Read the paper regularly, so you can get a feel for the paper's politics. Some papers have a daily or weekly real estate reporter who writes stories for the consumer viewpoint. This section may be in the business or metropolitan section of the paper, while real estate classifieds and display ads may have its own section.

What topics does this writer seem to like? What are the perspectives? What can you contribute?

All you need to know is that the newspaper staff believes there is a Chinese wall between advertising and editorial. In a perfect world, this means that the real estate reporter may report without bias such things as downturns in the market (gasp!) or consumer concerns about individual, company or industry practices.

This doesn't mean that the reporter ignores big advertisers. If there is a fair opportunity to stroke a big advertiser, the reporter might call upon that person for a quote when needed. But don't be discouraged. The reporter has deadlines every week. Sooner or later, the stars will align in your favor, and you'll be the one person the reporter can get on the phone to talk about a topic about which you can give a unique perspective.

Whether you use a press kit, resume or Web site to give the reporter more information about yourself, make sure you include connecting facts: the areas of town you farm, your background, and how that helps your perspective as a real estate professional. You will almost never see a reporter put your awards in a news story, so know that is not what they are looking for. Reporters are looking for news, human interest stories, trends, and the unusual. A reporter often will include specialties such as REOs, buyer's agency, and bilingual agency if it plays into one of those topics.

Refrain from preaching. For example, if you are a buyer's agent, and would like to see a story about buyer's agency, just explain what buyer's agency is without a strident lecture on the evils of dual agency. Better to say, "I have closed three transactions this month where the buyer was able to save _____on the cost of the home. Compared to list-to-sales percentages, a buyer's agent can save consumers ____ amount." The reporter will know what to do next.

Keep in mind that reporters don't like to be sold. It makes them feel manipulated and that interferes with the trust you'll need to build a good relationship. As you inform the reporter of who you are and how you can be helpful, make it easy by giving as many memorable facts about yourself as possible, but skip the sales pitch.

You already know that the newspaper is consumer-oriented, so keep your eye on local and national news to see how any news might affect your local market. You should know which employers are coming to town and which ones are firing. You should know which companies your Chamber of Commerce is wooing for economic development. You should know your city's goals. You should know which schools are getting blue ribbons from the state. In short, you should know everything that affects house values.

When Nissan decides to build an automobile plant in your town, you should know how many jobs and households will be impacted. When your city council votes to raise property taxes, you should be ready with the numbers of how it will affect homesteaders and investors.

When news happens, you should fire off an e-mail comment to your local news reporter. He or she just may use it in the next story.

Reporters work on deadlines. They have to get stories out under tight circumstances. Helping them to find sources, facts, figures is very helpful, but the most helpful you can be is to take the reporter's call. If the reporter can get a quote from you, that is more likely to make it into the story than anything. Sometimes, you can even change a reporter's idea about how to write the story based on what you know about the situation.

And, you should know more than the reporter, or why should she bother calling you?