How many times have you sent an email to a journalist, followed up and still never hear from them? As PR professionals, it is imperative to develop and maintain great relationships with media across the board. Just like us, they have tight deadlines and demanding schedules, so grabbing their attention can sometimes be close to impossible. However, there are a few things we can all practice every day during our outreach efforts that can increase the likelihood of not only hearing back from journalists, but also securing an awesome placement for clients. Check out the tips below of how you can avoid being blacklisted by media in this day and age.
Repeat after me – do not call
Yes, calling may have been the best method of contacting journalists in the early 2000s, but that is long gone. Calling media is the last thing you want to do in 2018. Put yourselves in their shoes and think about all the agencies reaching out to them on a daily basis pitching their clients as if their lives depended on it (which sometimes it does). Media don’t have time to speak on the phone, meet deadlines and answer every single person that contacts them. Instead, rely on emailing and if that doesn’t work, try direct messaging them via LinkedIn or Twitter. A catchy subject line is a lot more appealing to them than a phone call on a Monday morning.
Refrain from mass emailing
Personalizing emails and tailoring it to fit the contact you are reaching out to is key. Journalists can recognize when you’ve been sending the same email to hundreds of contacts just to try to get one to answer. Do your research, look into how each writer approaches their articles and determine how you can tailor your email to fit the journalist’s scope of work and interests.
Do you homework
I can’t stress enough how important it is to look up each contact you have on your list. Once you figure out what that journalist writes about, you can determine if they’re the best person you should be pitching. Sending information about a client to a contact that doesn’t cover your angle is one of the easiest ways for your email to be deleted.
Answer in a timely manner
Deadlines, deadlines, deadlines! Remember that just like we have to submit deliverables in a timely manner, so do reporters. Meeting deadlines is a must if you want your client to be included and this also shows the journalist you’re considerate of their time. This is another great way to build a relationship with that contact and work on future stories together.
Relationships, even with journalists, can be easily broken with one wrong move. So take your time, pitch the right contacts and you’ll see great results!
