January 7, 2025
January 7, 2025
One of the cornerstones of public relations is an effective pitch. Before putting pen to paper, a PR professional must first figure out how to convince a reporter that his topic is interesting, timely and relevant.
While it can be tempting to fire off dozens of emails (and follow-up phone calls), a calculated approach is the most successful method for contacting a reporter. Simply acknowledging a reporter’s recent coverage or giving a nod to themes she often writes about can make a world’s difference between receiving a reply and a trip to the trash can.
To create strong media relationship, ask these four important questions before emailing or calling a reporter:
1. Is my email or phone call relevant to the reporter’s beat?
It’s important to know exactly what a reporter’s covering, so you can target her area of expertise and provide her with value. While landing an article may be your main goal, consider how you can help the reporter. You don’t want to send a Wall Street Journal reporter news on an education policy group if she doesn’t specialize in that area.
2. Is my colleague already in contact with the reporter?
Before hitting “send,” make sure one of your colleagues hasn’t done so already. A reporter can be easily annoyed if he receives the same pitch within minutes, so do your homework and make sure you know about previous communications your team has had with the reporter. By tapping your team’s expertise, you can also gain insight into what the reporter likes and dislikes.
3. Has the reporter recently written on a similar topic?
If a reporter published a story on the growth of the sharing economy a couple of weeks ago, he probably won’t be interested in your story on the exact same topic. Consider how you can expand your topic to add value for the reporter. Take the next step and suggest where the story might be going next based on trends you’re seeing in the industry. A reporter will always appreciate the opportunity to be ahead of the curve.
4. What else can I offer the reporter?
Building rapport with reporters is essential for landing a story in the next week and months down the road. If you don’t have a timely story, you can always hop on the phone or meet in person to learn about the topics they’re interested in and how to best work with them. A reporter is more likely to open emails from someone he recognizes and trusts than a stranger.
Few things in PR are more exciting than placing a story and creating long-lasting relationships with reporters. Keeping a reporter’s interests top of mind can give you a fast track to that headline you’ve been hoping for.
