THE FOUNDATION OF MEDIA RAPPORT

Every relationship you have is built on a foundation of trust, respect, and understanding, whether they are with clients, customers, business partners, employees, family, friends, or even the media. Every relationship you have is built on a foundation, just like any building you see outside of your office window. You can’t see it or touch it, but it is there and it needs to be built and maintained to ensure long-lasting relationships.

In working with the media to gain their respect, the Foundation of Media Rapport has four distinct cornerstones that must be mastered. Each cornerstone contains four separate “supports” that must also be mastered. By not understanding the cornerstones, or the supports, it is difficult to create relationships with the media that can be so valuable to promoting and building business.

However, if you fail to master the cornerstones the foundation will become weak and unstable. If this happens the relationship may become unstable and eventually collapse. Think about it like this…you have a client or customer who is depending on you to effectively communicate with them about their needs. If you don’t do it, they will walk away from the relationship and, more than likely, never return. The same can be said of the relationship you have, or hope to have, with a reporter. They are counting on you to effectively communicate with them when the need arises for you to be an expert resource. If you don’t communicate with them effectively, you will lose the relationship.