How to Bolster Your Brand Through Better Media Relationships

Collaborative content

Running any business is about cultivating good working relationships. When you are trying to create good PR, you’ve got to create a great working relationship with the media, and any startups need the power of the media to generate that all-important coverage that, in time, will stimulate engagement. This is why, if you are looking to increase your PR progress, you need to bolster your brand’s relationship in some of the following ways: 

Time Your Pitches

If you are looking to work with journalists and help them be more receptive, you’ve got to find the right times. You can ask an advertising agency for advice on this, but it all depends on the times journalists are available. Some journalists have more free time to accept your pitches, especially when their workload is low. Some journalists like to receive information on a Friday, so they can put it up for the weekend or in the following week, but some prefer earlier in the week. 

Polishing Your Pitch

If you want to reach out to media professionals, whether it’s in the newspaper industry or a blogger you think would work great with you, you need to have your elevator pitch good to go. Ensuring that you get your pitch down to its finite components requires practice, but it’s critical to make sure that you are giving your business the best possible perception, by making sure that your pitches are as streamlined as humanly possible. Journalists or bloggers need to receive something that’s ready, rather than them having to pick apart the information. It’s also a good idea to have different pitches ready to suit any occasion. A small pitch, a medium, and a large one are all great ways to ensure that, when a journalist or blogger has questions, you can answer them in the best possible way. Start by creating your long pitch, refine that, and then once that is perfected, you can then start to snip more bits out which can form your medium and small-sized pitch. 

Choose the Right Media Outlets

There are many bloggers and media outlets that are exclusively aligned with lower-quality publications. Of course, we all want to hit bigger targets, but small companies that are starting out must choose the media outlet they can envision having a good working relationship with. You must build relationships first and foremost, as this will cultivate respect and will show that your business is paying attention to its work. There are organizations that can be invaluable to small businesses, such as Help A Reporter Out (HARO), that connect journalists with experts to include in their content. It’s a good idea to be present on these platforms to ensure that you find the right outlet for your business. When you target the right reporters, you are highlighting your professional stance. 

Look for the News Angle

When you are working with the media, you’ve got to think about what it takes to make your brand newsworthy. When you are reaching out to journalists or any media outlet, they will ask you, very simply, “what’s the story?” This news angle is pivotal, so it will appeal to them. Sometimes, the connection can be very simple, based on location or the industry, but what makes it truly capture the zeitgeist is when you notice your business trends or ties into current events. It is beneficial to be a trend spotter and utilize monitoring software or social listening tools so you can stay ahead of the trends, ensuring that if something lands in your lap, you can strike and get your pitch to the right people, and your business can profit. Additionally, you can also make your own news, by using any change in your organization as a reason to stimulate interest, for example, a new product launch or a new leader.

Go for the Results

Many organizations believe that they are worthy of the headlines each and every time, but what is popular today may very well not be tomorrow. This is why cultivating relationships with journalists or bloggers is about long-term endeavors. Because we have got to remember that these journalists are trying to drum up business for themselves as well. Of all the great business ideas out there, a journalist or blogger is, undoubtedly, one of the most insightful out there, because they are understanding both sides of the equation. It’s critical to pursue a relationship by building ongoing conversations, as this is what will truly bring about the best results.