A proactive media relations strategy is essential for CMOs who want to establish and maintain brand visibility and authority. Media relations involve building connections with media contacts and positioning your brand through targeted media outreach. These efforts ensure your products or services and your thought leadership reach a broader audience while boosting credibility and driving website traffic.

However, effective media relations have become increasingly challenging as traditional journalism undergoes significant changes. Many journalists are now covering multiple beats as staffing declines, making them responsible for a broader range of topics with limited time. This trend also reflects a shift away from specialized reporting. For example, on October 29, The Baltimore Sun announced the dissolution of its features department for the first time since 1888, leaving the city’s cultural life without a dedicated reporter. As print publications close or consolidate, journalists are often asked to cover more ground than ever before --  making earned media harder and harder.

In this fragmented media landscape, CMOs must approach media relations strategically. Rather than relying solely on press releases, they should build robust media databases, leverage online and emerging platforms and focus on creating relevant media content to remain competitive.

Why Media Relations Matters

Media relations provide marketers with a powerful tool for establishing thought leadership, enhancing brand awareness and driving interest. Through careful engagement with journalists, influencers and other content creators, brands can foster trust and position themselves as leaders in their fields. Additionally, a media strategy can enhance website traffic and generate high-quality leads through credible media placements.

In this rapidly changing media landscape, staying relevant means regularly connecting with both traditional and new media channels. Unlike paid ads, earned media coverage brings an added layer of credibility and influence that resonates with potential clients.

Media Relations as Part of a Broader Strategy: The PESO Model

While media relations—often referred to as earned media—is a powerful tactic, it should be part of a broader, integrated marketing strategy. Relying solely on media outreach limits a brand’s visibility and impact. To maximize results, CMOs should consider the PESO model, developed by Spin Sucks, which combines four key media elements: paid, earned, shared and owned media.

1. Paid Media: This includes advertising across digital, social and traditional channels. Paid media provides immediate visibility and targeted reach, complementing the credibility earned media offers.

2. Earned Media: Represented by media relations, earned media builds trust and authority by leveraging third-party credibility, like news coverage or influencer endorsements. It’s often a cornerstone of brand credibility (thanks to its third party endorsement capabilities) but should be balanced with other media types.

3. Shared Media: Encompassing social media, shared media encourages audience engagement and brand-community interaction. Leveraging social channels ensures a brand’s message is amplified and directly connects with its audience.

4. Owned Media: This includes assets like your website, blog and newsletters. Owned media provides a platform for direct communication, supporting brand storytelling and thought leadership without intermediary influence.

The PESO model creates a cohesive strategy by combining these elements, ensuring that each effort works synergistically to build brand awareness, drive website traffic and support business goals beyond just media relations.

Defining Goals and Target Audience

Setting clear goals and identifying your target audience is a foundational step in media relations. Begin by clarifying your core objectives—whether it’s increasing brand visibility, launching new products or building a reputation as an industry authority. Answer questions like: Who is our audience? Which media outlets do they trust? What is the key message we want to communicate?

CMOs must also consider specific media outlets and target journalists who align with their brand values and audience needs. Using a media database, (TrizCom uses Cision and Muck Rack) helps streamline outreach and ensures that pitches reach the right contacts. By aligning each media pitch with a targeted goal and audience, you can maximize the impact of their media relations efforts​.

Building a Media Database

A well-organized media database is a cornerstone of any effective media relations strategy. Start by identifying key media outlets, journalists and contacts who cover relevant topics in your industry. Look for journalists with an interest in your sector by researching past articles, following them on social media and using tools like Muck Rack or LinkedIn. For each contact, record essential details such as email addresses, phone numbers, Twitter handles, beats and publication schedules.

Segment your database by media type (digital, print, broadcast) or by outlet type (national vs. local) for easy navigation. Additionally, group contacts based on the specific topics they cover to streamline your pitch targeting. Media monitoring tools like Critical Mention and Prowly can help track coverage, update contact details and identify new influencers.

Regularly update your database to reflect changes in the media landscape—journalists frequently move positions or publications. By maintaining an organized, current list, you’ll be able to pitch more effectively, stay on top of industry trends and build stronger relationships with media contacts.

Crafting Your Key Messages

Clear, consistent messaging is essential for building brand credibility. Before engaging with the media, define the core messages you want your brand to communicate. These should align closely with your target audience’s needs, pain points and interests, ensuring your message resonates and positions your brand as a solution provider.

Tailor each message to reflect what’s unique about your brand. Consider what differentiates your products or services and focus on values that matter to your audience. Keep messages simple, memorable and free of jargon to make them accessible to journalists and the public alike. Finally, ensure that these messages remain consistent across all media channels—whether in press releases, social media or interviews—to strengthen brand perception and avoid mixed signals.

Building Relationships with Industry Reporters

While a strong story is often the most important factor in gaining media coverage, building solid relationships with reporters who cover your industry should be a cornerstone of your media strategy. Developing connections with journalists goes beyond a single pitch; it creates a trusted foundation that encourages ongoing dialogue. When reporters view your brand as a reliable source of information, they’re more likely to turn to you for insights, quotes and story ideas—even for topics you may not pitch directly.

