Written by, Adilia Joubert, Founder & Account Director
When working with our clients we like to educate, learn and share ideas and information. One of the things we like to teach our clients is to start seeing the media as one of their primary external stake holders. Most of our clients know that they would like the media to print their stories, profiles and articles. They would definitely like to be interviewed for a more in-depth article, on TV or radio. But sometimes our clients don’t realise that for this privilege they need to build their relationships with relevant media. Yes it’s paramount to have a newsworthy angle that is sent to the correct journo/editor of the relevant sector but without a relationship there is still no guarantee that the editor will pick up on your story.
This is where we come in. We have great relationships with media that we have been harnessing for over 15 years. Here we can share some tips with our clients on how to make the media feel special so that they want to share the news on their channels.
Top tips for building relationships with media:
If you’re hosting an event, consider inviting your local media to attend. And if your event is of a broader appeal consider approaching some regional or national platforms. Include media with your VIP experience so they have access to the main spokespeople in your company. Ensure they are well hosted and get to feel that they are on the inside track. Make the time to meet them at the event and engage them. Very important is to ensure you have been reading/watching/listening to their platforms so that you know:
- a) What kind of content they are looking for
- b) If they have recently covered anything similar and you can expand on the topic for them
- c) Understand their deadlines and workflow
It’s a good idea to share contact details should media need to follow up with other queries and for you to touch base with any future developments.
This covers just some basic etiquette when dealing with our media at events. Should you need assistance with inviting and managing media at your next event, please contact us for an introductory meeting and quote.