Journalists are the gatekeepers for us PR folk. They have the power over which press releases make the news, what latest developments see a wider audience and which of your competitors get valuable print real estate.
As such, cultivating great relationships with them is crucial – particularly ones who specialize in the aerospace industry.
But journalists are busy. They don’t have time for networking, schmoozing or chatting on the phone. They want to get down to business, and they want those bylines.
So how do you build great relationships with them? You give them just that.
- Keep it concise. Journalists are big on brevity. They don’t want to read three pages of PR jargon, nor do they want to sift through spreadsheets and dozens of data points. Make your pitch as concise and to the point as possible, and don’t waste their time.
- Know their niche. If Alice specializes in covering helicopter news, don’t inundate her with press releases about passenger planes or other info she’s not able to cover. Keep an updated list of all your contacts, with detailed information on what types of stories they cover. Try to keep your pitches and press releases as in line with these interests as possible. You don’t want to end up on any spam lists!
- Make their job easy. Don’t make journalists jump through hoops just to give you coverage. Make their job easy by giving them the who, what, where and why up front. Use bullet points, and break down why your story is important and should be covered.
- Give them quotes. Chasing down interviews is the worst (and most time-consuming) part of a journalist’s job. If you can give them prewritten quotes or, at the very least, a few preestablished interview times when your subject matter experts are available, that’s a great way to endear them to your brand and get them to cover you.
- Offer them exclusives. Most journalists don’t want to cover the exact same news as Joe in the next building over. They want something unique – something that stands out and makes their story a step above the rest. Consider giving certain journalists exclusive or early access to your news, so there’s something in it for them.
Here at Haley Aerospace, many of our aerospace PR and marketing experts are former journalists – so they know what it takes to get noticed and put in print. Want help getting your brand valuable news real estate? Get in touch today.
