Maybe it’s time for us to bring our media relations approach out of the winter doldrums, too.
Let’s take a fresh look at how well our approaches work for us—and think about incorporating new perspectives into our work with reporters:
1. Let’s do more research.
It’s not enough to quickly bang out a media pitch and shoot it over to a reporter. We must do more research to understand the topic and find data to back up the angle. Instead of seeing how many pitches we can send out, the focus should be on sending fewer pitches of higher quality.
2. Let’s spend more time writing and perfecting the pitch.
In a sea of bad pitches, your pitch will stand out if you take time to carefully craft it. That means reviewing and editing it, too.
Have someone else look it over; you might be too close to it to catch every error. You can use an app like Grammarly or Hemingway to help refine it.
[RELATED: Attend the Practical PR Summit and transform your PR skills to become more successful in the new media landscape.]
3. Let’s get to know whom we’re pitching.
Let’s agree to no more shotgun pitches. Better targeting can lead to greater success.
Online monitoring tools can show you what the reporters on your media list are talking about on social media. This can save time by prioritizing your media list based on social sentiment, helping you identify the most influential reporters writing about a topic.
4. Let’s do a better job of following up.
Most journalists don’t mind follow-up; it’s pestering they can’t stand.
If you send an email, it’s OK to resend it (wait at least a few days), or try pitching them via social media, if you know they spend time there. Some PR pros still use the phone; used sparingly or with reporters you already know, that can also be a good way to connect.
5. Let’s stop asking annoying questions.
These include, “Can we review the story before it’s published?” or, “Can you publish this on X date?” The answer is probably no, and you’re doing more harm than good by asking.
Sure, there are exceptions. Sometimes a reporter will ask you to review quotes or other information to ensure accuracy, but let him or her ask you, not the other around. One major misconception clients have is that they can review the piece before publication. Remind them that this isn’t advertising.
The same is true of the publication date. You can pitch it so that it might be published on or around the date you’d like—and you can even mention the date the announcement will be made—but ultimately it’s up to the publication.
If you want to guarantee what it will say and what date it will appear, buy an ad.
6. Let’s consider pitching someone new.
If you’ve repeatedly pitched a journalist who never responds, try pitching someone new. It could be another reporter at the same outlet or perhaps one at a different paper or station.
Don’t get stuck in a rut. If something isn’t working, don’t be afraid to try something new.
After all, it’s spring.
Michelle Garrett is a consultant and writer at Garrett Public Relations. Follow her on Twitter @PRisUs or connect with her on LinkedIn. A version of this article originally appeared on Muck Rack, a service that enables you to find journalists to pitch, build media lists, get press alerts and create coverage reports with social media data.(Image via)
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