When it comes to maintaining successful media relations, it is important that you understand there is both an approach you need to have when dealing with big national media outlets, and there are approaches that you need to take when handling local media relations. Here are some tips when it comes to dealing with your local media that will help you find the success that you are looking for when it comes to handling your local media outlets.
Getting to Know Local Reporters
One of the best and most important things you can do when it comes to making an impact with your local media relations is to get to know your local media outlets:
- Pay attention to the media in your local area and start to get to know what type of journalists will likely cover you and your company.
- Learn the names of the reporters that will likely cover you.
- Send your information directly to the local reporters instead of their ‘editors’ so they can also get to know you.
- If there are local events that will help you meet reporters and editors, join these programs or ‘press clubs.’
- Try to arrange a short meeting to get to know these individuals
Getting Your Information in the Hands of These Reporters
If you have mass mailings, newsletters, business cards or basic information about your company and your business, send local media outlets a copy of this basic information about your company so they can start to get your information about your business. You can also consider inviting local media outlets to follow you on social media sites as well. This way they can stay up to date with news and information that is going on with your company.
Delivering News That is Newsworthy
Developing close relationships with your local media outlets is important, since you are their neighbor and local community member. One of the ways that you can start developing these close relationships is by only sending them news that is actually newsworthy. When you take the time to make sure that you are only delivering newsworthy news, the reporters will begin to trust you and believe that you are sending quality information that they can count on. If you are sending them random information and only self promoting information every day, chances are they won’t ‘trust’ you to provide them with anything they can actually use to create a newsworthy article. They will trust you that the emails that they are getting from you are actually worth their time and will eventually start to build a better and more trusting relationship with you.
Handling relationships with local media is not the same as establishing relationships with national media outlets. If you know how to deal with these relationships then you can be much better off with your local media outlets as you start to get your name and your business out to the public.
