1. First and foremost, it is about creating information occasions and materials for media. For this however routine, but still very important work a communication specialist will need a good press-kit.

• Press-release

• The list of facts about the company

• Backgrounder as well as

• The list of subjects that might be of interest for media

2. Media materials should better be divided into two categories:

Firstly, these are classical formats. Here we can mention editorial materials, columns, expert comments, interviews, TV stories about your project etc.

Second category is about creative formats. Here you have materials and special projects designed by you together with the media. How about making jointly with one of the leading media a series of materials or even special events for your target audiences that you have in common.

Text or video story formats also give you an opportunity to show your creativity.

• Test instead of a text

• Infografics instead of thousand  words

• Explanation cards instead of boring pictures

It’s your choice alone. 

3. Do not forget to interact and talk with journalists offline and personally: press conferences, press tours and when possible less formal events are a perfect occasion to build or develop your contacts with journalists.

Just as well, do not forget about regular monitoring of not only publications or broadcasting about your project, but information field in general.

All these activities should gradually build up your pool of loyal media. Its presence and growth dynamics stands for one of the important performance indicator of your work as a communication specialist. 

OK, you’ve got the formats you can interact with media, you have your media strategy, media map and you might have some ideas of media cooperation.

So, how do you bring them to media representatives?

1. Firstly, start with messages that you want to integrate into the material. Do not forget about the goals and interests of media you cooperate with. The points where your goals and interests intersect will be the best for cooperation based on the win-win principle.

2. First, generate an idea, and then pack it. Search for or create new formats. Do not follow the trends, set them yourself! Get out of the box!

3. If you work with media, then whether you want it or not, you have to become in part a journalist and an editor. What does it mean? Learn how to look at your press materials and texts as an editor would do. Work on the quality of your texts. Write in short sentences. Cut down your texts to messages. Remember: best editing approach is cutting off all unnecessary stuff.

4. Remember that journalists are always short of time. You have to be able to present your idea to a journalist in 1 minute orally or in 2 paragraphs of written text.

So let’s sum it all up: how to become an ideal media relations specialist?

1. First, identify the needs. Find time to understand what could be interesting for the media you want to work with. Here a long play will be a winning strategy.

2. Second, stop being a source of constant press releases, but become a source of useful information. Always try to provide the needed statistics, data and access to experts.

3. Third, build up not a contacts database, but relations. This is your major investment in the area of communications.

4. Fourth, grow your inner editor. Do not plan just outings with media,  do construct formats and materials, offer your ideas, moves and accent points, speakers, etc. Bottom line: let your imagination go wild.

5. Fifth, finally, be professional, timely and tactful. Remember that your reputation precedes you.

Assignment:

Design 5 ideas of special projects for 5 different media.