Total Guide to Getting Free Publicity for your Business - part 3

Journalists don’t bite – make them your friends! In our last two parts, we've advised you on how to write a good press release to increase your chances of it being published. It's just as important to get journalists on side so they're even more inclined to give you that all important free publicity - here's how!

People don’t like journalists. Well, maybe that is a bit of a sweeping statement but it is true to say that, in terms of popularity, they tend to lurk somewhere between estate agents and lawyers. Even with the housing market as it is, it is a tough call to feel sorry for an estate agent and lawyers are never going to win popularity stakes. And neither are journalists.

Why do we dislike journalists? One reason must be that they are always portrayed in TV drama as a rowdy bunch who loiter outside people’s doors, sticking microphones and notebooks in people’s faces just when they are at their most vulnerable. Especially good at this television stereotype are Lewis and Midsomer Murders! In real the life the national paparazzi are as unscrupulous as they are given credit for. And, if they can’t get a good story, then they make it up - right?

Well, that may be the public perception but, like them or loathe them, you need journalists if you want to get your good news stories out there. And please try to discard the TV image of them. Your average reporter, particular in local, regional or trade media, simply doesn’t behave like that. If they did, they’d pretty soon cut off their ties with the community in which they work.

So whatever your private thoughts, you would do well to get a journalist on side if you want your good news story to be published.

Here’s how:

Firstly, find out the name of the right journalist to go to. If you represent a school with a story to tell, you want the education reporter; if you run a business then seek out the business editor. Are you a doctor or medic? Try the health reporter.

Once you have their name, and hopefully their email and telephone number too, make contact. Ask for a face-to-face meeting; offering to buy them a coffee (or even a pint!) can work wonders.

As in any area of life, if you take the time to build up a personal relationship with someone then it works to both your advantage and theirs. They are more likely to treat your story with respect; less likely to publish and be damned if they have met you. In turn, your chances of getting your good news story out there are increased.

If you keep up a regular dialogue, a journalist will use you as one of their contacts; you may get to be the expert they turn to when they need a quote for a story.

And remember, above all journalists need to fill their news columns or air time or online feeds, so are always on the hunt for good stories. If yours falls in their laps they will use it. So don’t keep your good story hidden.

To make things even easier, provide some good quality photos to go with your story. Again, you increase your chances of getting published and your story and photo will take up more space then just a few lines of copy.

So, get out there, get mingling with the journos, and you might find that not only are they just regular people underneath it all but they can do you some pretty good turns too and give a boost to your PR campaign.