What’s the most underrated skill in public relations today? It’s not mastering AI tools, or writing punchy subject lines, or even generating a buzz on social media.
For the long game? It is relationships.
Not the superficial, connect-and-forget kind built through mass emails or casual LinkedIn DMs. I’m talking about actual relationships. The kind that takes time, trust, consistency, and a deep understanding of the journalists we aim to work with; the kind built over years, not news cycles.
The latest Cision One State of the Media survey, which gathered insights from over 3,000 journalists across 19 global markets, drives this point home: the PR pros who focus on the “R” in PR are the ones who succeed.
And sadly, this essential practice is eroding, especially in real estate, an industry that often sees public relations as publicity, not strategy.
Let’s fix that.
The data says: Journalists want relationships – not spam
According to the Cision study, journalists are not anti-PR. Most welcome relationships with publicists who take the time to get it right. But here’s the catch: that welcome gets rejected fast when you cross the line from helpful to annoying.
Here’s what journalists said will get you blocked:
- 78%: Spamming with irrelevant pitches
- 59%: Pitches that sound like marketing brochures
- 56%: Providing inaccurate or unsourced info
- 52%: Following up repeatedly
- 26%: Canceling last minute
Now here’s what they do want:
- 72%: News announcements and press releases
- 57%: Exclusives
- 55%: Original research and data
- 63%: Connections to relevant sources
- 57%: Access to people or places
- 43%: Expert interviews
What this tells us is simple: journalists still value PR pros who bring insight, access, and accuracy, especially when those contributions are informed by a true understanding of the reporter’s needs and beat.
But don’t just take my word for it. I asked three award-winning and leading real estate journalists, as seasoned content creators, for their take on the state of PR. I asked for their unfiltered advice.
What they shared speaks volumes.
“Mention non-clients and find real people.” – Michele Lerner
Michele Lerner, an award-winning freelance journalist and editor with multiple top honors from the National Association of Real Estate Editors, has written about every angle of housing and real estate imaginable.
Her resume lists some of our nation’s most sought-after media outlets: The Washington Post, The New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, MSN, Yahoo!, Motley Fool, Barron’s, PRO Builder magazine, AARP, and many more.
Michele emphasizes that the best PR professionals aren’t just pitching a product: they’re helping build a better story.
“I think one of the best things PR reps can do is to mention that they can find more than one source on a topic and even recommend non-clients as potential sources for you to pursue. Most important: let you know if they can find you ‘real people’ that would be willing to be interviewed about how they have been impacted by a product or service the PR person represents.”
She added, “A deal breaker for me is a PR person who calls or texts out of the blue without an established relationship or any urgent need to disrupt my day. Another would be setting up interviews with sources who don’t have the expertise needed. So often I need an on-the-ground person, not the CEO, depending on the topic. A great PR person will take the time to learn who has the real knowledge and can be trusted to represent their company accurately and articulately.”
And if you’re thinking of reaching out just to have coffee or “chat,” think again. “Random requests to meet for coffee or a phone call just to chat about what I may write about, topics I cover, etc., don’t work for me. I’m too busy.”
So how does a strong relationship form? Slowly and deliberately. “I love to have relationships with PR people, but they need to happen after a couple of interactions. So, first, send me ideas that are relevant and sources that are excellent and well-prepared for the interview. Sending a client list and what they can talk about is also super helpful. Then we can connect and build a relationship over time.”
“There is no secret formula.” – Jeff Ostrowski
Jeff Ostrowski, Bankrate’s housing reporter and former long-time Palm Beach Post real estate journalist, cuts straight to the heart of the most common PR question he hears: “What’s the magic formula for getting you to cover my news release?”
“There is no secret recipe,” he said. “If your release happens to be relevant to my priorities – and those of my editor – at the moment I receive it, I’ll cover it. If not, I won’t. I know it’s a frustratingly vague answer, but it’s true.”
He added important context to help PR pros understand where their pitch falls in the editorial food chain.
