We talk to many potential Full Swing Public Relations clients who want to know about "our relationships" with members of the media. I tell them this is a myth. It doesn't really matter who you know; what's much more important is that your pitch is succinct, newsworthy, and adds value to the lives of their viewers/readers/listeners. I've been turned down many times by journalists I know. Nothing beats having a solid pitch, and that's why former journalists tend to make the best PR pros in my opinion. Even with a good pitch, you may receive a "not right now" and have a reporter come back to you in the future. Another reason you can't rely on relationships: There's a lot of turnover in journalism. Journalists are notoriously underpaid. Prioritize smart pitching over knowing someone or worse, knowing someone who knows someone.
Had a few people ask me: How important is "having a relationship" with a journalist in getting ink? Speaking for just myself, if I know you, I'll open your email, read it carefully and let you know if it's a yes or a no. That's it. That's all it gets you. This week I've turned down pitches and submitted pieces from PR pros I know and like a lot. Because it's ultimately about my audience. Not about the PR person, not about me. So yes, having a relationship is good. But it's not a guarantee of anything more than a glance.
