TL;DR Media relations works best when organisations give journalists useful, relevant stories at the right time. That means building relationships, knowing what makes a story newsworthy, tailoring each pitch, following up carefully and staying consistent.
HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF MEDIA RELATIONS
Media relations is one of the most valuable tools in communications, but it is often misunderstood. Too often, it is seen as sending out press releases and waiting for coverage. In reality, good media relations is about relevance, timing, consistency and trust.
Media relations helps organisations build credibility, join important market conversations and reach people through trusted third-party voices. But it only works when brands move away from a transactional approach and focus on giving journalists something useful, timely and relevant.
So, what does effective media relations look like in practice? It starts with a few core principles.
1. Start with relationships
The biggest mistake organisations make is treating journalists as a distribution channel. Journalists are looking for stories that inform, challenge, explain or add value for their readers.
Get to know the journalists who cover your sector before you pitch them by reading their work, understanding the topics they return to and paying attention to what matters to their audience. When you do reach out, that knowledge should guide your approach. A journalist is much more likely to respond to a pitch that feels relevant to them, their publication and their readers than to a generic announcement sent to a long media list.
2. Know your news value
Before approaching the media, ask a simple question: is this actually a story?
A product launch, senior hire, new partnership or company milestone may matter internally but that does not automatically make it newsworthy. Journalists need to know why a story matters to their readers. Unless your news connects to a wider trend, a market shift, a current issue or a clear development, it may not secure meaningful coverage.
3. Tailor every pitch
Before pitching, ask: why would this journalist care about this story, and why now? If you can link it to their recent work, the topics they cover or the interests of their readers, the pitch will feel much more relevant.
The key is not to overcomplicate the pitch but keep the message clear, adapt the angle so it feels written for that journalist.
4. Master the follow-up
A good follow-up can be useful when a journalist may have missed the first email, or when there is a timely reason to revisit the story.
In most cases, one polite follow-up a few days after the original pitch is enough. If there is still no response, it usually means the story is not right for that journalist at that time.
5. Build a media relations programme
A strong media relations programme uses a mix of activity, including thought leadership, expert commentary, interviews, case studies, features, briefings and opinion pieces. These formats allow organisations to show expertise, not just announce news.
Thought leadership can position spokespeople as credible voices on the issues shaping their sector. News-led commentary can give journalists an expert view when a relevant story is developing. Feature planning can help brands match their insight to topics publications are already exploring. Exclusives and embargoed stories can also help secure deeper, more prominent coverage when used carefully.
6. Be consistent
Media relations is rarely built through one-off activity. A single announcement may create short-term visibility, but recognition and trust come from showing up consistently with useful, relevant insight.
A consistent media rhythm might include company news, expert commentary, thought leadership, feature opportunities, customer stories and timely responses to industry developments. Over time, this helps journalists understand where your organisation fits, what expertise it can offer and when to come to you for comment.
Final thoughts
Making the most of media relations means building the right relationships, knowing when a story is worth pitching, tailoring each approach, following up properly, using more than press releases and staying consistent.
When these elements work together, media relations can build trust, shape perceptions, support commercial objectives and position an organisation as a credible voice in its market.
We help organisations make the most of media relations through clear storytelling, targeted outreach and long-term media engagement.
Get in touch to find out how we can help.