How to Make Journalists Fall in Love With Your Client

How to Make Journalists Fall in Love With Your Client

Journalists don’t fall for flash. They fall for clarity. For proof. For people who give them more than a quote — who give them something worth remembering, writing about, and building a story around. As a PR pro, your job isn’t just to pitch your client. It’s to make them irresistible — not in spin, but in substance.

At TAG Collective, we’ve helped brands build long-term media relationships that turn into recurring coverage, trusted sourcing, and brand equity you can’t buy. Here’s how to make a journalist actually love your client — not just reply to your pitch.

1. Give Them Something to Say
Journalists are looking for people with a point of view. Not a script. Not a generic quote. A perspective that adds to the conversation. Help your client find their POV on timely issues, emerging trends, and their own category. What do they believe? What are they willing to challenge? What can they explain better than anyone?

Memorability starts with message. Don’t just share facts. Share opinions, frameworks, and metaphors.

2. Make Them Easy to Interview
Journalists are busy. Make the process seamless:

• Ensure your client is available on short notice.
• Coach them on brevity and quotability.
• Provide backgrounders that reduce research time.
• Send pre-interview notes with clarity, not fluff.

Be the bridge — not a bottleneck — between journalist and client. Accessibility is affection.

3. Package the Founder as a Human, Not a Headshot
Journalists want to cover people, not titles. Share the founder’s quirks, failures, backstory, and passions. What’s the detail that reveals their humanity? The unexpected hobby, the pivotal moment, the side project?

The more three-dimensional the founder, the more angles a journalist has to work with. And the more likely they are to return for future coverage.

4. Give the Journalist Something New
This doesn’t always mean an announcement. “New” can be:

• A fresh take on a stale debate
• New data or internal insights
• New use cases for an old product
• New partnerships or community stories

Don’t wait for your client to “launch something.” Pitch angles that evolve the narrative — and offer journalists first access.

5. Don’t Overpitch — Overdeliver
Journalists remember who respects their time. Instead of spray-and-pray, tailor your pitch. Reference past stories. Explain why your client is a fit, not just available. Then, when they bite — make their life easy.

Fast asset turnaround, clear attribution, thoughtful responses — these build trust. And trust builds love.

6. Get Out of the Way When It Counts
Let your client talk. Resist the urge to insert yourself into every interaction. If the interview is going well, step back. Be present, but not protective. Media training is helpful — overcoaching is not.

When journalists feel like they’re talking to a PR wall, they’ll walk away. When they feel like they’re discovering a source — they’ll return.

7. Stay in the Relationship — Even Without a Story
Check in. Share small wins. Offer quotes even when you don’t need coverage. Flag competitors or trends the journalist might want to cover. Be a value-add, not just a pitch machine.

The best media relationships are reciprocal. Help them do their job, and they’ll help you do yours.

Case Study: The Founder Journalists Always Call Back
We worked with a fintech founder who had been overlooked in media because of a quiet demeanor. Instead of forcing a louder persona, we reframed her as “the calm voice in the chaos” — providing insights during financial downturns and startup layoffs. She spoke slowly, cited data, and offered empathy. Journalists loved her clarity and consistency. She’s now a recurring source in multiple outlets — not because she chased headlines, but because she became essential to them.

Final Thought: Journalists Fall for the Truth — Told Well
At TAG Collective, we help clients find the language, positioning, and access points that make them invaluable to press. Because in PR, the goal isn’t just coverage. It’s connection. And when journalists connect with your client — they come back for the next chapter.