Social and digital media have completely altered conventional methods of distributing news and connecting with customers. Yet, media relations is still one of the most effective tactics a PR pro can leverage to ensure the right message is communicated to the right audience at the right time. (And that’s what smart PR is all about, right?!)
So what are the building blocks of a good media relations strategy? Making a point to establish relationships with reporters before you pitch them is a given. No argument there. But, let’s talk about something else that’s absolutely fundamental, regardless of whether you have a relationship or not: highly customized, targeted pitches.
Rebekah Illif recently blogged about needing to fight back against passive PR pitches. In it, she details the difference between a lackluster pitch that’s likely to get ignored and an amazing one that’s guaranteed to catch attention. Before you hit send on your next email to a reporter/blogger, I highly recommend reading it.
Also, bookmark PR News’ four steps to get the coverage results you want and Cision’s 10 do’s and don’ts of media pitching. Both posts provide helpful insights and advice to make sure you’re providing reporters with useful, relevant information that will lead to meaningful placements for your clients or brand.
Don’t forget about “non-traditional” ways of getting attention either. Although email remains their preferred medium for receiving pitches, 23% of journalists accept pitches through social media and 37% take pitches over the phone. If you’re pitching beyond email, a few resources for you:
- 9 tips for pitching on Twitter, the phone and at events (Highwire PR)
- How to use social media to pitch journalists (Trendkite)
- Systematically using Twitter to earn media coverage (Michael Smart)
- Phone pitching 101 (SHIFT Communications)
Lastly, add the “Best Pitch I Ever Got” blog to your reading list. Immediately. What better way to learn how to catch media attention than hearing what works (and why) straight from the media themselves? You can also sign up to get these pitching lessons delivered to your inbox, too.