What to Do When a Reporter Attends Your Meeting

If you're in a business group or service club that's hosting someone from the media as the guest speaker, be sure you attend the event. It can be a great chance to get a few minutes of personal time with a publisher, editor, reporter or news director.

But don't just show up. Try to sit next to the media guest, or at the same table. Make small talk. Exchange business cards. Explain who you are and what you do. Ask if you can make a follow-up phone call to talk about ways they can use you as a resource. See How to be a Valuable Source the Media Love.

If you're the program planner, think of a clever way your members can let the media person know about the products or services they sell.

A breakfast I attended as a member of the Women Business Owners Network in Wisconsin a few years ago featured a local newspaper editor as the guest speaker. Before he spoke, each of our members--all women business owners--gave our 30-second introduction.

The editor said he was amazed that we had so many women business owners with so many interesting backgrounds.

If a media person covers your meeting, be sure you let them know about trends your group is seeing. Offer to put the reporter in touch with other sources outside your group. Ask if there are specific stories the publication is working on in which they need sources. See Secrets of Perfect Pitching to Reporters.

The editor who attended the meeting I was at told the group during the speech that he welcomed comments about his newspaper. One enterprising member did just that. She invited him to lunch to give him some one-on-one feedback. Since then, he has called on several members of our group and printed their stories and photos.

If a photographer accompanies the reporter or editor, be as helpful as possible. See How to Work with Newspaper Photographers.

Six months later, invite the editor or reporter for a return engagement. It could be that by then, they need more story ideas. And since your group already has positioned itself as a valuable source, don't be surprised if you hear an enthusiastic, "Yes!"

In the interim, write a pitch letter to the editor suggesting more story ideas. See How to Write a Pitch Letter More Powerful Than a News Release.
 

Need more help if a reporter covers your meeting?

See Special Report #43: The Do's and Don'ts of Offering Food to the Media.

Direct comments or questions about this article, including requests for reprint rights, to:

 Joan Stewart
 The Publicity Hound
 3930 Highway O
 Saukville, WI   53080-1330
 Phone: 262-284-7451
 JStewart@PublicityHound.com