Steal These Ideas!: Marketing Secrets That Will Make You a Star, 2nd Edition

Tips on Interacting with Reporters

Generally, they are a smart bunch, well versed on their subject of expertise but not necessarily well rounded. With a few exceptions, they feel underpaid and underappreciated and apt to lose their job at any minute. And like most people who work on deadlines, they will cut corners to get a story submitted on time.

Here are the basic ways to interact with them:

• Always call back or e-mail back promptly, even if you can't help them.
• Try to give exclusive coverage to two or three key industry reporters on a rotating basis.
• Always be on time for interviews.
• Always request the ability to check facts before a story goes to print.
• If there is a point you really want to make, repeat it several times during an interview—in ...