13 ways to get on a journalist’s good side

Pitching journalists can be difficult for a novice or even a seasoned PR pro. One wrong move can kill a burgeoning relationship, but that comes with the territory. Speaking from my own journalistic perspective from having received hundreds of PR pitches over the years, here are 13 ways to pitch your product or service to a reporter in a way that just might get you a mention:

1. Before you approach a reporter, you should know what the reporter’s expertise is, and ensure that your story is related to her or his field. Roxana Baiceanu, Point Homes communication specialist, says, “When we have a story we think will be of interest to the media, we already have a list of real estate journalists who follow this kind of news. Whether or not they use our story, they are grateful to be kept in the loop.”

2. You must always respect the reporter’s power to reject your story, or postpone working on it. Don’t be a pest and bother her or him with follow up requests or demands for further contact. If the reporter is interested, he or she will contact you. Make sure you give the reporter clear and precise contact information so they won’t have any problems getting hold of you when necessary.