The best ways to engage journalists

Knowing how to effectively engage with journalists in a highly saturated media environment can be the difference between getting your story published or not. Journalists receive hundreds of media pitches every day, so how can you make your story stand out?

Here are some top tips from our journalism and public relations experts at Adoni Media.

Connections

To successfully connect with journalists, it helps to have working relationships with media professionals. As part of media relations training, PR professionals are taught to build mutually beneficial relationships with journalists who have taken interest in your stories previously and engaging in their work.

It’s also important to build a profile that makes you a “go to” person when journalists need an expert in your field.

Crafting your message

When creating a message, it is important to be clear and succinct. Identifying the right journalist and media outlet that will reach your target audience, will help get your story heard.

More importantly, ensure your PR firm helps to ensure the correct key message is out there, and controls the story.

Pressure on journalists

The nature of the 24-hour news cycle has added pressure to journalists and newsrooms. Understanding the media environment can help you better engage with journalists and get your story across in the right way at the right time.

Make sure your story pitch provides as much information as possible to make the journalist’s job easier. Include a newsworthy message, facts and relevant resources, sourced talent, hi-res images and footage (such as file footage or a Video News Release).

Appeal to journalists by keeping a human-interest element to your story pitch. Human interest stories keep the target audience engaged, while also giving the story its own voice.

The importance of Public Relations

Public Relations professionals know what makes a story newsworthy which is invaluable when engaging with journalists. Effective PR specialists know how to tell a story in a way that is interesting and engaging and have a healthy book of media contacts.

The public relations experts at Adoni Media have more than 80 years of combined media knowledge, which can provide businesses with a wide network of contacts in the journalism industry.