If you work in PR one of the most important aspects of your job should be relationship building. Last week was a busy media week for me (four stories in four days), and the primary reason is because of the relationships I’ve built over time.
How do you make relationships? Here are several tips to get you headed in the right direction.
- Whenever I work with a member of the media I try to always remember that I am there to make their job easier, and you should too. No matter if it is pre or post interview, I always ask if I can do anything to help and am always there to provide follow up information if it is needed. And no, I’m not saying you forget about “protecting” your employer / client throughout the process.
- Before you start thinking, “maybe I’ll just take some reporters out to lunch and then we can be best friends” let me stop you and simply say that isn’t how it works. Relationships with the media are built over time and establishing a high level of trust is very important. Social media is a crucial part of the relationship building process and if you aren’t on Twitter – you are behind, way behind.
- I won’t go into the fact that I think press releases are practically dead, but one thing that helps establish trust is the fact that you don’t send those far reaching press releases that you know don’t have a chance. If you think the content is fluff, so will the receiver. Part of your job in PR is to manage expectations and having the backbone to hold the fluff. Your goal is to get a solid story – not to send out a “blah blah blah release” and simply have hit sit on the news wire. That’s lame.
- And since we are talking about building relationships, when is the last time you offered a source that didn’t have to do with a current client or your current employer? I do it all of the time and folks tend to always remember this. And yes, even in these situations I still try to help as much as possible and making life easier for all parties involved. Think about how it must resonate when you kindly reach out with a story that you think is worthwhile, yet it has no personal gain for you.
Build relationships and you will quickly notice that you will become much more successful at your job.
PS – Good relationships don’t mean the media is your “friend.” Please don’t ever forget that. Just like you, they have a job to do and reporting the facts is the game their in.
PSS – If I could give you one statement to always remember to ask when working with a reporter it is, “Are you working on deadline?” Print that out and put it somewhere you’ll see it in your office. It’s a crucial question you should always ask from the get go.
