Getting solid media coverage is so much more than sending out a good press release and hoping that an editor likes the story. It's about establishing great relationships and providing real value. Here are my twenty tips for working with the media:

Brainstorm.

(1) Get together with your team and brainstorm about what your ideal news coverage would look like. Would the stories be about your program participants? About your CEO? About your volunteers? About something creative or innovative that you're doing in the community?

(2) Create the full menu of cool coverage that you'd like to get and then develop the stories around them. More about how to share and tell your story.

Prepare.

(3) Press kits shouldn't be fancy, and should be easy to update on the fly. Have one available in print and electronic forms (preferably .pdf).

(4) Include any recent press releases or formal announcements, an annual report, a current Board list, relevant bios, a one-pager with mission/vision/goals, a statistics page with program participation and outcomes information, and testimonials and quotes.

(5) Use the stories you developed above to create the templates for a few detailed "case studies" that could be converted into articles.

Lurk.

(6) Read the publications in which you want coverage.

(7) Follow key reporters or editors on Twitter and get the RSS feeds or email updates for daily news and blogs.

(8) Get their editorial calendars and understand their topical focus. When you're ready, your pitch will be much stronger because you are well informed.

Meet.

(9) Set up quick coffee meetings when you aren't pitching a story to just catch the reporter/editor up on what your organization is doing.

(10) Ask them what kind of stories they would be interested in. Run your menu of ideas from your brainstorming session by them, and get their input.

(11) Make it casual, respectful, and quick, and leave your press kit behind or email it just after the meeting (whichever way the reporter/editor would prefer).

(12) Make sure to comment on a recent article or story that you've read while lurking to show that you follow them.

Engage.

(13) Participate in online discussions by providing real comments, feedback and opinions.

(14) Tie a recent news story to your own work and write about it on your blog. Send the reporter who wrote it a quick note pointing them to your article.

(15) Sign up for free services like Help A Reporter Out (HARO) and look for opportunities to provide value for stories already in the works.

Invite.

(16) Do you have a great site-based program story? Invite them to come and tour and introduce them to some of the people who are your best story tellers.

(17) Include reporters and editors on your invite list for important annual meetings, galas, volunteer initiatives, but don't be discouraged if they turn you down. This is a great way to keep them informed about what you're doing even if they don't attend.

Respect.

(18) Understand that, much like your team, reporters and editors are underpaid and overworked. Bloggers may even be writing for free. Be respectful of their time and talent.

(19) Provide them with real value. Use the suggestions above to become an opinion leader, a source of expert information, and an ally.

(20) Remember that there isn't anything mysterious about reporters. Their job is to capture the news in timely and interesting ways. Help them do that successfully and you're media relations will pay off time and again.

What would you add to this list?