How do you build and maintain strong relationships with key media contacts and influencers?

2 Segment and prioritize your media list

Once you have a clear picture of your media landscape, you need to segment and prioritize your media list according to your communication objectives, target audiences, and key messages. You can use criteria such as relevance, reach, influence, credibility, and relationship to rank your media contacts and influencers from high to low priority. This will help you focus your efforts and resources on the most impactful and strategic media opportunities.

3 Build rapport and trust

Building rapport and trust with your media contacts and influencers is essential for developing long-term and mutually beneficial relationships. You can do this by being professional, responsive, transparent, and respectful in all your interactions. You can also show genuine interest in their work, offer valuable information and insights, acknowledge their achievements, and provide feedback and recognition. Additionally, you can leverage social media to engage with them regularly, share their content, and join their conversations.

4 Pitch with purpose and value

When you pitch your stories, ideas, or opinions to your media contacts and influencers, you need to make sure they are relevant, timely, and valuable for them and their audiences. You need to craft your pitches with a clear purpose and a compelling angle that showcases your unique perspective, expertise, or solution. You also need to provide supporting evidence, data, or examples that back up your claims and demonstrate your credibility. Furthermore, you need to be concise, clear, and courteous in your communication and follow up appropriately.

5 Deliver on your promises

One of the most important ways to maintain strong relationships with your media contacts and influencers is to deliver on your promises and meet their expectations. This means being reliable, consistent, and accountable in fulfilling your commitments, such as providing quality content, meeting deadlines, honoring exclusives, and respecting embargoes. It also means being flexible, adaptable, and supportive in case of changes, challenges, or issues that may arise during the media collaboration.

6 Measure and evaluate your results

Finally, you need to measure and evaluate your results from your media relations activities and use them to improve your performance and relationships. You can use various metrics and indicators to assess the quality, quantity, and impact of your media coverage, such as reach, impressions, engagement, sentiment, conversions, and reputation. You can also use feedback and testimonials from your media contacts and influencers to identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats and adjust your strategies accordingly.