As B2B PR professionals, an important part of our job is maintaining strong relationships with our target journalists and to pitch them relevant, timely and interesting story ideas on behalf of our clients. Sounds simple doesn’t it?
Well in theory, yes it should be relatively simple, but the reality is all too frequently very different. Firstly, often just getting to speak to a journalist can be a struggle. Some are only ever contactable by email, while others are hardly ever contactable with phones that ring out unanswered and emails that are ignored. While for others, social media sites like Twitter are now the preferred communications tool.
Given the sheer volume of pitches, follow up calls and sell-ins they receive from PRs on a daily basis, it’s little wonder that we PR folk face an uphill struggle to actually get five minutes air time with a journalist.
PR’s are often on the receiving end of criticism from journalists for wasting their time, calling on a deadline or pitching them materials they feel aren’t relevant or news worthy enough for their readers. Much of this criticism I’m sure is justified, but having recently I read an article entitled: ‘8 things I wish journalists knew about PR’ it got me thinking about how a bit more understanding from journalists on the role of a PR could be mutually beneficial.
Much of the article explains from a PR’s point of view how we work and how to get the best from the two way relationship. It’s a really interesting read and many of the eight reasons listed could do much to nuture the future relationships between journalist and PRs.
