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Build relationships with reporters

Get to know reporters who you want to cover you, and start building relationships.

But how do you start building relationships with someone you don’t know, particularly a reporter who is pitched dozens of times a day?

Take a tip from Jeffrey O’Brien, senior editor at Wired magazine.

“We love to talk about our work,” he said. “On a very rare occasion, I get an email that says, ‘I read that cover story you did and it really touched me.’ If you have the time, email me and tell me what you think about something I wrote. I’ll come back and say do you, ‘What do you do?’ ”

He offered the advice at the Media Relations 2005 conference in San Francisco last month when he was part of a media panel that discussed ways to build relationships with reporters.

Panelist Raul Ramirez, news director of KQED radio, a National Public Radio station in Northern California, said that when you offer feedback to journalists, it doesn’t always have to be positive.

“Sometimes it can be thoughtful criticism, something in hindsight that demonstrates something we’re trying to do and where we’ve fallen short of our goals,” Ramirez said.

You can read more of their tips on how to build relationships in the May/June 2005 issue of The Publicity Hound subscription newsletter. Click here to order.

by Joan Stewart on May 4, 2005

Filed Under: Publicity Tagged With: Media Relations

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  1. Authors and Speakers: Don’t Pitch Your Books or Programs as Story Ideas « The People's Resource Site says:
    May 18, 2010 at 3:43 pm

    […] Publicity Hounds use these other magic phrases to build the media relationship: […]

  2. Authors: Don’t Pitch Your Books as Story Ideas : Selling Books says:
    May 6, 2011 at 10:02 am

    […] […]

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Publicity expert Joan Stewart, a PR mentor aka The Publicity Hound, works with small business owners who need free publicity, and with PR pros who tell their clients' stories to the world. She shows you how to establish your credibility, enhance your reputation, position yourself as an expert, and sell more products and services. To receive her free DIY publicity tips twice a week, subscribe here. See all the ways you can work with Joan. Or contact her and ask a burning question about PR, self-promotion or social media.

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