January 08 2011

Bigger media list not neccessarily better

If you’re like a lot of people who want to earn publicity from sending out a news release, you probably think that the more reporters and news media you have on your distribution list, the better. But that’s a serious mistake that might be keeping your release from getting the coverage it deserves.

One of the most common mistakes public relations professionals make is trying to pitch a story to the wrong person. Most reporters have a specialty, like “lifestyles,” “food” or “business.” If you pinpoint the reporter(s) whose “beat” matches your news, you’re much more likely to score coverage.

Tip: Create a master distribution list of reporters, separated by specialty, and then handpick the relevant reporters each time you send a news release. The reporters who get your news will appreciate that you took the time to personalize your pitch, instead of blasting your news to a generic, all-in-one list.

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PR Briefs is a blog of tips, resources and case studies for the public relations professional and the PR novice. Feel free to comment, re-post or ask questions—I hope you enjoy your experience here.

PR and marketing have been the focus of my career for the past 30 years. As an ad agency client during the early years, I got to experience a birds-eye view of agencies and the experience wasn't always a good one. When Ideaworks opened in 1995, we were determined to break the mold, and after 15 years, more than 300 awards and hundreds of client referrals, I think we're starting to get there.
—Caron Sjoberg, APR, CPRC

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