By Andrew Evangelista, Associate

Eastwick's Elizabeth Hilton, The Chronicle's Benny Evanvelista, eWeek's Chris Preimesberger and post author Andrew Evangelista

It’s ironic how I should be assigned to write a blog post focused on the value of personally meeting with the media.

I guess I can explain this value with in terms of an annoyance everyone has faced and some, on a nightly basis: Telemarketing Calls. “Hello, this is X from Y company, looking to offer you a once in a lifetime deal on Z product – can I speak with the head of the household?”

Bear with this analogy for a moment and place yourself in the shoes of that particular telemarketer. Would you rather call a stranger? Or would you rather call someone with whom you have met in person and had the pleasure of having a semi-coherent conversation; I should also add that this person will at least remember your first name and the sound of your voice.

Most people would choose the path of least resistance and select the latter option. Personally speaking, I know there have been times when I’ve picked up a phone to call my father, a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, querying his thoughts whether a particular story would pique the publication’s interest. Or maybe where a particular reporter was going to be for the evening in hopes that he or she would attend my client’s event – our latest and greatest ShoreTel media day at AT&T Ballpark comes to mind. The fact that I’ve met and known the person on the other end of that phone call has and will increase the odds of that phone being picked up!

PR and communications practitioners don’t need to be related by blood to their media cohorts for successful client coverage. Getting out of the office, having a few drinks at the local bar with a reporter or perhaps visiting the “eye of the storm” – their newsroom – to see how they operate strikes at the heart of the second word in our PR industry: Relations. The public turn to journalists for valued information that they can trust. Oftentimes, journalists turn to PR professionals they trust. The beginning or continuation of this trust often lies in meeting people face to face.