5 tactics for developing relationships with journalists

Are you tired of getting no response to your media pitches? Here are some ways you can develop a rapport with reporters—and cut through the cluttered inbox.

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There are proven ways we can help build and maintain affinity with our counterparts in the to media, whether you are with an agency, or you are an internal marketing or brand manager.

Consider these tips:

1. Start before you need to start.

Is your brand that much of a draw that a journalist will drop everything to cover it? Probably not.

Relationships take time build. An external PR team may have strong ties with the journalists you want to be in front of, but even so, that won’t mean the journalist will have an affinity for the brand being pitched. It can take time to turn a journalist onto a brand.

Do you expect a good friend to invite to dinner someone that you personally think is great, but they’ve never met themselves? Maybe there’s room at the table, but it’s also likely that the host wants to meet the other person first, before committing to something greater.

[RELATED: Make sure your team is up to date on the latest skills, strategies and practices. Learn more about Ragan Training.]

As a brand or PR pro, spend time and resources engaging with media so you’re on their radar well before you want to be in their stories.

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