How to Become the Media's Go-To Expert (And Get Journalists to Call You Back)
Landing your first piece of media coverage is exciting. But the real win is what happens after that - becoming the person a journalist thinks of next time they need an expert in your field.
Here are three simple but commonly overlooked habits that turn a one-off media moment into an ongoing relationship with journalists.
This blog is based on this Instagram reel.
1. Be Easy to Work With
This sounds obvious, but it is the single biggest factor in whether a journalist comes back to you. Be respectful, be kind, and take feedback well. If a journalist responds to your pitch asking for more information or suggesting a different angle, work with them.
Just as importantly, respond quickly. Pitching for a media opportunity and then taking days or even weeks to reply is one of the fastest ways to lose a journalist's trust. Timely, professional communication signals that you are reliable — and reliability is exactly what gets you called again.
2. Be Flexible With Your Time
If a breakfast TV show, a radio producer, or a journalist calls and asks for an interview at short notice, say yes wherever possible. Even if the timing feels inconvenient, being available — especially for your first few media opportunities — makes a real difference to how journalists perceive you as a source.
Media moves fast. The business owners who get repeat coverage are usually the ones who make themselves available when the opportunity comes knocking, not the ones who wait for a more convenient time.
3. Understand and Respect the Journalist's Deadline
Different publications and formats run on very different timelines, and understanding this is essential if you want to build a lasting relationship with the media.
- Daily publications work on tight, same-day deadlines.
- Weekly or monthly publications have more breathing room, but still have a firm cut-off.
- Nightly news programs are working against the clock right up until they go to air.
Whatever the format, do everything you can to help the journalist get their story over the line. Provide what they need quickly, clearly, and without unnecessary back and forth. A journalist who finishes a story feeling supported by their source is a journalist who will come back to that source again.
Becoming the media's go-to expert is not about luck. It is about being consistently easy, available, and respectful of how journalists actually work — and that reputation compounds every time you show up well.
Want to Build a Media Strategy That Keeps the Calls Coming?
Knowing how to behave once you are in the room is one part of the puzzle. Knowing how to pitch, where to find journalists, and how to keep building your authority is the rest of it.
That is exactly what the Media Members Inner Circle is built for — a monthly membership community with the tools, training, and ongoing support to help you become a trusted, recurring voice in the media.
