PR ON THE GO • October 19, 2026

Beyond the Pitch:

Building Long-Term Relationships in Public Relations

In the fast-paced business world, it's easy to become fixated on short-term wins and one-off campaigns. However, PR savvy entrepreneurs understand the immense value of building long-term relationships that extend beyond individual projects.

In this article, we explore the tactics and benefits of investing time and effort in nurturing relationships with key stakeholders, including journalists, industry influencers, and clients.

We asked our PR & Growth experts: What are good strategies for building relationships with stakeholders and journalists? Why is it beneficial to continually invest time and effort in building relationships with your network?

Read the expert advice:

Reach out when you have something genuinely relevant

Emily Reynolds, Owner at R Public Relations

"I’ve learned that the strongest PR relationships are built well before you need something from someone. For journalists, that means understanding what they cover, reading their work, and reaching out when you have something genuinely relevant to their audience. The same goes for clients and industry contacts. Stay in touch, be useful, and celebrate their wins. Relationships take time to develop, but when you invest consistently, you build a network that can open doors in ways a single pitch never could."

Offer first-hand observations

Deepak Shukla, Founder & CEO at Pearl Lemon PR

"Journalists aren’t a distribution channel you switch on when a client has something to announce. The strongest relationships start when you make their job easier: read what they actually cover, offer relevant evidence and first-hand observations, respect deadlines, and be as willing to say “we don’t know” as to provide a quote. A fast, useful reply with a concrete example beats a generic thought-leadership pitch. Follow up when you have something genuinely new, not because your outreach cadence says it’s time. Over time, that reliability means journalists know which enquiries are worth putting to you, and it forces your own business to become more disciplined about what it can substantiate"

Invest in your relationships for longevity.

Jodi Lynn Karpes, Owner at GreenQueen PR

"At GreenQueen PR, a relationship is defined as a real, genuine connection where each person shows up for the other as best they can. There is mutual exchange, and you leave feeling closer, even after a difficult conversation. Age, job title and status don’t matter.

The best strategy is the simplest: be yourself.

Strategies to build enduring relationships:

• Smile. It is welcoming, disarming and inviting.
• Be real, transparent, and kind. Let them see you.
• ‘Date’ before getting ‘engaged’. Give of your time and resources.
• Elimination is a gift. If there’s no chemistry, don’t force it. Stay courteous at arm’s length.
• Treat the receptionist the way you treat the CEO.
• Reply, even if it takes a week. Being ignored damages trust faster than rejection.
• Stay in touch through the work, the good times, and bad times. Because the relationship is real.
• Build bridges instead of burning them.

Why keep investing in your relationships?

• In South Africa, I kept clients for 15+ years. Together we went through marriages, births, divorces, business deals, recession lows, World Cup highs and beyond. The work held because the relationships were solid, and we handled difficult conversations with respect, trust and accountability.
• Authenticity mirrors authenticity. That trust flowed to every stakeholder: employees, suppliers, owners, media and people of influence.
• Relationships compound. Journalists call you first. Clients refer you without being asked.
• Invest in your relationships for longevity. Being a good person and building relationships is life. PR = People Relations too."

Give before you ask.

Robert Fausette, Founder & CEO at Revival Homebuyer

"Give before you ask. I have found that the best relationships are those where you give first. So when a journalist or a partner asks you a question, answer it as quickly and honestly as possible. Don’t look for ways not to help. If in the end you can’t help, tell them and try to find someone who can.

Reliability is key to building a reputation: honor your commitments, return phone calls in a timely fashion and meet any promises or deadlines you have. People will remember how you made their life easier.

You don’t need an agenda to stay in touch with media and other influencers. A simple congratulations on a deal or project can go a long way in keeping you on their mind. Follow up on previous stories to see how they turned out for them.

You earn trust when you are honest about your limits and stay within what you know."

Reporters have long memories - send something useful.

Kelly Ann Collins, Founder at SheCrypto

"I spent many years on the other side of this as a reporter at USA Today and The Associated Press, so I know what it feels like to open an inbox full of pitches that all want something. Then I became a founder and started having to send them myself!

What's worked for me is sending journalists something useful with no request attached. That can be a data point, a source, the alpha on a story they haven't written yet. So when you eventually need something, you're not a stranger asking for a favor. You're someone who was helpful before the ask ever happened.

And trust me, reporters have long memories in both directions. They remember precisely who wasted their time, and they remember who sent them something real. A placement is just a transaction. A relationship keeps paying out in the months when you have no news to announce."

Keep detailed notes and share your appreciation

Lauren Shelley, Senior Digital PR Executive at Marketing Signals

"Always keep detailed notes on every journalist you work with, beyond their name and what they cover. It’s important to know how they like stories sent over, whether they prefer short or long quotes, whether they want quotes and commentary within the email or in a linked document, and anything they’ve turned down in the past. This not only helps future outreach but means the next time you’re getting in touch, you’re sending stories over in a way that suits them.

After any coverage goes live, we’ll usually send an email to say thank you and share the article if we can. It’s simple but keeps you on their radar for future pieces, and it’s nice to share your appreciation, even if it doesn’t lead to anything else."

Be useful when you have nothing to announce

Matthias Woggon, CEO & Co-Founder at Eyefactive GmbH

"The most reliable strategy I've found is to be useful when you have nothing to announce. I remember in our 1st year, a retail tech journalist called with questions about kiosk software that had nothing to do with our products. I spent an hour explaining why most of it failed on large touchscreens and never asked for a mention. When we launched our app marketplace years later, that writer called me first.

Clients work the same way. With brands like Hyatt and BMW, the quiet check-in months after a rollout has done more for our renewals than any pitch deck. These relationships compound slowly, and you rarely see the return until the day you need it. Trust is the one asset you can't build the week you need it."

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