Consider building strong, positive relationships with journalists if you want long-term PR success for your business.
Connecting with journalists
Start by finding journalists who cover your industry.
Following them on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn could help you understand their interests.
You could engage with their content by thoughtfully commenting or sharing their articles.
Building relationships with individual journalists
Building relationships with journalists takes time and effort.
Personalising your communication by addressing them by name and referencing their recent work could help you establish a connection.
Offering exclusive insights or data could also interest them.
Regularly update them, but avoid overwhelming them with too much information.
Trust and credibility are key.
Thinking like a journalist
To pitch effectively, consider what makes a story newsworthy, like timeliness, relevance, and uniqueness.
Consider tailoring each pitch to the journalist’s audience, focusing on the human interest angle or a new insight.
A well-considered angle that aligns with a journalist’s interests is more likely to capture attention than a generic template sent to everyone on your media list.
Responding to editorial requests
By making genuine connections and providing valuable content, you can work effectively with journalists to get positive media coverage.
When responding to editorial requests, try to be prompt and precise.
Journalists often have tight deadlines, so a quick response could increase your chances of being featured.
You may also want to provide concise information and offer additional resources or interviews.
To forge a good relationship, show gratitude for the opportunity and follow up quickly if more information is needed.
Download the guide
Download the full Essential guide to PR below:
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Chapter eight: Using social media for PR
Discover the power of social media when it comes to reaching your customers.
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Whilst we make reasonable efforts to keep the information in this guide up to date, we do not guarantee or warrant (implied or otherwise) that it is current, accurate or complete. The information is intended for general information purposes only and does not take into account your personal situation, nor does it constitute legal, financial, tax or other professional advice. You should always consider whether the information is applicable to your particular circumstances and, where appropriate, seek professional or specialist advice or support.
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