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Navigating the PR-Journalist Relationship

As a PR professional, there is no better moment than seeing a pitch you crafted spark a feature story within the current news cycle. Whether it makes its appearance online, in a magazine or on TV, earned media placement is a coveted achievement and has great potential to strengthen a company’s reputation and brand positioning, while developing an overall awareness of its mission and services.

In today’s busy media landscape, landing coverage is no simple task. According to U.S. Census Data, for every working journalist, there are six PR professionals by equivalent comparison. Because of this, a publicist’s relationship with a journalist is key to their success in the long term. This, along with faster turnover rates in newsrooms and a growing number of platforms for reaching potential audiences, means communication efforts need to be more strategic and showcase both authentic and compelling stories. 

With all this in mind, Jive is here to share a few tips on how to best approach navigating the world of media relations and building long-term relationships with journalists.

Understand their needs

A journalist’s inbox is flooded with a countless number of pitches daily. As we strive to become strategic partners for journalists, we need to take their needs into account. Publicists should determine the goals and objectives of their outreach strategy, and incorporate a targeted approach to help them break through all the noise and get their pitch considered.

You’ll want to figure out more information on their writing style, point of view and previous work. Questions to ask yourself while putting together a pitch include: What kinds of stories does the reporter or editor cover? Who can best speak to this topic? Why does your material align with their writing? Remember, journalists have their own loyal following of readers who they want to maintain interest with over time, so you’ll want to act accordingly.

PR and Journalism

Adapt to their communication style

Journalists, like everyone else, have preferences for how they like to engage with others. Between different channels and methods of communications, interactions on social media and timing, Public Relations professionals want to make sure the way they share information is done so in an effective manner. They are busy people who work on tight timelines, so try to keep your pitch between 2 to 3 paragraphs in length. When possible, also consider offering an exclusive or embargo to help make covering your story more enticing. If you don’t initially hear back from a reporter, don’t take things personally and consider sending up a follow-up message to confirm they understand your request.

Connect the dots

When preparing to send a message, demonstrating time and consideration through your approach can go a long way. Providing context with a brief description on who you are and why the journalist should pay attention to your ideas can help show you have put in extra thought and attention to detail. From there, it is also helpful to keep in mind the medium you’re pitching to and mention any specific information they might need.

A well-written pitch is one that draws readers into your story. Crafting information to take on a different angle can help to make your subject unique and timely, as well as help the journalist see the value in the story. It might also be helpful to share an asset or access to additional information beyond your pitch’s outline to provide further explanation if needed.

Show your appreciation

If you are successful and your pitch moves forward and sparks an article, don’t forget to thank the reporter you worked with. Sharing the story online through your own social media platforms can help broaden your reach and go a long way if the journalist is tracking their performance metrics. 

Afterward, stay in touch with those journalists and keep the relationship alive. Whether you decide to engage with them on social media, provide an additional platform to highlight their other work, or pass along useful or interesting ideas their way, adding value to the relationship can help to pave a two-way street for sharing information. You never know what it might lead to later on, such as connecting virtually to ask and see what projects they are working on or to examine if you have any interesting leads for them to cover.

Jive PR + Digital is a full-service digital marketing agency that has been at the forefront of helping our clients gain easier access to the media. If you’re looking to share a story or to celebrate a win, our team is agile, well-connected and brings years of experience to the table. Contact us to learn more about how we can get you in front of the right audience and help bring your idea to center stage.

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