As public relations professionals, working one-on-one with the media is where we thrive. After all, it’s the basis of our job. The hallmark of being good at this job is being able to tell and land a story; however, some of us are better than others at execution. If you’re among those who could use some extra help in landing a story, here are four practical media tactics that can help you.
HARO
If you haven’t signed up for HARO (Help A Reporter Out), do that NOW. This will provide intel on journalists looking for sources on a daily basis. If you’re not yet comfortable reaching out to media reps, HARO lets you answer their queries versus having to create a query yourself. One note: you must be quick. The turnaround time on HARO queries is usually 24 hours.
Proactive Pitching
We try to stay on top of editorial calendars on a year-round basis. Knowing when the media is planning to publish certain stories is gold.You need to keep an updated list of media contacts and outlets in order to leverage scheduled editorial opportunities. Acting proactively can increase your odds of finally landing an article.
Media Outreach
Proactive media outreach plays a key role in the day-to-day job of a public relations professional. Having an updated list of journalist contact information can make or break an outreach program, so its worth the extra time to keep the list fresh. Today, journalists are changing jobs at a rapid pace, so you need to budget enough time for data maintenance.
Contributed Articles
Truth be told, everyone likes a little help here and there…including editors with busy schedules and tight deadlines. Contributed articles are a way to help your client control the message while reaching a targeted audience. Before pitching the editor (or most appropriate contact), be sure the content is relevant to the publication, current publication themes, etc.