Insider Tips for Building Stronger Journalist Relationships at Political Party Conferences
How PRs can build media relationships at political conferences
Conference season is officially in full swing – lanyards on, coffee in hand and small talk at the ready! I ventured to Birmingham for Reform UK’s political conference on Friday and Saturday last week. It was a lively affair full of pyrotechnics, sparkly blue jumpsuits and the unmistakable crackle of political ambition in the air. These yearly political jamborees aren’t just for show. The soirées are a great way to take the temperature of the party faithful. It’s where simmering tensions, fragile alliances and over-caffeinated aides come to life.
How’s morale? What are businesses whispering over wine? Where are there MP dramas bubbling beneath the surface? (Spoiler: always somewhere.) This is now my third year wading through the badge-swinging madness of conference season. I wouldn’t call myself a seasoned pro just yet but I do know my way around The Midland Hotel in Manchester (Tory HQ during conference) and I’ve clocked enough steps in Liverpool’s ACC to probably lead a guided walking tour of Labour’s venue. So, in honour of late-night policy chats and the occasional bit of backbench backstabbing, I’m dedicating this newsletter to the noble art of conference networking – specifically, how to use it to build better relationships with journalists. I’ll break it down into three chunks: What to do before you arrive? How to play it while you’re there? And how to follow up like a pro when it’s all over (and you’ve had a nap).
Lanyards at the ready...let’s dive in:
How to Prepare Ahead of Conference:
It’s worth finding out if any journalists you regularly deal with (or are hoping to charm into future contact) are attending. This doesn’t require MI5 clearance – just scroll through their social media and look for tell-tale signs like “train to Manchester” or the classic request for sponsorship of our coffee addictions. If you’re still not sure, a short and polite email or text to check is fine.
If you confirm a journalist is attending, I wouldn’t necessarily try to lock in a specific meeting. Sometimes people reach out weeks before asking if we want to meet a client/spokesman but it’s difficult to know what our reporting commitments will be like too far in advance. My advice is let journos know you’ll be there (and with which clients) but lock in specific coffees just days before the actual conference starts. It’s also worth knowing journalists’ interests or recent articles. Prep a short cheat sheet if needed but “I saw your recent piece on XYZ…” goes a long way compared to blank stares and badge-glancing.
I’d also recommend thinking in soundbites, not PDFs. Journalists at conferences aren’t necessarily looking to read a 12-page policy paper. Bring concise lines and punchy quotes on hot issues. Or, bring us exclusives (and gossip)! We thrive on both. It’s also worth keeping an eye on events journos are already attending/likely to attend. Then you can show up and introduce yourself there (i.e panel events they’re speaking on or the hottest parties in town).
If your or a client are hosting periphery events, it’s worth asking journalists to chair them ortake part weeks or even months in advance. This is a great way to strengthen relationships with reporters you’re hoping to build long-term, solid contact with. Ultimately, conference is a great time to plant seeds for relationships that might pay off six months from now...not just for the next day’s quote.
Making the Most of Your Time at Conference
Let the badge-scanning, panel-hopping and strategic loitering begin! I asked a few lobby colleagues what their best advice is for PR/comms pros navigating this season. Two senior reporters told me that people should “pretend like they already know us”. They suggested leading with “great to see you again” as opposed to “great to meet you”. Or, you could go with something like “I really enjoyed your piece on XYZ.” There are A LOT of new faces at these events so if you do come across a journalist who you previously met, and we don’t quite have a recollection of it, please go easy on us!
I’d suggest people ditch the business card. I have a stack from previous conferences that, although I haven’t chucked away, I’ve admittedly never looked at. Save the planet by connecting with us on social media or email instead.
Reporters told me that often people’s pitches at these events are too “detached from MPs or current debate”. They said don’t be “too policy-headed” but rather think along the lines of “how this policy might spark a civil war in the party”. That’s worth keeping in mind.
Most journalists won’t turn down free booze either, so invite them along to receptions you might be hosting. This is also a good time to flag to journalists that you might be interested in inviting them along to another one of your events in future. Plant the seed and then ask for their contact details to follow up afterwards.
If nothing else, you’re very likely to end up next to a journo at a bar. No hard sell needed there, just be two folks ordering drinks.
What To Do After Conference Ends?
Once the bags have been unpacked and the other bags have disappeared from under our eyes, do get in touch with the reporters you’ve met. Now is the time to email locking in a coffee or following up on something you might have discussed.
If you didn’t directly speak to a reporter but saw them on a panel, get in touch saying you enjoyed hearing them talk about “XYZ” and would like to chat more. Sometimes, it’s worth offering value before enquiring about coverage opportunities. Can you introduce them to someone useful following a conversation you had?
And then, well, you have a whole year ahead of you to nurture and maintain the relationship before doing it all over again next year!
Dates for 2025 party conferences:
Liberal Democrats: 20-23 September in Bournemouth
Greens: 3-5 October in Bournemouth
Labour: 28 September - 1 October in Liverpool
Conservatives: 5-8 October in Manchester
Remember folks, keep this just between us! We’re off the record.
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