“There are two levels of news events: Fed rate announcements, White House news conferences, and Apple’s earnings reports. Journalists drop what they’re doing to cover those, no matter what time the news comes out or how the information is delivered. Then there’s everything else. Your release probably isn’t something I’m going to drop everything to cover, and there’s no real code to crack that will change that. Send the news my way, and if it fits what I’m working on, I’ll use it.”
His advice is not just practical; it’s sobering. And his pet peeve is equally grounded in newsroom reality.
“After an interview, I often get multiple follow-up emails from the publicist who arranged the meeting asking when the piece is going to publish. The honest answer, in many cases: I don’t know. Usually, the reporter you talk to is responsible for creating the content but doesn’t have the authority to hit the ‘publish’ button.”
PR pros who understand that the job doesn’t end with the interview. Those who know when to step back – and when and how to circle back – build more credibility over time.
“Write for us, not at us.” – Stephanie Reid-Simons
Stephanie Reid-Simons is a founding member of RealEstateNews.com. A former content leader at Amazon and Zillow, she honed her journalism skills in the Pacific Northwest at both the Tacoma News Tribune and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
She framed the core challenge this way: “We’re always open to new ideas, especially when they reflect an understanding of who we are and who we serve: residential real estate professionals, with an eye toward consumers. The best pitches feel like they were written for us, not just at us.”
If that sounds like common sense, it’s not nearly common enough. PR pros who send templated pitches, generic “check-ins,” or push clients without alignment to the reporter’s audience are missing the point – and the opportunity.
Stephanie’s advice mirrors Cision’s findings: relevance wins. Personalization signals care. And those who get it right don’t just land stories, they earn ongoing trust.
Relationships drive results
Real estate journalists have helped shape the narrative of real estate news for decades. Their stories have reached millions of readers and drive today’s social media traffic and engagement.
Most importantly, most of the reporters and bloggers who cover our industry know our industry, its audience, and the craft of engaging readers.
The PR professionals who consistently earn their trust all have a few things in common. None of these are shortcuts.
First, they understand how a newsroom works. Know that not every pitch lands, that editorial calendars shift, and that the reporter rarely controls publication timelines. Instead of pushing for coverage, they provide support. They’re patient. They’re professional.
Second, they need sources who are credible, relevant, and ready. The PR pro who responds not only the quickest – but with the most credible source – wins. The best PR pros don’t waste a journalist’s time by sending unqualified talking heads. You must work to identify the right person who can add real value to the reporter’s story.
Third, the best PR pros know the journalist’s past work. They take the time to read it, understand it, and reference it in their outreach. That’s smart and respectful.
Plus, the best PR pros offer help that goes beyond the immediate pitch. Whether it’s sharing data, suggesting context, or connecting a reporter to a non-client source, they become a resource, not just another source.
That’s not just media outreach. That’s a hard “R” in media relations.
Real estate needs to understand PR better
The real estate industry is long overdue for understanding the complexities of PR: that it’s more than just a mission to generate publicity and backlinks.
Public relations isn’t solely about generating buzz or grabbing a headline. It’s a strategic discipline that, when practiced with care and credibility, can build awareness, shape public perception, and deepen market trust.
But more importantly, good PR helps your story get told in your words – and it is an essential tool to protecting a company’s brand and reputation.
But it only works when PR professionals practice this craft correctly.
The Cision study offers a blueprint. These journalists’ insights provide real-world guidance. The rest is up to hiring the best PR pros who know this stuff by heart because we’ve been doing it for decades.
If you’re a real estate executive, tech firm, brokerage, or MLS still viewing PR as a support role or nice-to-have, it’s time to start seeing it for what it truly is: a strategic driver of long-term value that is built on connections that last.
Because real estate reporters want relationships, not pitches.
Are you listening?
Self-serving plug: If you are interested in discussing PR and content services provided by the WAV Group, reach out to kevin@wavgroup.com.
