Establishing good relations with reporters and editors is always a good thing. It is also one of my top ten best practices (check out No. 8 – “Take a Reporter to Lunch”). Press coverage increases your credibility and is free vs. advertising, which both requires out-of pocket costs, and by its nature is less credible because it’s you talking vs. a reporter quoting you.
In 365 Marketing Meditations: Daily Lessons for Marketing & Communications Professionals by Richard S. Levick and Larry Smith of Levick Strategic Communications, the meditations for today and tomorrow contain two excellent points in dealing with reporters:
August 20: “Don’t ever promise an exclusive without delivering;” and
August 21: “Don’t snub reporters because you’ve never heard of their publications. They have a funny way of eventually landing at The Wall Street Journal.”
Good advice if you want to build solid relationships with reporters.