Long-term relationships with the media are the most

valuable. Over time, you can earn the trust of reporters by

building a rapport with them. Once you've gained their trust

and established that relationship, they're likelier to pay

attention to what you have to say, and of course, this

increases your chances of getting the media coverage you so

desire.

This begs the question, "How can you maintain long-term

relationships with key members of the media?" Here are some

tips to help you out.

1. Identify influential reporters in your niche - What

audiences do you want to reach? Which reporters does your

target audience read? Make a list of the influential

reporters in your niche, and prioritize it according to the

level of importance. Which media members do you really want

to reach? Put them on top of the list. Remember, a targeted

list is much more effective than a long, generic list of

media members.

2. Keep your media lists up to date - Media contacts are

constantly changing. Reporters get shifted to new

assignments, move on to new jobs, and so on. It's important

that you maintain your media list on a regular basis to keep

all your contact information updated. Otherwise, when it

comes time to pitch a story, you won't have anyone to pitch

it to.

3. Respect the reporter's time - Reporters are constantly

busy, and time is money. They are always up against

deadlines, and for freelancer reporters, the faster they get

the story done, the more money they make. Respect the time

of your media contacts. Yes, you want to build a

relationship with them, but when they're up against a

deadline, the last thing they want to do is chit-chat with

you.

4. Be there when they need you - Relationships are a two-way

street. It's not just about you reaching out to the media

when you have a story to tell. You also need to be there for

them. Sometimes, a reporter may call you for a comment on

another story or for a tip or something else. You need to be

there for them whenever they need you. That's how you build

a true relationship and establish yourself as a quality

source.

5. Stay in touch on a regular basis - Sometimes, building

media relationships is as simple as just letting them know

you're around. Just introduce yourself to the right

reporters, offer suggestions about specific story angles

that you're an expert in, and just try to get listed on

their contact list as an expert source for a particular

topic. They can't contact you if they don't know you exist.

6. Know the science of news - You need to become a

connoisseur of the news. Study the news. Look at how stories

are told. Watch the angles taken on stories, and pay

attention to how experts are weaved into the stories to move

them forward. This can help you interact properly with the

media.

7. Never lie to a reporter - Don't stretch the truth, spin,

comment on something you don't really know about, or

anything along those lines. When you lie, you put the

reporter's credibility at stake because their name is on the

line with every story they publish. And that's something

they'll never forget.

What are some of your best tactics for cultivating strong

media relationships?

At your service,

Mickie Kennedy
Founder, eReleases.com
CEO, eReleases.com & Press-Release-Writing.com

http://www.ereleases.com
http://www.press-release-writing.com