Working with the Media

Despite the immense popularity of social media, traditional media players (print, TV and radio) are still relevant. If you develop trusting relationships with media contacts in your community, they’re more likely to keep you in mind when they’re looking for story ideas or expert quotes on topics related to allergic disease.

Here are some tips for working with the media
•    Develop a contact list of local television, radio and newspaper reporters, editors and producers who cover health, outdoors or other related issues and update it frequently.
•    Familiarize yourself with the topics these reporters cover and offer to serve as a source for expert commentary. Give them examples of topics you are comfortable talking about.
•    Remember that reporters often work on very tight deadlines. Once you start to promote yourself as a local resource on allergic diseases and patient care, you’ll need to make yourself available on very short notice.

Reporters want
•    Good relationships
•    Returned phone calls
•    No self-promotion
•    Quotable information
•    People who understand them and how they work

Craft your message
•    Develop three key talking points you want to convey
•    Eliminate technical jargon—who is your audience
•    Use analogies to help explain complex information
•    Use colorful language
•    Provide examples when necessary
•    Avoid acronyms (NKWYTA = nobody knows what you’re talking about!)

8/8/2024