Getting journalists to engage with you can be difficult, but they are key to successful communication and dissemination. Establishing a relationship is crucial to increase the likelihood of getting your story noticed. This guide contains tips to help get you started. If you need more help or an answer to a specific media or press question, please contact Katie Abbotts (kabbotts@cochranepressoffice@cochrane.org), External Communications and Media Officer.

Tips for building relationships

The key to success is putting in the effort to build a personal connection with journalists. It can be a slow and lengthy process, but worth it in the long - run.

• Instead of trying to target lots via a newsletter or email, select a few key influencers who have the potential to make a big impact.
• Do your homework – read previous articles written by them, to learn what makes them tick.
• If they are located near you, offer to meet them in person for a coffee. Face-to-face interaction can be a great way to grow a relationship.
• Alternatively, if meeting in person is not an option, you could arrange a Skype call.
• If you have a Twitter or Facebook account, follow the journalist, re-tweet their tweets, like their posts, acknowledge their work, and tag them if you want to make sure they see something in particular.
• Over time you will learn which subject matter a journalist is interested in, and you can use this knowledge to only send them press releases or Plain Language Summaries that you know they will be interested in.
• If a journalist has questions, make sure you respond to them in a timely manner. Be accessible.

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• Give them the top lines/ the ‘juicy’ bits first: it’s about grabbing their attention – ‘what’s in it for me?’
• Only give them the ‘take home’ messages: no journalist will read a Cochrane Review in full.
• Make it timely and make it topical – why is it interesting to them, in their context, right now?
• Make it easy for them to digest.
• Who might be interested in this and why?
• Is there an ‘expert’ view here they might be interested in? (a great patient/clinician’s story)
• Target your audience: who is best to target – which journalists? What media format is your story best suited for – print press/magazine/academic journal/ broadcast/longer in-depth feature/social media?

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• New or existing evidence.
• Features – more in-depth pieces, consumer or evidence-focused.
• Editorial or an opinion-editorial piece.
• A general enquiry as a result of a topical news story.

If you are approached to do an interview, ask the journalist/producer what questions will be asked, so that you can refer the interview on if the topics are not within your area of expertise.

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• Prepare what you are going to say beforehand – practice on a colleague.
• Take part in some media training, a role-play with the types of questions you will be asked.
• If broadcast media, find out if you are being recorded, live or a pre-recorded?.
• Stick to the facts.
• Only talk about what you know, linked to the Review or specific evidence.
• Only ever say what you are willing to see written or broadcast.
• Don’t be afraid to say ‘I don’t know the answer to that question, but I can find out’.
• Be honest – Journalists know when you’re not telling the truth.
• Assume everything is ‘on the record’.
• Never say ‘no comment’… there’s no point.