5 Steps to Working with the Media: Part Two

Building relationships with the media

Now that we understand a bit more about the news media, we can better prepare as communicators and businesses to get our story or message out. We know the media are under tight timelines, they are working hard and doing multiple roles and they are under attack, figuratively and literally. Helping the news media with their story and building relationships with them can go a long way for your brand.

1. Consider what they want:

And what you want the news media to cover for your organization. Do you have any new locations opening soon? Do you have some exciting new equipment? Do you have a new program that could be helpful for the community? If so, you may want to issue a news release.

2. Reach out

To your local news organization before you send your release and find out who to send it to ie: who is the reporter or news director or do they have a general email box. Most news outlets will share at least a general mailbox to send your release to.

3. Offer a ‘media availability’:

So the news media have a chance to come to your organization, gather images or video and capture interviews and background information. Give them a good window (at least a few hours) so they can fit you in between other events they are capturing that day. When they arrive, be prepared.

4. Be prepared:

By having something for them to photograph or film ie: your shiny new equipment or tour of your location or set up a simulation of the new program you are launching. Also, be prepared with a spokesperson who can do an interview. Choose someone who ideally has media training and can speak well about the new product or service you are showcasing. Also, be understanding if the news media do not attend your event. They are busy and can often sniff out a ‘sales pitch’ so make sure your news release really has a ‘hook’ or news angle that would be interesting enough for them to cover.

5. Follow up:

Afterwards to thank them for coming and covering your event. Know that you can’t control everything they will say in their report and sometimes it may not be showcased the way you had hoped but if you are prepared, have a good news angle, provide all of the aspects of a story that they might need as far as information, images/video and interviews and you are kind and respectful, it can go a long way to building a positive media relationship for the future.

The more you understand the media and work to build a positive relationship with them, the more likely your story idea will make it on the news.