Change = Opportunity

As media outlets keep evolving and changing, it is easy to be overwhelmed at the prospect of maintaining and growing contacts. As outlets change the way they report on stories and are structured and as reporter/producer roles involve more responsibility and the necessity to do more with less, PR people can step up to the challenge and create opportunity. But the only way to do it is that PR professionals have to change as well and find new contacts, new outlets to pitch and continue educating themselves on the changing media landscape. There are a few ways to do this.

First off, if any valued media contact is going through a tough professional time, reach out. One of my favorite mantras about pitching is that it really is a chance to make new friends – and now’s the time to act like one. Commiserate, brainstorm other opportunities together and help them talk through their options. Not only is this the right thing to do, but nine times out of ten as that individual moves into another facet of media – writing a book, contributing to a different publication, consulting on a TV show or freelancing for a variety of different publications, your relationship will also grow. One of my great contacts (and now good friend) was laid off from a high-ranking editorial position, only to now be running a very successful blog, contributing to a variety of women’s magazines on a regular basis, editing a large health Web site and writing a book proposal. We’ve partnered on a variety of ideas and articles and in her current role she’s become an even more valued contact for me.

What about a situation where it’s a brand new social media outlet? Or a national show that you could never break into? Whether you are just starting out or you are in your 20th year of working, making new contacts is a constant in our profession. Attend any media panels you can which are hosted by the various PR professional organizations and introduce yourself to speakers. Better yet, take the time to specifically identify who is critical for you to know (former contacts are a good resource for this) and invite them out for a meal, and offer to brainstorm ideas with them.

More than ever, our goal with media should be to make their jobs easier – in every contact with a reporter or producer, we should be striving to demonstrate how a relationship with us can do that. One of my most valued contacts with a national show came from a segment I helped out on that did not end up featuring my client. While some think that may have been a waste of time, since then, I have had the producer’s and host’s eternal gratitude, and my segment ideas get on frequently.

It’s also about perspective in times like this. While media is changing, there is still an overabundance of traditional and new media outlets to become familiar with. Between cable news networks, reporter’s tweets, influential online outlets and the updating of traditional publications to stay competitive, there are always new outlets and new contacts to make. Use the changes going on in media (personnel and otherwise) to motivate you to get to know as many media contacts as you can, in as many different places as possible. Enjoy the cocktails along the way.

Megan Driscoll