How to Find Journalists and Media Reps to Pitch To
Part of your press release marketing goals may be to grab media attention. Reaching the media by distributing through a service and the newswires is one way to achieve this goal. However, it can be enhanced when you pitch your press release to specific media representatives and journalists.
Pitching to random media representatives is a good way to tick them off. When you pitch to a media representative it’s essential that you know who they are, what they write about, and why they might be interested in your information. Pitching something to a journalist that isn’t relevant to them isn’t productive. You can establish a bad reputation with the media. The key is to find journalists and media reps that will be interested in your news and to pitch to them. So how do you do that and where do you look?
Read Industry Periodicals
Become well read. Read all of the magazines and industry periodicals you can get your hands on. Take special note of the journalists that write about stories that relate to your niche. Pay attention to the types of stories they cover and the information that they prefer to present.
As a small side note, consider printing or ripping out the stories that are related to your business or your niche. Keep a file on each journalist. You might also take notes on their writing style and the information they consistently cover in their material. You can then use this swipe file and your notes when you pitch to them. You’ll be able to reference their past stories, which shows that you’ve done your research.
Read Industry Blogs and News Sites
Approach industry blogs the same way you approach the magazines and periodicals. Pay attention to the news blogs, what they cover, who writes the stories, and their voice, style, and content. Again, print or use a file saving tool like Evernote to store these documents. Take notes and when it’s time to pitch to them, make sure you have done your research.
It’s About Building Relationships
When you pitch to your chosen media representatives make sure that you craft an original message for them. Don’t cut and paste a template message and don’t send a mass email to several journalists. Be professional. Explain, succinctly, why you think they might be interested in your press release and what value it provides their audience. When you pitch professionally, you’ll gain their respect. They may not cover your story the first time you pitch to them, but by building a solid relationship they may become your key to getting the media coverage you desire.
