5 steps for getting to know a reporter
The news media world changes constantly. Reporters move frequently between beats or to new publications, because news outlets are constantly adjusting to audience shifts and other business disruptions.
To keep up, media relations professionals must develop the ability to start new relationships with reporters and editors. This is the first post in a series, Inside Media Minds, on interacting with reporters. (A big thanks to Patty Keiler of Collaborate Health for suggesting the name of the series.)
Key Points
To keep up with the pace of change in the journalism world, media relations pros need to be experts at starting relationships with new reporters and editors.
Close attention to what journalists communicate about their interests and preferred working styles is the key to starting and maintaining great relationships with media members.
What you learn by building these relationships also improves your ability to prepare subject-matter experts for interviews. with these journalists.
Here is a five-step plan to get to know a reporter you have not worked with before.
Step One: Doing your homework. You start with an impression that the reporter is a good fit for your expert: Research their work to test that notion. It’s an axiom to research first, but research is axiomatic for a reason – it works (see fourth paragraph). Too often, this step is skipped or glossed over.
Read earlier stories and check out their (professional) social media presence. It’s worth looking back several years, even two or three outlets deep in their resume, to get a good picture of the work they have done, their career progression and what they care about.
During your research, you also should get a sense of how and when the reporter likes to be contacted.
Step Two: Making the outreach. Keep it simple and via email to start. Explain briefly why the reporter may be interested in a relationship with your organization: Your note should show that you have spent time researching their work. Request their availability to speak by phone or meet for coffee, when practical. It allows the reporter the chance to decide the venue and time.
If the reporter accepts the invitation, note the days and times the reporter gives for their availability: Those are likely good times to pitch this reporter.
Step Three: Initiating the conversation. Think like a reporter here: Do a lot more listening than talking. Your questions should be open-ended and invite the reporter to elaborate. Some examples are below:
What got you interested in this topic or industry?
Within your beat, what stories are you really passionate to write about?
If the reporter has been covering the industry for a while: What are some topics you’ve always wanted to write about but haven’t yet?
If the reporter is new to the outlet or industry: As you are getting up to speed, what are some areas you are looking to learn more about?
What started your interest in journalism?
What are your pet peeves with PR people? (Again, take notes.)
Step Four: Delivering the pitch. When it becomes clear the reporter wants to get down to business, you can elaborate a bit on the description you gave the reporter in reaching out to them. It’s your elevator pitch for your expert – a longish elevator ride, but an elevator ride still.
If you can relate back to the discussion you have had so far in explaining how your expert is a good fit, it will serve two purposes: making a stronger connection with the reporter’s interests and showing that you listened to them. If the conversation suggests that additional experts may be a fit for the reporter’s work, mention them briefly and promise to provide bios and thought leadership pieces in a follow-up email.
Step Five: Getting the details. Ask the reporter how they like to work with subject-matter experts. Explain that these details enable you to prepare your expert for working with the reporter. Some follow-up questions about the logistics of working with the reporter and their outlet include:
Do you want head shots for experts you interview?
What other media assets are helpful to you in putting together a story?
What is your publication’s policy on linking to company thought leadership?
It is also a good idea to ask the reporter how they use Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or other social media in their reporting, especially whether they post about interviews to tease their stories. You probably have a sense of this already from your research and can ask whether any examples of this are typical.
By the end of this conversation, a media relations professional should have established a working rapport and learned:
What topics and experts the reporter is looking for
What the reporter needs from you
How to set expectations for your subject-matter experts
A great media relations strategy will fail if it isn’t implemented well. Building relationships with new reporters is a vital skill for media relations professionals to develop to maximize the impact of a well-researched strategy.
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