You can’t just send a press release or press pitch and think “That’s it, my job is done!” and then wonder why nothing ever happens! Lots of people come to me telling me they have tried so many times to get media interest but it hasn’t worked for them! Well, let me tell you, there are a few things that will improve your chances! Targeting the right journalist with your story is essential if you are serious about raising your profile in the media. But how do you go about doing that?
Here are 4 top tips!
1. Be personal. Don’t send your press release to a mass email address. Take the time to find out who the relevant journalist is and send a personal email to them.
2. Follow up. It’s always a good idea to do follow up calls after sending out a press release – but don’t just ask a reporter whether or not they have received it. It’s one of the most annoying calls a newsdesk can have. Have something extra that you can offer to the story.
3. Build relationships. Take the time to get to know the journalists that will be most useful to you. Find out what stories they like to write. Follow them on Twitter and share their stories on social media sites. Comment on what they’ve written about. Remember that journalists are people too!
4. Be polite. Don’t alienate yourself by being rude to reporters. Don’t pester them with information they clearly won’t be interested in. Remain polite at all times! You don’t want to appear on their mental blacklist of people they won’t deal with.
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