The Art of Building Meaningful Connections in Journalism and PR
By Andrea Gläsemann
February, the month of heart-shaped balloons, red roses, sweet chocolates, and handwritten cards — personally, I'm not a fan of Valentine's Day at all. It seems this day has become nothing more than an opportunity for businesses to boost consumerism. Am I a love Grinch because of this? No. Because in my opinion, a good relationship should be nurtured all year round — whether it's with a partner, friends, family, or oneself.
The same applies to the relationships between PR consultants and journalists. It's not enough to just reach out when you want something from journalists; you also need to ensure that they remember you positively and that a professional relationship can be built. How? That's what I'll discuss today.
I'm Andrea, a former Forbes journalist, now a Laika Space Dog, and I'm delighted to share with you a new episode of my column, “Lessons from a Former Forbes Journalist”. In this installment, we'll take a look at the art of building meaningful connections between journalists and comms consultants. Enjoy!
When I look back on my time as an editor, one communication consultant stands out in my memory—and in a positive light. Not only did she understand the audience Forbes targets and the Forbes DNA, but she also was always polite and courteous in her communication style, and she had done her homework—she always thought ahead and even beyond our immediate needs. But that's not all: even after our interview she managed to build a professional relationship with me that didn't feel burdensome and provided me with added value. But how did she manage to do that?
Therefore, I will now delve into what it takes to build a positive relationship with a journalist.
5 aspects you should be aware of for building a positive connection
Research and personalize: Take the time to research the journalist's beat, interests, and recent work before reaching out. Personalize your pitches and communications to show that you understand their preferences and needs. Feel free to have the courage to make your emails more personal here. Did you know the journalist is a true fan of Cologne? Why not include a few restaurant or café recommendations? Or perhaps they're a lover of crime novels? How about mentioning some book recommendations? This demonstrates that you're not just sending out impersonal mass emails, but rather engaging on an individual level.
Provide value: Offer valuable insights, resources, and story angles that align with the journalist's audience and objectives. Focus on how your pitch or story idea can benefit their readership. Additionally, it's important to set your story within a larger context and illustrate the big picture. Moreover, you should substantiate your statements with sources; statistics always work well in this regard.
Respect the etiquette: Always be upfront about your intentions and any potential conflicts of interest. Transparency builds trust and credibility in your relationship with journalists. Also, respect journalists' deadlines and boundaries. Avoid bombarding them with unnecessary follow-ups or pitches that aren't relevant to their beat. Furthermore, don't insist that the journalist change their text just because you don't like it—unless there are factual inaccuracies. If the journalist requests further details, don't keep them waiting long—and the same goes if they express interest in an interview. Weeks of searching for a suitable time because the CEO has 'better' things to do doesn't reflect well. Always consider providing high-quality visual material too. There's nothing more frustrating than featuring an executive person with only a small, low-quality image. It's better to prioritize a photoshoot before the press work. And last but not least: Express gratitude for journalists' time and consideration, whether they choose to cover your story or not.
Facilitate connections beyond your agenda: Act as a connector within your network by introducing journalists to relevant sources, experts, or colleagues who can provide valuable insights or perspectives for their stories. Facilitating connections demonstrates your value beyond just pitching stories.
Follow up: Normally, follow-ups are conducted some time after the pitches—but what if we also did them occasionally in between to strengthen the relationship? The email could simply inquire about the current topics the journalist is working on or include personal recommendations, for example, if we know the journalist enjoys traveling, etc.
It's a two-way street
Last but not least, I also want to address that the respect and understanding shown towards work is not a one-way street and must also be reciprocal - it's simply unacceptable when journalists, who express interest, then fail to follow up, or complain about gender neutral language in a pitch (yes, it has happened!) or don't show up for interview appointments. Not only are communication experts required to adhere to various fundamental principles, but so too are journalists.
As you can see, building professional, good relationships with journalists is easier than you might think—at least when you know and adhere to a few basic criteria, such as tailoring pitches based on journalists' interests and providing personalized recommendations to engage on an individual level. Also, transparency about intentions, deadlines, and avoiding excessive follow-ups or demands for changes are crucial.
Similarly to Valentine's Day, it's essential to care about your relationship 365 days a year. After all, every good relationship thrives on empathy and good communication—all year round.