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9 rules for Earned Media: How to build trust with journalists (and why flattery works 😉)

  • Marie-Louise Cleeren
  • Nov 14
  • 1 min read
Four people (two men and two women) at standing tables with a Cision roll-up and some windows at the back.
Cision leading a panel discussion about Journalist Relations featuring Karin Wahlén (Kult PR), Gabriel Mellqvist (EFN), and Roija Rafii (Telia).

I had a valuable evening event yesterday focused on Journalist Relations at Cision in Stockholm, mingling with fellow communications professionals. The panel – featuring Karin Wahlén (Kult PR), Gabriel Mellqvist (EFN), and Roija Rafii (Telia) – shared insights on building trust and effective media relationships.


As a consultant with long experience of Tech PR and media outreach, I found the following tips from the panel particularly relevant to share:


  1. Quality over quantity. Always.

  2. The Subject Line is key: Put your news headline directly in the email subject line.

  3. Pitching: Be brief (max 3 lines) and connect your story to a larger context (market trend, societal impact).

  4. Follow up: Journalists receive hundreds of releases daily. Follow up quickly via phone call or SMS.

  5. Flattery works: Compliment a relevant previous article the journalist wrote before introducing your story angle.

  6. Contradictory views: Offer an opposing viewpoint if you disagree with a published article; journalists value new angles.

  7. Web asset: Post press releases on your own website; they serve as valuable background information for future stories.

  8. Expert source: Actively offer company spokespeople as reliable topic experts.

  9. AI caution: Use AI for data compilation and summarization, but a human must remain in the loop for fact-checking and ensuring unique newsworthiness.


Text and photo: Mimmis Cleeren, CEO, SUNMICO


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