Getting media coverage for your organisation can sometimes be hard – but it doesn’t have to be impossible.
In a previous post, I provided you with the 8 key things to include when pitching your press release and now it’s time to give you some tips on how to pitch a press release.
Choose your outlet wisely
Whether it’s a traditional or online media outlet, not every outlet will be the best fit for you so make sure to pick the ones which will suit your needs through careful research.
Research each outlet
Once you’ve found the right media channels which you think will work for you, make sure to explore each.
You might want to look into their deadlines, format of writing, types of topics they cover, and even the kind of readers and visitors they have.
And don’t forget to include this information in your pitch to show that you’ve done your research.
Determine the best contact person
Getting the right media outlet can put your story in front of your targeted audience – that is, if you’ve identified the right contacts.
Although tapping into traditional media channels allows you to easily pick the right journalists as their names are often put out there, it may be the other way around for online media where authors don’t normally appear in articles.
But just because it’s more difficult doesn’t make it impossible. It might only mean that you need to dig a little deeper.
Modify your content based on your outlet
Ensure that your press release meets the requirements of the media outlet you want to approach. Examine the format in their writing is presented in. Are they using people’s first names? Or are they presenting spokespeople in a certain way? And then tweak your content based on whatever information you’ve gathered.
Send through your content
Once you’re certain that your content has been modified based on what the outlet wants, time to send it through. I advise that you send it through by email first. But be aware that journalists and editors receive a lot of them daily so it’s possible your email may get lost in the sea of similar emails.
Follow up
So that brings us to this next step which is to follow up. Whether you send a new email after a few days or make a phone call, it’s up to you how you do that follow up. If you don’t hear anything from the media organisations after your first email, then it’s always smart to get back in touch with them.
Send a thank you
If you do get that media coverage that you are chasing, make sure you show your appreciation as soon as possible. A simple ‘thank you’ email will do as long as it’s sincere.
And as a bonus promote your media coverage!
Finally, after getting that positive media coverage, be sure to promote it yourself. You can share a post on your website or blogs or social media pages. Then you can acknowledge those outlets that published your work by including their links in your content. In doing so, they will feel more positively towards you and this in return can open up more opportunities for you.