Every CEO wants the cover of The New York Times, and a spot on CNN, but not all will get that in their lifetimes. I worked for one organization where I was able to land the Times cover two times in two years—but that is luck combined with experience and controversy. Yes, controversy.
But there was also one secret ingredient in play—I had spent two years building a relationship with the reporter. I interacted with her the way she wanted to interact. I did not spam her with endless press releases and pitches for a “non-story” that leadership was pressuring me into. I respected her boundaries and was able to appeal to what her needs were for a story and her editor’s needs.
The relationship was strong enough that she contacted me several months after I left the organization for help on a story.
Unfortunately, most organizations do not understand this nor have the patience necessary for this approach. As you know, it’s “get the Times, and get it now.” It’s vital that relationship building become part of your daily to-do’s, in your top three even if it is just an update on what’s been developing, three lines in an email or DM, that is enough to keep the conversation going.
Stay in contact with journalists you have met through short briefings. Let them know you are available for background in your industry, as a source for the broader issues under discussion in the media and as someone able to provide expert sources outside your organization. Become a valuable, reliable and credible resource.
Stay aware as to what the conversations are in your area of focus—education, health, policy, entertainment—and stay on top of the real-time discussion through social media, the storylines the journalist may be working on and on past reporting.
Maintain a media database—Propel, Cision or Meltwater—or your own Excel sheet if your organization cannot afford a database and keep track of who is contacting you and those you are reaching out to. Sign up to receive story angles from journalists via HARO and JournoRequests.
If you are unable to budget for a public relations agency, assign one staff to media relations at least 50% of their week—developing storylines, positioning leaders as industry experts, and building relationships. As the lead, it’s important that you also engage in this work as well.
It will be great insurance in times of crisis when you need identify and rely on one or two journalists who can help get your messages out and be the source for statements.
Quick Tips:
- Maintain relationships with journalists based on how they want to interact.
- Avoid pitching non-stories to those critical journalists who are vital to your media relations outreach.
- Make relationship outreach part of your top three priorities each day. Sending a pitch, an update, a follow up on previous coverage—keep the conversation going. Always remember to thank the journalist for previous coverage or commend them for an impactful story.
- Sign up to receive journalist angles direct from the source. HARO and JournoRequests are a few, helpful resources.
- Assign a staff member to media relations for briefings, statements, releases, list building, database management, story development and leadership positioning.
- Lastly, always remember to measure and adjust tactics. Critical Mention is a real-time tool to monitor the results of your earned media efforts, arming you with the data needed to adjust your approach and to impress your CEO with results.
