I’ve been working in media relations for twenty five years, but recently had a welcome reminder of what really builds relationships with reporters. During a routine check through my emails, I spotted a request from a BBC Radio 4 journalist who was seeking an expert commentator on the Japan/EU Economic Partnership for Business Matters.
In 2016, I took on a small project for Oceanbridge Management which as founded by Japanese businesswoman Masako Eguchi-Bacon, with a mission to create business links between British and Japanese technology companies. Masako is intelligent, engaging and a fluent English speaker, so I was confident that she would come across extremely well on radio.
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Although she isn’t a client, I knew that Masako would be perfect for this programme and so I put together a short pitch explaining her background and business and emailed the BBC journalist a quote that Masako had provided for an earlier feature on international marketing.
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- Within half an hour the BBC journalist called my mobile to ask if Masako could come into the studio the following day. I explained that she wasn’t a client, but I would check her availability and call him straight back.
- After I’d confirmed that Masako was available for the radio interview, the journalist gave me a little more background on the programme and, as we were closing the call he asked the question that every PR consultant wants to hear: “I know you said Masako isn’t your client, so who do you represent?”
- Rather than reeling off a list, knowing that he’s currently covering the repercussions of Brexit, I told him about a manufacturing client who has strong opinions on the referendum and international trade, based on 30 years’ experience of exporting to America, Western Europe and Asia. The journalist asked me to send some background information and told me that, based on what I’d told him, there might be a couple of interview opportunities for this client for both TV and radio.
A couple of hours after introducing Masako, the journalist emailed back, copying in two other colleagues at the BBC who were interested in speaking to her.
The moral of the story? Media relations is about helping journalists to do their jobs more effectively, and building relationships for your clients in the process. If you spot an opportunity to put a journalist in touch with exactly the right expert for their story, grab it, even if that spokesperson is no longer/ or not yet your client. If you help a journalist to bring the right expertise to their readers, viewers, or listeners, they will be far more receptive to hearing about your other clients in future. What goes around, really does come around.
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You can listen to Masako discussing the Japan/EU Economic Partnership here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w172w0q4lggs27l