Going beyond the press release

April 2002

MAINE MEDIA & MARKETING
Going beyond the press release

by KIMBERLY MCCALL

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Complete index

Untargeted public relations efforts — just like untargeted advertising — will lead you down a chilly corridor of wasted money and dashed expectations. The workhorse of public relations, the venerable press release, is but a minute part of a public relations campaign. A quick look at my e-mail proves, however, some practitioners still think a scattershot approach is better than none at all.

If you'd like to open your mind to publicity efforts beyond the press release, you'll need a primer on the world of media placement as it's conducted today. One helpful resource is the Bulldog Reporter newsletter ($549/year; see www.infocomgroup.com). Billed as "media placement intelligence for PR professionals," the semi-monthly newsletter based in Emeryville, California, is loaded with tips on pitching stories, the comings and goings at media outlets, and journalist profiles. I asked senior editor Richard Carufel what every small business owner should know about capturing the attention of the media.

Richard Carufel: Individual journalists have their own approaches and preferences for coverage. Understanding what piques the interest of a given reporter will go a long way toward scoring a media hit. One reporter may be interested strictly in the financials of the company, while another may be attracted to the human-interest angle. It's essential that PR reps pitch according to the editorial focus of a given publication or TV/radio program.

Kimberly McCall: What are some examples of public relations no-no's?

Carufel:

Calling to pitch a story and not asking if the journalist is on deadline.
Sending blanket, generic press releases that don't address a specific journalist's coverage priorities.
Pitching blindly, i.e., not checking to be sure a journalist covers the beat you're pitching. This will obviously kill the current pitch, but may also jeopardize your credibility for future submissions.
Being unfamiliar with a journalist's prior work. It always helps to reference a previous article and explain how your news fits his approach.
Following up on a pitch on the same day you send it.

McCall: All reporters and editors are different, but what are some basic tenets of making contact with the media?

Carufel:

Make sure your pitch is on target, that is, contact the appropriate journalist with relevant news. The more you can tell a journalist about how your information is a good fit for his coverage — such as by referring to a previous article that covers similar terrain — the better your odds.
Understand the media outlet's coverage criteria. Some outlets insist on a strong news hook, so you should beef up your pitch with recent figures, surveys, or earnings data. Other outlets, such as monthlies, aren't so sworn to a hook, and your pitch is best served by highlighting the evergreen, broad and trend-related elements of your information.
A majority of reporters and editors prefer initial contact via e-mail, and most appreciate you referring them to your website for additional information.
Perhaps the single most important thing — be available. Include your cell phone number in your pitch. Most journalists observe daily, or even hourly, deadlines. If they can't reach you, they'll move on to the next contact available, and you'll miss your opportunity for coverage.

McCall: How can a service such as the Bulldog Reporter help a public relations pro do her job better?

Carufel: Bulldog Reporter recognizes that each journalist is different and each reporter, editor and producer looks for specific things in a pitch. We dissect these journalists one by one, offering a comprehensive profile of what a given reporter covers, which topics may be of interest in the coming months, which angles he prefers to write about, pet peeves about PR pros, how he likes to be contacted, if he responds to follow ups, best days and times to reach him etc. A successful PR pro will understand what elements of her information appeal most to a given reporter and be able to explain why the reporter should be interested in covering her pitch.

McCall: How do you keep on top of all the staff changes in the industry?

Carufel: We have a full research staff that does nothing else but accumulate this kind of information. Our news editor leads the pack, calling media outlets and checking information first-hand. We follow leads from our prior news releases and diligently read about media outlet re-launches, redesigns and new features and sections in publications. With so many media outlets folding or downsizing, this kind of information is crucial for effective PR work.

There's much less editorial space and reporting staff members at most outlets than there were this time last year. PR has become a much trickier industry, and media placement resources are more crucial than ever for long-term success. It's difficult to get a reporter interested in your pitch because he has less space available for his work and, because of shrinking staffs, is often brought in to work on large news stories (terrorism, Enron, war), which means that less time and energy is given to his beat. It's more important than ever to make your pitch stand out from the rest of the pack.

Kimberly McCall is a writer and the president of McCall Media & Marketing, Inc., a business communications company in Freeport, Maine. The monthly "Sales Force" columnist and frequent contributor for Entrepreneur magazine, McCall also contributes to inc.com and The Wall Street Journal’s StartupJournal.com. Sign up for her free marketing bulletin at www.MarketingAngel.com or contact McCall at 207-865-0055.

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