In the world of PR, a great media database is essential to success. But just as important is knowing when – and how – to use it effectively. While anyone with a media database can contact journalists, whether or not you get a positive response will depend on your communication approach.
The often delicate art of contacting journalists is about so much more than just having a list of media contacts at your disposal. The way you use your media database will decide the types of relationships you create with journalists, as well as the quantity and quality of the coverage you secure.
To successfully build relationships with journalists, you must develop an in-depth understanding of the media. Most journalists will receive hundreds of emails every day, so tailoring your pitch or media release to the right contacts is essential.
Before you send your email, you should ask yourself some important questions, such as “is this best for an editor or a reporter to see?”, “which media outlet is most relevant for my ideal clients?”, “are these journalists interested in this topic?” “do these journalists prefer an email or a phone call?”, “do any of these outlets require additional media with a pitch?”, and “when is this journalist on deadline?”.
These questions will help you refine your pitch by ensuring it gets in front of the right people, rather than as many people as possible. Over time, this approach will also help you to build and nurture a relationship with journalists, as they will know that a pitch from you is well-considered and thoughtfully tailored to the way they like to work.
In other words, respect for a journalist’s time is critical. If you waste their time with irrelevant pitches or stories that lack newsworthiness, you’ll likely find your emails in the virtual trash can. Sometimes, that might even mean not contacting a journalist at all. At the end of the day, your respect for a journalist’s time and craft will make your pitches stand out, even if there are less eyes on them.
If you want to learn more about achieving great media coverage for your business, Pure Public Relations can help. Get in touch with us today to learn how our unique approach to PR can work for you.