Relationships with media contacts also make crisis communication smoother and more credible, as established trust helps journalists view your responses as reliable and transparent. To build these connections, take the time to understand their work, send occasional insights without a pitch and engage meaningfully with their content on social media. Strong reporter relationships enhance your brand’s visibility, deepen credibility and position you as a valued resource in your industry.

Best Practices for Media Pitches

Creating a compelling media pitch is crucial for standing out in journalists' crowded inboxes. Start by researching the journalist’s work to understand their style, focus and audience. Personalize each pitch to address the journalist by name and reference their past work if relevant—this establishes a connection and shows that you value their expertise.

Tailor pitches for different media formats: for digital, emphasize SEO-friendly elements like headline potential and timely relevance; for broadcast, highlight any visually engaging aspects or sound bites that make your story TV-friendly; for print, focus on detailed information and background context.

Ensure your pitch is concise and hooks interest within the first few lines. State why your story matters now—whether it’s a trend, timely event or unique insight—and explain why it’s a great fit for their readers. Always include supporting materials, like images, videos or data points, to strengthen the pitch. Finally, provide clear contact information and respond quickly to any follow-up questions to keep the momentum going.

Executing Media Outreach and Follow-Up

Effective media outreach requires a balanced approach across various channels. Use press releases to share essential announcements, ensuring they are newsworthy and distributed to the right media contacts. Engage on social media platforms to reach a wider audience and boost brand visibility. Additionally, personalize each outreach message, especially when contacting journalists directly; a tailored, thoughtful email is more likely to get noticed than a generic message.

Follow-up is crucial but must be respectful and timely. Allow a few days after your initial outreach, then send a brief, polite reminder without pressuring the journalist. Avoid over-communicating; persistence is valuable but should not strain relationships. Respectful follow-ups build a positive reputation and help establish credibility with media contacts, ensuring they’re more receptive to future pitches.

Monitoring and Measuring Results

Media monitoring is essential to track brand mentions, campaign reach and overall impact. Tools like Talkwalker or Google Alerts help CMOs keep an eye on where and how the brand appears, providing insights into audience reach and sentiment. Reviewing these metrics is critical to understanding which outreach strategies resonate and which may need refinement.

Measuring campaign performance is also vital for long-term planning. Metrics like media impressions, social shares and engagement rates indicate effectiveness, helping CMOs identify high-performing content or areas for improvement. Using this data, your team can adjust media relations tactics, optimize content to suit audience preferences and refine future outreach efforts to maximize results and efficiency.

Crisis Communications and Management

In times of crisis, marketing plays a pivotal role in protecting the brand’s reputation. Crisis communication requires a proactive, transparent approach that addresses the issue swiftly and effectively to maintain public trust. An essential component is a comprehensive crisis communications plan that includes a real-time response strategy, designed to address potential issues before they escalate.

Key elements of an effective crisis plan include designated spokespeople, clear message guidelines and a framework for timely updates. Marketers should ensure that these spokespeople are well-prepared and capable of delivering the company’s message confidently and consistently. Regular media contact maintenance is also vital, as established relationships can help ease communication during challenging times.

Monitoring public sentiment and brand mentions in real-time is crucial for identifying emerging issues and adjusting responses. Respond to inquiries transparently and honestly, but with care to avoid speculation. The goal is to maintain trust and credibility, ensuring the brand emerges resilient and prepared for future situations.

Next Steps

CMOs must approach media relations strategically, balancing outreach, monitoring and crisis management. Building a solid media relations strategy, based on targeted messaging and data-driven adjustments, helps brands maintain credibility and visibility.

Now is the time to assess your current media strategy. Are your media contacts and outreach efforts as effective as they could be? Consider engaging with a PR agency like TrizCom PR to strengthen and expand your media relations efforts, ensuring your brand remains visible, trusted and resilient in a rapidly evolving environment.

If you're ready to build strong, impactful media relationships and elevate your brand’s presence, consider partnering with the experts at TrizCom PR. Our team understands the importance of strategic media connections and has the tools and experience to position your brand as a trusted industry resource. Let TrizCom PR help you establish meaningful relationships with the reporters who matter most to your business. Reach out today to discover how we can enhance your media relations strategy and turn your brand into a recognized, credible voice in your industry.

Give us a call today, 972-247-1369.

About the Author:

Jo Trizila – Founder & CEO of TrizCom PR
Jo Trizila is the founder and CEO of TrizCom PR, a leading Dallas-based public relations firm known for delivering strategic communications that drive business growth and enhance brand reputations. With over 25 years of experience in PR and marketing, Jo has helped countless organizations navigate complex communication challenges, ranging from crisis management to brand storytelling. Under her leadership, TrizCom PR has earned recognition for its results-driven approach, combining traditional and digital strategies to deliver impactful, measurable outcomes for clients across various industries, including healthcare, technology, and nonprofit sectors. Jo is passionate about helping businesses amplify their voices and connect with audiences meaningfully. Her hands-on approach and commitment to excellence have established TrizCom PR as a trusted partner for companies seeking to elevate their brand and achieve lasting success. Contact Jo at jo@TrizCom.com.