What are the key elements of a successful media relations strategy that supports your media pitching efforts?

There's a model used in UK Government known as the OASIS model which puts audience needs much earlier on in the initiative planning. I would advocate for this underpinning activity: https://gcs.civilservice.gov.uk/guidance/marketing/delivering-government-campaigns/guide-to-campaign-planning-oasis/

In my experience as a media relations officer in the government, I have realized that there is a need to train the top leadership on the role of communication officers as a link between the media and the organization as well as their inclusion in planning processes of government activities and programs. The gap that is created due to the lack of training in top leadership in media is a source of crises that are so expensive to recover from.

This part of the process is very important. All too often the urge to see oneself in print or on the screen can overwhelm the genuine, strategic process of defining objectives that are realistic and aligned with real and powerful business outcomes. It’s not about how you will feel when you see your name in lights it’s about what others will think, feel, and do when they read, see, or view the piece. If you think about serving the needs of the audience you’ll be naturally in a meeting point with the needs of the journalist and the media outlet itself.

Channels to send your messages to the target audience are of optimum prominence. How can one use social media to reach out to a semi-illiterate group of women in a local village with no source of power and no internet connectivity? I guess this doesn't require a response.

In recent times, in my media role (which currently means writing for a large city publication) I've noticed that many of the contacts from companies lack media training that previously had been the norm. They think that the publication is all about them. In reality, while the media like to be accommodating, it's about the audience, not the subject of the piece. That recent context also extends to accomodating the needs of the writer. I've been asked to take multiple trips across town because the company rep doesn't want to be inconvenienced. There are so many topics to cover -- and yours is just one of them. The more difficult you make it to cover, the less likely you'll get the coverage you want. Be a resource, not a requester.

If people are reading this in order, then this step needs to come first. Ideally, these relationships need to be built long before you develop a campaign around a goal. If you already have these in place, your strategy will be that much more effective.

In my experience this is the most important part of a media relations programme. Building relationships with journalists who are interested in your organisation, what you’ve got to say and trust what your saying is essential. In a world where sending out mass press releases is more and more ineffective, and journalists are being bombarded with irrelevant messages, understanding what specific journalists are looking for and building credibility has never been so important. It’s also important to know what specific journalists won’t be interested in and avoid approaching people with stories that you know won’t interest them. That’s the fastest way to destroy a relationship with a journalist that you’ve worked hard to establish.

This takes time and rather than think of this as only helping yourself, think of it as just as much as more trying to help the other person. Also, if you think of it as fun rather than a chore this helps make it more genuine and real.

In my experience working with the media fraternity and even workmates, assignments are well accomplished majorly due to existing relationships rather than titles and positions. yes, that happy anniversary wish or a thank you message could be the game changer in your media relations efforts.

I do not condone any article or piece of writing that is done with AI assistance. I hate it. It's void of emotion and context. Please let our writers do their own writing, be their own creative vessel for whatever it is they want to write and leave the AI out of it.