Media Relations 101

When a person thinks of the PR world, generally he or she imagines press releases, social media and event planning. However, one of the most important aspects of public relations, that tends to get over looked, is media relations. Not only is media relations one of the most significant factors, but it is also one of the trickiest. In public relations the media can either be your best friend or your worst enemy.  

The following are a few tips to help you brush up on your media relations:

1   .     Know who you are pitching – Different reporters cover different things. You can’t pitch your restaurant client to a reporter who covers technology. Research the outlet as well as the actual contact person before doing anything.

2   .     Find out the details – Discover how and when the reporter likes to be contacted. Some prefer emails, others phone calls. Some prefer mornings, others evenings. The easiest way to gain a media enemy is pitching them the wrong way.

3   .     Create a petite pitch – A pitch is a quick glance at what you have to offer. These emails should be no more than a few sentences. I promise you a long email will go straight to the trash can.

4   .     Have a standout subject line – These reporters receive hundreds of emails daily. In order for an email to stand out, you must think outside the box with your subject line. Make sure it is enticing enough to make the click “open”.

5   .     Following up is a good thing – You will not receive responses from every reporter you reach out to at first, and that’s expected. Sometimes reporters need a little more, and that is what the follow up is all about. Be aggressive, and don’t feel like you are being annoying - Following up is a key piece of media relations, and reporters know that.

    This guest blog post was written by PRowl staff member Kelly Dougherty.