7 crucial questions journalists should pose to PR pros

When you work with reporters almost daily, you learn a lot of about the media industry.

You pick up nuances about publications and outlets and the working styles of particular reporters. You also get asked a lot of questions, and that’s OK, because we ask a ton right back. Many are unsurprising; some should be asked more often, as they deliver vital information.

Here are seven key questions that journalists in every medium should ask PR pros:

1. “Can you send this to me by X time on Y date?” Broadly speaking in the business world, it’s helpful to state when you’ll need something. It’s particularly helpful in media relations for reporters to set deadlines from the get-go. We’re going to ask anyway, so including it in an original request saves a few emails and a bunch of time.

2. “Which other clients do you work with?” If you’re working with PR pros at agencies, it’s wise to ask which other clients or projects they’re working with. Often, they represent similar clients to those you already know about. The PR pro may have a line into another executive or spokesperson you’ll want to interview later (or pass along to a colleague).