Hopefully, by now, you have lost some of the apprehension you might have had about talking to the media. You have learned that using the news media is a manageable risk, if you prepare properly. This final article will discuss how to build lasting relationships with your local media. This is the “secret” to getting good “press.”
As an overlay to this entire discussion, it is vital that all your dealings with the media be truthful and reliable. Your word is your stock in trade. When you say you will do something, do. If you don’t know something, say so. The long term benefit of a lasting media relationship is far greater than any one story. And it is the way we should live – honoring our relationships.
This article will take you through a series of steps to help you build mutually helpful relationships with your local media. This is not written in stone. You may find you can skip some of these steps, or let things happen in a different order. But it is a reasonable sequence of steps that will help you build solid personal relationships with your local reporters.