How to Create a Great Media List
After you’ve established your goals for media outreach and your press and publicity campaigns, the next step is to begin building your media list. This is a process that is ongoing. Your list will continue to evolve as new media representatives come onto the scene and others drop away. Additionally, as your goals change and your media relationships take off, your list will evolve. But we have to start somewhere, so let’s begin with creating your media list.
Brainstorm
The first step is to simply sit down at your desk and make a list. Brainstorm the people and channels you’d like to be connected to. Who in the media, and we’re talking about both online and offline, that you want to connect with? Who can help you achieve your PR and marketing goals? Also on that list, make a note of podcasts, blogs, magazines, newsletters, television news shows, newspapers and other periodicals that you’d like to be represented in.
Research
This is the most time-consuming part of the process. You want to begin gathering the nitty gritty details about the media representatives on your list. And if you don’t have a contact person yet, then you’ll start there. For example, if you would like to be covered in Crain’s then you’d start looking for the person or people who cover your industry for Crain’s.
Answer the following questions:
- Name (correct spelling)
- Contact information
- What did they publish in the past three months?
- What types of stories do they prefer to cover?
- What information are they looking for?
Quick note – You can buy media lists. Before you do this, make sure that the list has been recently updated, that it contains the information that you need, and that they contain the type of outlets or channels that are relevant to you. Did you know that Newswire.com offers access to an hundreds of targeted contacts? Join today to try it out!
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As you begin the research process, some names will be removed from your list and others may be added. This is a working document. It will continue to change over time. It’s a great idea to review your list every quarter to make sure it’s up to date.
One last bit of advice… as you’re gathering the contact information for your media list, see if you can get a hold of the editorial calendar for that person or that outlet. Then you can see what they’re publishing and when. It can help you create a pitch that not coincidentally fits right into their content plans.
Your media list is the final step before you begin your outreach campaign. Learn as much as you can about each person on your list so you can create a pitch that’s personalized to them and their needs. You’ll have better results and it’ll make all of your time and energy worth the effort.
