To gain visibility and credibility for your online business, PR is essential. Getting media coverage for your business leads to new clients, but also opportunities like speaking engagements.
However, getting a journalist’s interest is difficult. In my recent chat with journalist Marike Frick, she compared it to trying to grab the attention of a mother of twins who is juggling a household and a job.
Having worked in the field for years, Marike knows what journalists want to see and which pitches they trash right away. We spoke about her top tips to get the attention of a journalist, and here, I’m sharing them with you.
If you want to listen rather than read, check out the podcast episode here.
Tip 1: Stop writing press releases
Journalists get hundreds of press releases each day, and don’t have time to read them all. That’s why so many pitches go unanswered. Instead, do a quick shoutout. This can be in the form of a short email, a phone call, or a message on social media. Simply say: “Hi, I have a topic for you. Are you interested?”
Tip 2: Don't brag, but create interest
When you decide to make a pitch, don’t brag about yourself or how great your business is. It will put off journalists immediately. Instead, directly pitch your story or expertise. Convey the sense that you have something interesting to say on a specific topic.
Tip 3: Research the right platforms
Research where journalists are active in your country. Which platforms do they use? Wherever the journalist you want to reach is most active, that’s where you should make your pitch. It might be a specific social media channel, or directly via email. If you don’t know the direct email address of the journalist you want to reach, call the newsroom and ask for his or her contact.
Tip 4: There's no harm in following up
If you don’t receive a reply to your pitch, follow up at least once. Journalists get hundreds of emails a day — yours might have simply been overlooked. You can’t lose anything by sending a quick reminder.
Tip 5: Don't make the same pitch to hundreds of journalists
Avoid writing the same email to hundreds of journalists. It doesn’t work. Your pitch should fit to the individual journalist you’re reaching out to, and to the area this journalist specialises in.
Did any of these tips help you with your PR? I’d love to hear about your PR experience. You can connect with me on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn.
This post is available as a podcast episode. Listen here: