Reporters dish on how to be a great resource

We often get asked how to become one of "those" people who seems to be quoted by press for being an expert in their field. The misconception is that you simply have to know your stuff to get picked. If only it were that simple. The truth is there are many elements that need to align to make someone a good resource for a press person, and thus, get that coveted quote in a relevant news article or blog post.

I decided to pose this question (and a few others) to two writers who cover a variety of technology and business topics, and whom we seem to pitch quite often on behalf of our clients.

The line-up:

Chris Morris -- Freelance writer and editor, specializing in the finance, consumer technology and video game industries. Morris has written for CNBC.com, Variety.com, Yahoo!, VentureBeat, Common Sense Media, Gamasutra and Official Xbox Magazine

Patrick O'Grady -- Technology Reporter for the Phoenix Business Journal. Patrick covers technology, telecommunications, environmental sustainability, utilities and manufacturing.

Here's the Q&A:

What makes someone a great resource for you?

Patrick: Someone who can give a quick answer, even if it’s that they can’t help you with this one question. And someone you can bounce ideas off if the story you are working on isn’t quite coming together and get feedback on what industry trends are out there.

Chris:

It's a few things: Accessibility (will I be able to get them on the phone/via email in a hurry if I need them?), breadth of knowledge about the client and their industry and awareness (do they understand who I'm writing for - and the audience of that outlet - and instinctively know what sort of information I need?)

Concurrently, what things will make you never want to talk to that person/company again?

Patrick: People who don’t understand your beat or never looked at what you cover, and who constantly barrage you with follow-ups in email or on the phone as to whether you received a press release. Also, calling a company a “leader in its field.” Reporters are not that dense. We have the Internet. We can look up your financials and market share. Give us some credit.

Chris:

There are few people/companies I refuse to work with. One  that I do typically ignore, though, once had a junior associate pitch me aggressively on a story I didn't really care about, but I ultimately took the interview as a favor to them. Upon completion of the talk, I started to write the story, then got a panicked call saying everything that had been said was embargoed. Since I hadn't agreed to an embargo, I explained that they should have mentioned that going in. Long story short: The owner of the agency wrote me and had her #2 call me and essentially say "If you run this, we're going to have to fire the person who pitched you. Please don't - and we'll owe you one." It was a ridiculous threat over a teeny, tiny story and I told them I knew they were using me, but I couldn't risk that guy's job over it in the current economy. Of course, they never followed up with the one they 'owed' me. I take every opportunity to warn people away from that agency today - and am certain I have cost them business.

That's a long-winded way of saying - be honest, don't threaten and when you screw up, own it and realize it's not the reporter's responsibility to clean up your mess (or the one your client made).

What are the two-three things you need in every pitch to decide on writing a story?

Patrick: Location is an important part of the pitch (for the Business Journal). It has to be a local company. Exclusivity matters as we like things that no one is going to have. And it has to be interesting. The pitch should recognize what is unique about a company. I’ve seen lots of pitches where they thought they knew what was unique, and five minutes into an interview it spins off in a whole other direction.

Chris: Relevance to my readers (and, since I write for so many outlets, that gives a lot of leeway). Also, it can't be old news or just a rehash of something I've just written. (i.e. "I see you wrote about Trend A today. My client is in that industry. You should profile him/her/it.") Those emails get deleted fast.

How do you use social media to connect with companies and how does social media impact your writing?

Patrick: I use Twitter primarily to keep tabs on industry news, sources and make contacts outside my local area. I also use it to look for sources and ask those following me for potential sources. It’s changed me in writing because I’m more involved in the breaking trends that people are actually discussing. It’s a nice compliment to search engine hot topics.

Chris:

Not very much. I still prefer email and phone calls. Facebook is for friends. Twitter I use as a service to broadcast stories, but rarely for pitches.

What is the single most annoying thing people do/say in a pitch or an interview?

Patrick: The “leader in its field” ranks as one of the top ones. Trying to direct an interview and jump in with questions of their own can be one of those as well. Not being prepared for the interview, or being the wrong person at the company to talk to.

Chris:

"Hope you are well!"

How do you decide what to write about each week?

Patrick: I’ve got a dart board, and I throw all the potentials up there, and whatever I hit is it. All kidding aside, it’s actually what’s interesting to me. I consider myself an average reader for my beats. If it’s interesting to me, I’ll put it in my lineup. It goes back to being something unique, something different that I like out of companies. It goes into what fits into the trends that are going into the industry. It also is influenced by current events.

Chris:

It all comes down to what do my clients need and how can I best generate traffic for them - and give their readers an edge in their day to day lives.