– Nucleus PR

In today’s fast-paced digital age, where information flows like a raging river, the importance of mastering the art of media relations cannot be overstated. And it can be tough when you are starting out or when the tide shifts and a new generation of journalists takes over. You can never be too old in the profession to learn these hacks. Understanding the dynamics of media relations is a skill that can set you apart from the rest. It’s not merely about securing your 15 minutes of fame; it’s about building enduring relationships with the gatekeepers of information and harnessing the immense power they hold to shape public perception. In this blog post, our team of PR experts share seven smart hacks with you that will help you be on top of your game.

 Research – The publication, columns, and journalist. Understand what kind of stories the publication writes on, the slant, and which journalist is best suited for it.
There are ample online social media and search platforms available for you to find out what kind of stories the journalist likes to pick to report on. Add the medium itself to your research. Read a few of the stories they have done to get a hand of their storytelling style.

 Relevance – Craft your media pitch as per the above research. Tailor make it to the journalist’s preference so they find it hard to say no. Or at best guide you to the right person.  

 Timeliness – This is essential for your pitch to move ahead in the line. Align the story to a trending topic or a universal human one that appeals to the soul, heart or the numbers in their head. Either works. But whichever you go with has to make a strong case for your story.  

 Credibility – Build this with each story. Whether it is making a pitch, giving the journalist promised data, timelines, and credible insight. Each one is an opportunity to build your reputation as a credible information source. This takes time, but each opportunity lays another stone adding to the strength of the foundation for the relationship. Your personal credibility with the journalist matters as much ( if not more ) as the client’s reputation and credibility.

 Trust – Your PR partner is your best counsel if you are in the corporate communication department. If you work with an agency, ask your peers and colleagues for insight on that particular medium and journalist. Someone would have interacted with them in the past. Whichever team you have chosen to work with them then trust them to give you the right counsel. Without that, it just won’t work out.

 Practice – This makes you perfect ( or near to it ! ) Your 3-minute phone call has to have the perfect elevator pitch to pique the interest of the journalist. Practice this with your peers and seniors so they can help you fine-tune it to the specific preferences of the journalist you want to pitch the story to. Do not repeat lines from your pitch mail. Add insights and points that are not there making this conversation worth their time.  

 Protocol – While the general protocol dictates that you send an email and call the journalist for a quick follow-up call at least 24 hours later. Listen to what the journalist is saying and either ditch or repatch your idea accordingly. Apart from this every publication and journalist has a protocol that you need to find out through your research. It will increase the chances of your pitch making it through.

Happy pitching!

About Nucleus PR

The 13-year old firm has clients across multiple verticals. With an already established presence in 4 major metros, they have successfully created a strong affiliate network across 88 towns across the country via a team of trusted professional experts. With its inclusion in the exclusive and prestigious worldwide collaborative network of PR firms – PRBI Boutiques International, it adds brilliant minds from over 40 agencies across 14 countries to their resource pool. As the first members from the Asian sub-continent, they represent the entire region in the prestigious international PR network. Their current portfolio includes entertainment, lifestyle, media, hospitality and corporate clients across MNCs, SMEs, and Startups.