If you’ve ever tried to get your clinic featured in the press, you’ll know one of the biggest hurdles is figuring out how to approach journalists. They’re busy, their inboxes are overflowing, and they’ve probably heard from ten other business owners that day. But journalists need you just as much as you need them. Without expert voices, real patient stories, and trusted commentary, their articles simply don’t carry the same authority.

For clinic owners in the medical aesthetics space, building relationships with local journalists can completely transform your visibility. PR isn’t just about glossy magazines or national coverage (though those are amazing wins). Local press can be an equally powerful tool to grow your clinic, drive enquiries, and establish yourself as the go-to expert in your area. The secret is in how you approach those relationships. You don’t need to push. You don’t need to beg. You just need to learn how to connect in a way that feels authentic, mutually valuable, and respectful of their time.

At Quirky Frog, we helped clinics grow their brand awareness and media exposure by building strong, long-term connections with journalists. Let’s break down what actually works when it comes to PR, digital marketing, and growing your brand presence through press relationships.

When people think of PR in aesthetics, they often picture consumer glossies, national newspapers, or influencers with hundreds of thousands of followers. But there’s a whole world of opportunity right on your doorstep. Local journalists are often looking for credible voices within their community to bring their stories to life. And unlike national outlets, where the competition is fierce, local press is much more accessible for clinics.

If someone in your area searches for “aesthetics clinic near me” or reads a feature about safe injectables in their local paper, and your name comes up, that immediately builds trust. You’re not just another clinic online; you’re the clinic endorsed by the trusted publication they already read. This kind of PR positioning is invaluable because it feeds directly into your clinic’s reputation, credibility, and patient bookings.

But journalists aren’t going to just stumble across you. You have to meet them halfway. That doesn’t mean flooding their inbox or trying to force your way into stories. It means showing up with valuable, timely, and well-presented ideas that make their job easier.

One of the biggest mistakes we see clinic owners make is treating PR like a sales pitch. Journalists don’t want to feel like you’re selling to them. They want to feel like you’re giving them something useful, whether that’s expert commentary, a new angle on a treatment, or a powerful patient story.

Instead of sending long, rambling emails about how great your clinic is, think about what their readers actually care about. Local journalists are looking for stories with relevance and impact. If you’ve introduced a new treatment that’s innovative, if you’re hosting an event that gives back to your community, or if you have a patient case study with a compelling emotional journey, that’s what they want to hear.

The key is to position yourself as a resource, not a nuisance. Your role in PR is to make the journalist’s life easier. If you can provide quick, reliable, well-written comments that are backed up with science, evidence, or lived experience, you instantly become the kind of contact they want to come back to again and again.

Like any relationship, building trust with journalists doesn’t happen overnight. It’s not about sending one email and expecting an instant feature. It’s about consistency. Following up respectfully if you don’t hear back. Sharing ideas regularly, even if they don’t always get picked up. Being visible online so journalists can see that you’re a credible, active voice in the aesthetics industry. Engaging with their articles and social media posts.

Social media and PR overlap here in a big way. Journalists are constantly scrolling platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn to spot trends, story angles, and expert voices. If your clinic’s content is consistent, professional, and engaging, you’re already laying the groundwork for them to take you seriously. This is why we always recommend aligning your digital marketing strategy with your PR goals, the two should work together.

Another way to build trust is by responding quickly to journalist requests. Many requests are time-sensitive, and if you’re slow to reply, the opportunity can pass you by. That’s why at Quirky Frog we make it easy for our clients by preparing FAQs and template responses in advance. It means you don’t have to scramble every time a journalist needs something.

Journalists aren’t just looking for facts and figures. They’re looking for stories that connect with readers on an emotional level. This is especially true in medical aesthetics, where treatments often go far beyond the physical.

Did a patient come to you after an accident or scarring? Were they struggling with confidence due to a skin condition? How did your treatment transform not just their appearance, but their day-to-day life? Those are the stories that make headlines because they resonate with people. Emotion sells like nothing else.

Of course, it’s vital that you have the right patient consent forms in place before sharing any story with the press. At Quirky Frog, we provide our clients with the correct paperwork and guidance to make sure everything is compliant. Not only does this protect your clinic, but it also ensures your patients feel safe and respected throughout the process.

Another thing journalists always ask themselves when reviewing pitches is: why now? Why should they run this story today instead of next month? Relevance is everything in PR.

Maybe it’s Pigmentation Awareness Month and you’ve just launched a new laser treatment. Maybe your clinic is supporting a local charity during a community event. Or maybe a celebrity story is trending and you can provide expert commentary on a related treatment. Whatever the angle, you need to link it back to something current and relevant. That’s what makes your story newsworthy, rather than just another clinic update.

We monitor both industry press and consumer trends so we can spot these opportunities for our clients. We align clinic stories with the bigger picture, making sure they land at exactly the right moment for maximum exposure.

The clinics that get consistent press coverage aren’t the ones who pitch once and give up. They’re the ones who nurture long-term relationships. That means staying in touch with journalists, even when you’re not actively pitching. Congratulate them on a great article. Share their work on your social media. Send a quick update about what’s happening in your clinic, even if it’s not a formal press pitch.

Relationships work both ways, and the more you support journalists, the more they’ll remember you when the right opportunity comes along. Over time, you move from being just another clinic owner in their inbox to becoming a trusted contact they rely on for expertise. That’s when PR really starts to deliver long-term ROI.

One of the biggest benefits of securing press coverage is that it creates content for your social media, and vice versa. A feature in your local newspaper can be repurposed into a post for your Instagram feed. A trending topic on TikTok can spark a press pitch to your local lifestyle magazine. When you combine the two, you’re building a loop that constantly feeds your clinic visibility.

That’s why we always encourage our clients to see PR and social media as two halves of the same strategy. They’re both about storytelling, credibility, and connection. And when you align them, your brand image becomes stronger, your audience grows, and your clinic stands out in a competitive market.

Building relationships with local journalists doesn’t have to feel intimidating. It doesn’t require pushiness, and it doesn’t require you to constantly shout about yourself. Instead, it’s about positioning yourself as a valuable, trustworthy resource. Focus on consistency, relevance, emotion, and respect. When you approach PR in this way, journalists will start to see you not just as another clinic, but as a go-to expert who makes their work stronger.

At Quirky Frog, we specialise in helping clinics do exactly that. From crafting compelling case studies and patient stories, to monitoring trends and preparing expert commentary, we take the pressure off busy clinic owners who want to raise their profile but don’t have the time. The results speak for themselves: stronger brand image, better press coverage, and more patients who already trust you before they even walk through the door.

If you’re ready to start building meaningful press relationships that actually deliver results, we’d love to help. Get in touch with our team today and let’s start putting your clinic on the map.