Whilst tech PR has certainly changed over the years, one thing that hasn’t changed is the importance of relationship building. Without cultivating relationships with the media, PR would very much be a one-sided conversation which isn’t the most productive use of time. Whilst putting together an engaging pitch is important, it won’t be successful unless you are pitching the right thing to the right person at the right time.
So what are our tips for building relationships with the media? We are glad you asked…
- Do your research
One of the best ways to ensure you are pitching the right topic to the right journalist at the right time is to use online tools to research who is talking about your respective topic. By engaging with a journalist who is already interested in talking about your topic, your pitch has the potential to be more successful.
Not only should you research your topic, you should be conducting research into journalists themselves. Whilst you may see a journalist has written an article on your given topic, this doesn’t mean that is all they write about. Take the time to do a deep dive into that journalist’s back-catalogue and discover what else they have written about and engaged with as this could open up even more avenues.
Some of our favourite online tools for conducting research includes:
- X
- X Trends List
- Incorporate a personal touch
As with any relationship, building a strong bond is all about connection. When looking to build a professional relationship, it is important to find out more about the journalist and use that information to connect with them.
Once you have identified the media person you are interested in, use what you have learnt in your research (here is where you find out how important tip number one is) and connect with them on a more personal level.
You may be wondering, what is the best way to do this? Well, you could…
- Support the journalist – it shouldn’t all be one sided. Provide commentary, be a trusted source of good information, and don’t always expect something in return.
- Why something they have publicly commented on in the past resonated with you.
- Take time to recognise the preferred form of communication – does the journalist prefer emails only? Would they appreciate a phone call?
- Relate what you are pitching to a previous piece of work of theirs to distinguish why you felt they were a good fit.
- Consider stepping away from the computer screen and meet up in person! More and more journalists are wanting to meet up in person; whether that be for a coffee, a bite to eat, etc…
Try not to overthink things. You essentially want to communicate why that particular journalist should be interested in what you have to say. By utilising these approaches, you will put yourself in a good position to cultivate a trusting, long-standing relationship.
- Hone your pitches and learn from your mistakes
Not every pitch is going to be successful, but that is all part of the PR game. It is important to assess every pitch, learn from your mistakes and hone those pitches for the next time. If you continue to make the same mistakes over and over, journalists will soon switch off.
It is also important to keep the conversation with journalists going over time with regular email and phone communication. Keep it relevant, topical, and be ready to have your story put to the test.
- Cultivate relationships
Building relationships with the media isn’t just beneficial for one story or campaign you may be working on. It is important to cultivate and maintain those professional relationships as you never know what projects you might be working on in the future. Demonstrating your ability to deliver stories at a moment’s notice will serve you well when cultivating a relationship with the press and media.
So there you have it – an introduction to some of our top tips on strategies for building relationships with the media. Having an extensive catalogue of media connections is imperative in the tech PR industry.
At Origin Communications, every member of our team has more than ten years’ experience each, and with this comes some very beneficial media contacts. If you would like to have a chat with us to learn how our extensive tech PR industry experience and media contacts could help you and your business, get in touch to start a conversation today.