Is it the relationship or the message? Here’s the headline: It’s both.

So what's the secret to getting the media's attention? Is it a carefully crafted message? Or is it really just a function of who you know? Here's the lowdown: It's both.

For more than twenty years, the field of public relations and the media itself has seen some astounding changes. However the age-old argument between who you know and what you know remains strong. Is success a matter of providing the best and most targeted pitch to the most carefully targeted reporter? Or is it a pure and simple matter of being able to call who you know? (a.k.a. the “black book" approach to PR.)

It's interesting to tap the opinions of current experts. As much as we'd like to claim the biggest factor is the ability to pitch a targeted story based on research, leading technology editors acknowledge that first and foremost, they continue to give their best responses to the people they know.

Here's some interesting information from leading editors Paul Gillin and David Strom. Paul is founding editor of TechTarget and former editor-in-chief and executive editor of Computerworld. David Strom is former editor-in-chief at both Tom’s Hardware.com and Network Computing magazine, and now a podcaster, blogger, public speaker and freelance writer for a number of technology publications, the New York Times, and a long list of websites in the technology sector. Combined, they have been the recipients of thousands of media pitches over the past 20 years.

In a recent podcast on Tech PR War Stories, David and Paul shared their insights on what currently works. And the verdict?

According to David, “The majority of the time, it's still who I know. The pitches that work best are based on a relationship I've had with the PR person; someone who I've had trusted interactions with over the years, who knows me, knows what I write about, and is respectful of my time."

Even more surprisingly, Paul Gillin agrees: “There is no substitute for familiarity. I can probably count on the fingers of two hands the people I always respond to, and it's the result of relationships that have developed over a number of years."

So what are the secrets to pitching an editor you don't know? Is it a lost cause? No, it isn't.

The second most critical factor, according to David and Paul, is preparation.

Says Paul: “Knowledge about a reporter's interest is paramount. There's no excuse for not having that knowledge. Do a Google search. Check Linked In. Who are my contacts, and do you know any of those? In this day of technology, there's no excuse not to be armed with some information about that person and some of the things they're interested in."

David also recommends diligent follow up and follow through:

“If I ask a question and get an immediate response or a response within the business day, you will have my attention," he says. “I recently accepted a pitch and wrote a full review on a product that was pitched by a PR representative I didn't know, simply based on the fact that when I asked a question, he knew his stuff and he followed through."

So successful media relations is based on both what you know and who you know. Let's put that knowledge to work.

Cheryl Snapp Conner

Managing Partner