Tips on Dealing with the Media

Trying to get coverage for your community?

Reporters have compiled some useful tips that I think you may find useful:
1. Read their articles and make sure they are the right reporter to contact.
2. Make sure they aren't on deadline if you are contacting them by phone.
3. Take advantage of multi-media to explain something and provide pictures and video.
4. You may have a great story that doesn't get any pick up--it just wasn't a good day. Repackage it and try again.
5. Be careful not to use industry jargon--they don't understand your industry. For example--census. May make sense to you but not to them.
6. Spin and fluff are annoying--get to the facts.
7. They are busy and overworked--you may not hear back but they still are interested.
8. Email works great but work on a compelling subject line
9. What you want to accomplish may be at odds with their assignments.
10. Try to help them when they reach out to you. If they know you can deliver; when you need them..it will be easier. If you can't help; let them know so they'll know you tried.

Many of our clients think it's easy to get their name in the newspaper. It's a challenge we don't take lightly.