Do you find yourself cranking out press release after press release but getting no responses from journalists? Well it is time to level up your PR game because here are 5 proven strategies that have worked for us.
- Cultivate The Relationship – Having a good relationship with a journalist is key when it comes to securing coverage on your story. If you are sending out cold pitches, chances are it goes straight to the trash bin. Journalists get hundreds of emails a day, so make sure you have a relationship with them before you send your email out.
- Be Concise – A good publicist knows to keep her pitch short and to the point. Journalists are busy people, so don’t overwhelm them with a 3-page press release when a 1-page media alert will do. Better yet, attach that media alert to an email that’s 4 sentences long!
- Be Interesting – Just because your boss thinks a story is interesting doesn’t make it so. Make sure you understand who the journalist is, what subjects she covers, and what angles will be most interesting to her readers.
- Be Timely – Make sure you stay up to date on the news within your industry before you draft that press release. How is your story timely? And how does it fit into the industry overall?
- Always Follow Up – Didn’t get a reply? Well don’t assume you’re rejected. Like we said in point number 1, journalists are busy. They get hundreds of emails a day, so it is common that your email gets lost. Don’t be afraid to send a follow up after a week or so if you have not heard back. There is a difference between pestering, and just doing your due diligence.
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