Journalists receive hundreds of emails every day, all competing for their attention. Yet despite the volume of pitches, the qualities they value most have changed very little. Here are our three golden rules when it comes to working with journalists:
Relevance goes above everything.
Journalists appreciate pitches that demonstrate an understanding of their publication, audience and beat. More than anything, they want something genuinely newsworthy rather than simply informative, and recognising that difference – knowing what will actually land with a specific desk – is exactly the judgement years of experience buys you.
Sending the same generic copy to hundreds of contacts rarely works. Putting in the effort to carefully craft and target your pitch will always outperform a generic mass distribution.
Speed matters.
News moves quickly. When a journalist needs expert comment or additional information, responsiveness is often the deciding factor.
Being able to provide reliable spokespeople at short notice can make the difference between securing coverage and missing the opportunity altogether. That’s why the close, family-style bonds we form with our clients pay off in the business sense too.
Make their job easier.
The best PR professionals understand that they’re there to help journalists do their jobs. That means providing accurate information, credible experts and honest answers – not overselling stories or making exaggerated claims.
It also means arriving with usable assets, not just a good story – photography, ready-to-use quotes, video, whatever the piece needs – produced to the standard and format each outlet actually works in. A journalist who doesn’t have to chase you for a decent picture is a journalist who comes back next time.
At Keith Bishop PR, we’ve been around long enough to know that successful media relations are built over time. Strong relationships come from consistently delivering value.