My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
Understand what motivates each journalist and tailor your approach to their specific incentives
Why It Works
Journalists need stories and sources. If you can consistently provide valuable information or access, they will maintain the relationship and give you favorable coverage when appropriate.
Prerequisites
How to Execute
Research what stories each journalist has written and what they care about
Identify what you can uniquely provide (access, expertise, insider information)
Start with small valuable tips or background information
Be reliable and honest - never lie or mislead
Understand their deadlines and constraints
When It Fails
When you're obviously trying to manipulate them, when you waste their time with non-stories, when you lie or mislead them even once
Real Example
“A startup founder regularly shares industry insights and introductions to other sources with a tech journalist. When the founder has a big announcement, the journalist gives them thorough, fair coverage because of the established relationship.”
Related Knowledge
Debate Format News Platform
Current media is either left-wing or right-wing echo chambers.
Reality Distortion Field
A psychological influence technique where a charismatic person convinces others that their initial judgment or story is wrong, making them believe an alternative narrative even when evidence contradicts it.
Create definitive, unassailable narrative non-fiction through exhaustive research
You know things about your subject that they don't know about themselves.
Story Supremacy Principle
A company's narrative and ability to tell a compelling story about their product is more important than the actual quali
People will always talk to journalists if you understand their motivations
No story is impossible to report if you're willing to invest the time to understand what each potential source wants and
I don't believe people should write about other people until they have been written about themselves
You can't understand how it feels to be the subject of critical reporting until you experience it yourself