Media relations is a professional service that a public relations firm facilitates between its clients and media organizations such as newspapers, radio, television or even social media. The public relations firm communicates its clients’ newsworthy, timely stories that meet client goals and are most relevant to local client stakeholders. Public relations professionals present these stories in a polished, ready-to-go package that is sent to news outlets best suited to the story content, location and timeline.
In the eyes of Big Sky Public Relations, earned media coverage is critical to building awareness and shaping the public’s perception of a project or organization. Media relations is consistently a powerful and effective method for gaining trust with a given target audience.
Successful media relations activities are the best method for boosting third-party credibility for a client’s organization or company. Third-party credibility is gained when an objective, outside individual voices their trust and positive feelings for an organization. Oftentimes, the most vocal third-party figures who have access to the public are trusted, local news outlets.
In order to successfully gain the exposure and credibility that will benefit clients in the long term, technical expertise and strong community relationships must lay the foundation for a public relations firm’s media relations tactics.
Technical Experience
Before engaging in the valuable processes of media relations, public relations professionals must be fully knowledgeable and equipped with the skills to aptly construct news releases. Furthermore, a public relations professional must continually manage coverage through expert communications with the news organizations to which the story is delivered.
Media relations requires public relations professionals to be creative, adaptive and intentional with each instance of media outreach. Each tactic must be tailored to the specific needs of the client, the specific project and its stakeholders. A news outlet that reaches one client’s stakeholders may not effectively reach the unique stakeholders of another client. Sometimes, media relations can be even more nuanced to the point that a client may have multiple projects, one that suits print media best and one that requires a combination of radio and television media exposure. In summary, one size does not fit all in this situation.
Strong Community Relationships
Key relationships with local media outlets, businesses, community organizations, public officials and residents bolster media relations efforts. Without these relationships, it is harder to determine which stories will have the greatest, intentional and nuanced impact on an organization’s stakeholders.
As an example, here at Big Sky Public Relations, we prioritize our local community and media relationships. We build these relationships to best serve our clients, but most importantly, we are truly passionate about being connected and engaged with the communities we serve including Bozeman, Great Falls, Helena Kalispell, Missoula, Spokane, and more. Big Sky Public Relations creates outreach strategies and media tactics that are customized and authentically connected to the people who make up these unique communities.
Additionally, as a public outreach focused firm, Big Sky Public Relations prioritizes stories that get our communities the information they need to live their everyday lives. Our transportation and infrastructure clients interact with their communities on a daily basis through the roads, bridges and sidewalks the public travels on, so it is critical that an open line of communication is maintained by leveraging media channels that are local, accessible and relevant.
