6 media relations tips to make yourself a go-to source

Journalists are under continuous pressure.

They must gather information and sources for multiple stories, working on one deadline after another.

[RELATED: How to tell your story in the age of fractured media and distracted audiences]

You can make their job easier, positioning yourself as a sought-after source.

1. Meet deadlines. Getting all the research done and finding sources and images on time can be stressful for journalists. Provide all requested information in a timely fashion, ahead of the deadline.
2. Use white space. When pitching or responding to journalists via email or a written document, use short paragraphs and lots of white space. It makes it easier for them to read your content, and it reduces eye strain.
3. Use identifiable file names on photos. Rather than labeling your photo headshot.jpg when submitting it to journalists, use yourname_headshot.jpg. That way, it can easily be identified when they are compiling your story and they needn’t double-check who is in the photo, thereby avoiding errors.
4. Don’t ask for updates. Although it’s tempting to want to get updates on a pending story, don’t ask when it will run. Journalists are stretched thin and don’t appreciate your “just checking in” or making requests. Instead, set a Google Alert to monitor online mentions so you know when your story goes live.
5. Share stories, and credit the journalist. Share stories on social media, and tag the journalist, not just the outlet. Journalists rely on social media for publishing and promoting their own content. You can help them get more visibility by promoting their work and helping them reach a wider audience.
6. Secure image rights. If you are offering or providing photos to accompany your story, secure the image rights and provide them to the journalist. This saves them the time and trouble of having to do so themselves.

Being a great source is a win-win. You can make a journalist’s demanding job less stressful, and you gain the satisfaction of helping them do their job more easily while gaining coverage.

Jane Tabachnick is a PR professional, writer and book publisher. A version of this article originally appeared on Muck Rack, a service that enables you to find journalists to pitch, build media lists, get press alerts and create coverage reports with social media data.

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