.

7. Proactive Public Relations: we've written about this before and it is still important; anticipate issues and questions about your business and either correct those issues, or have answers ready so you're not caught off-guard.

8. Respect Reporter privacy: don't ask to see a story before it runs. Let the journalist retain editorial control of their pieces. This builds a working, trusting relationship between you and your media contacts.