Getting your product or service covered by the media is essential for boosting consumer awareness, building brand credibility and ultimately driving sales. The first step in getting your brand featured is crafting strong media relations and putting yourself on your target publication’s radar.
Establishing relationships with reporters is a pivotal part of every public relations campaign. if you can successfully do this they are likely to think of you when working on a relevant piece and use you for expert commentary or include your product or service. One way to introduce yourself is to research editors that cover your space and set up face to face meetings, or a virtual chat so you can initially connect. Make sure you’ve done your research and have familiarized yourself with their work ahead of time. Research their media outlet- what kinds of stories do they run, what is the reporter’s beat? Be personable, friendly and respectful of their time.
Being able to craft a concise and impactful pitch is an important skill to master. Editors and producers get thousands of emails daily so making yours stand out is essential. What is exciting to you or your company does not always translate into a newsworthy story for media. In order to secure a story you need to tailor your pitches to meet the editorial needs of your target media, research what’s trending and have a unique angle.
A surprising amount of brands miss media placement opportunities by not responding to press in a timely manner. Keep in mind this is a competitive space – reporters have multiple sources and are often working on tight deadlines. Getting organized before you kick off a public relations campaign is important. Work with your PR team to prepare ahead of time. Draft answers to common questions, and have on hand high quality photos, statistics or studies to back up any claims in your announcement or pitch.