If not, then they aren’t a good focus for your pitch. Journalists hate irrelevant pitches – you need to figure out who is the best fit for your pitch. There’s an editorial staff for a reason — New York Magazine’s Fashion Editor should not be pitched a restaurant opening. Do your research and personalize your pitch and let the editor know why you picked them to pitch. It will go a long way and show the editor that you’re in the know. If you’re focusing on broadcast, don’t pitch any producer at the station. Watch the show! Call the station and find out who the correct producer is for what hour of TV best fits your pitch. Do you homework — the time you take to pitch will pay off media maison.
Press release perfection. Make sure it’s been edited. If you had to guess, how many press releases do you think are sent out each day that are actually well written and useful? It’s probably less than 10 percent. Don’t believe me? Just go read any online newswire. Press releases with broken links and inaccurate contact information are a big no. The point of a press release is to alert the journalist — it’s not their job
to
track you down. Also, a press release is not an advertisement, it is a media alert.
Making the connection. You did your homework, personalized your pitch, sent a great press release and you got a response! Now what? The work isn’t over. One thing I must stress is that you must be indispensible and accessible. Journalists are on a deadline and disregarding their deadlines is a great way to get on their bad sideeffects. Respond to journalists efficiently and accurately. If you receive a sample request, send it immediately. Everything a journalist would ask you for should be ready to go before the journalist bites, they will not wait around.
Be a “Giver” and not just a “Taker.” Show a journalist that you can be a resource. Maybe your product is not exactly what they want, but you know a company that is. Help out the reporter and they will remember you next time.
Buzzworthy Mommy Bloggers. Before you send samples to a Mommy Blogger make sure the blog is buzzworthy. Is the blog creating conversation? Comments on posts and shares on Twitter and Facebook show that the blog has a loyal community of readers. Of course, not all well-read blogs are the right fit for your brandnew. Ask yourself: Would I read this blog? If the answer is no, then your target audience probably wouldn’t read it either (and if the blog reads like a press release, no one is reading it). While some Mommy Bloggers do have the influence to build your brand, others may be getting the best of you. It’s a red flag if the Mommy Blogger charges for features, only posts giveaways or coupons, uses automated messages, and doesn’t post daily. A great blog is transparent and relevant, so if you can’t find the pulse behind the blog’s posts, then move on Publicist .
