Best Etiquette for Media Relations

The ability to effectively communicate and build relationships with journalists is paramount in PR. Third-party endorsement is the ultimate win for any brand when it comes to good publicity and exposure, and the quest for it requires support from a solid media relations strategy.

If your PR is outsourced, you’ll be able to rely on the professionals to be the conduit between you and incoming press enquiries. You will still be required however to be available to respond to requests in a timely manner with quality commentary, insights, and product information if necessary.

If you are keeping your PR in-house, these pointers will be just as relevant, if not more so.

Whatever your position, there are some guiding principles of communication when it comes to media relations, and should you hone them, will help create positive and long-lasting mutually beneficial relationships.

In this post, we share the four cornerstones of communication for a successful media relations strategy.

Responsive

Being responsive to all manner of requests is the baseline to building trust with journalists and establishing yourself as a credible and reliable professional.

Keep in mind that journalists have a task to complete and are often working under tight deadlines, requiring quick and relevant responses.

Not only are you being accommodating by helping journalists complete their work, you are conveying a giving, eager, and enthusiastic work ethic, which will more often lead to more opportunities for you and your brand to be featured. 

If you feel that you are unable or unqualified to respond to a request, communicate this too. Your honesty and straightforwardness as soon as is reasonably possible will be appreciated. Be clear about your niche and know that it’s more than acceptable to not be all things to all people.

Resourceful

Resourcefulness is the ability to provide valuable insights that are backed by a deep understanding and expertise of your subject matter.

It involves thinking laterally, creatively and offering up unique perspectives that can not only enhance a journalist's story, but set your contribution apart from others. Consider the wider-narrative of the subject and how you can spice it up and watch yourself become a true leading voice in your field.

Being generous in the sharing of your knowledge and expertise lends to a collaborative approach, and journalists will come to consider you a highly valuable resource for them.

Your goal is to reach a place where your media relations are a two-way street, where you will be able to effectively rely on each other.

Rapid

Time is of the essence, particularly in the fast-paced world of journalism. Journalists for the majority of time, want and need timely and relevant information.

You must ensure that if you are working with a PR professional that once they request information from you, you are quick to respond with qualified information.

A rapid response will also be dictated by your preparedness. Knowing your subject matter must pair well with how you communicate it for the needs of a particular publication and for optimum public consumption; be agile and laser-focused here.

How quickly you respond can make or break your efforts in building those all important media relationships.

Respect

Respect is fundamental to any relationship, and it's no different in media relations.

Put yourself in the shoes of the journalists to understand their specific request whilst being mindful of their time.

Your response should be concise and to the point, speaking to the specific information they need to complete their work. Conversely, if you overload requests with too much information, or information that is irrelevant, you may find they will start to cease coming your way.

Again, aim for quality over quantity and always strive to provide meaningful and relevant content. BE accurate, helpful, and lead with integrity.

If you want the media to cover your good news, you’ll have to accept that they’ll cover your bad news too - even if this is not directly aimed at your brand but broadly impacts your industry. Counter negativity with positivity, objectivity, and without taking it personally.

Are you striving for that all important coverage? Is your media strategy reactive? If so, let’s chat to see how we can support you!