We always encourage our clients to form direct relationships with a small number of key journalists.
In the long term, you will derive significant value from building a rapport with a small number of influential journalists who cover your sector or industry.
Some top tips for how to approach the process:
1. Focus on quality over quantity
It’s unrealistic to think you’ll be able to manage relationships with every journalist that’s relevant to your business. This is why PR agencies exist.
I’d advise focusing on developing relationships with a very small number of key journalists at top media outlets who focus on covering your space. It’s probably no more than three or four individuals.
2. Make social media your icebreaker
Most journalists are prolific users of social media channels – particularly Twitter.
To kick-start the relationship-building process, I’d recommend engaging with the journalists you’ve identified via social media.
Avoid simply adding to the irreverent social media ‘noise’ around your sector, and offer pertinent, insightful comment on their articles and opinions. Initially, at least, this will rarely elicit a direct response. In time, however, you can establish yourself as an authoritative and interesting commentator on your sector and, potentially, a useful resource for a future story.
3. Take the relationship offline
The perception that PRs spend their lives in a never-ending series of cocktail parties schmoozing journalists into covering our clients is, unfortunately, a myth (or possibly an anachronism).
However, most journalists will still welcome the opportunity to meet someone senior from an interesting company in-person. Offering to take a journalist for a drink / lunch / coffee at a time and place convenient for them will in itself be appreciated, even if the invitation isn’t accepted initially.
If and when the invitation is accepted, be sure not to turn it into one long pitch about your amazing company. Use the opportunity to firstly establish a personal rapport, and secondly explain how you can help them do their job which, to be clear, isn’t to advertise your business.
4. Have no expectations
This is the most important piece of advice I can offer: don’t have any expectations of the journalists you choose to develop a relationship with. Don’t expect preferential treatment.
If you develop a strong relationship in which you regularly prove yourself to be helpful, useful and insightful, you’ll find that the coverage naturally follows.