The days of a boundless rolodex equaling media placements are over. The common misconception that a public relations agency’s relationships will get your company placed in the top tier, industry, or local media is just that – a fallacy. Building and maintaining relationships with reporters is vital to a public relations practitioner’s role; however, it will not ultimately earn your company media coverage.

Storytelling reigns supreme. In today’s saturated media landscape, earned media is increasingly challenging to secure. With fewer journalists in a newsroom, frequent turnover, and pressure to monetize content, your PR practitioner must identify and tell corporate stories that stand out. Marrying your corporate story with a moment in time or a human-interest story will lead to more success in the long run.

Know the market. Media markets differ regionally, locally, and more. Therefore, picking a partner with market-specific knowledge and experience is essential to ensure a localized pitch approach. This can result in increased tailored placements and exposure to high-value audiences for your organization.

Back to basics. There is no doubt that the media environment is ever-changing. From the development of the dot com to social media, and whatever is yet to come. However, one thing remains the true north of pitching media: always go back to the basics. Nothing can substitute for a standout angle, strategic timing, sharp writing, and savvy persuasion to garner news coverage.

Of course, relationships with the media are inevitable and always good to have. Building strategic relationships across various media outlets allow for friendly, conversational-style engagements and will increase your brand awareness among publications. However, ultimately, the above criteria will drive long-term successful media campaigns, most importantly, tangible results for your organization.