The
Value of Public Relations, Part II
In
good times and challenging ones, public relations provides an excellent
and cost effective means to publicize your company. When done correctly,
an effective public relations campaign establishes relationships
with the people you want to reach. In this newsletter we'll continue
from where we left off in our last issue: assembling the right media
list.
Part
I of this series on PR (see March Newsletter)
covered the basics of getting started with a PR campaign from how
to write a press release to making sure it is distributed to every
logical outlet from print to TV, radio and the Internet. In Part
II of our series we discuss how to effectively target the right
media, compile a good media list, and more.
If
you're a PR novice, these tips will help get your media outreach
effort underway. If you're a seasoned pro, you may find the basic
steps suggested in this article a timely refresher.
Targeting
Your Media List
After
you have decided what kind of media you'll pursue - from print to
online to electronic - it's time to compile a target media list.
If you plan on doing a regular PR campaigns, you will want to invest
in a media directory such as Bacon's (800-621-0561; www.bacons.com)
or Gebbie Press's All-In-One Media Directory (http://www.gebbieinc.com;
845-255-7560). If you are only going to do occasional press releases,
then we recommend that you find these books in the reference section
of your local library.
You
can also search on the Internet for the specific media outlets you'd
like to reach using search engines such as Google and look for the
phone numbers and e-mail addresses of the editors who might cover
your news.
Consider
your market and identify the publications and resources that your
typical buyers read or that cover your industry. For the thousands
of small and mid-sized businesses that sell products and services
to other businesses, outreach to trade publications, newsletters,
ezines and online news sites can often yield the best results. Stories
and releases with a broader appeal may warrant a more inclusive
press lists -- consider daily newspapers, weekly newspapers, business
journals as well as television and radio programs.
Compiling
your media list
Your
media list should contain the names, publications, and contact information
for editors and broadcast producers you want to reach. A good media
list also includes information on closing deadlines and preferred
methods of contact. Include the following:
-
Name of publication or television show
- Address
- Telephone
number and e-mail address
-
Date and frequency of publication
-
Publisher's or producer's name
-
Editor's name
-
Name of any other key contacts
-
Deadline dates and times
-
Topics covered
-
Circulation or audience stats
-
Preferred method and times of contact
Hint:
If you are unsure about which editors to contact at a particular
publication or outlet, start with the managing editor or assignment
editor. If you call the publication, these editors may give you
the inside track on the best person to call at the publication.
When you follow up, let the reporter know that you were referred
by the assignment editor. With such an inside referral, you are
more likely to be successful.
Timing
your release
Generally,
afternoon newspapers go to press from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Therefore,
send your release to the editor's e-mail box no later than 9 a.m.
Morning papers usually go to press between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. so
deliver your news release no later than noon the preceding day.
Note
that the Sunday and Monday newspapers are generally good days for
publicity, since more space is available in a Sunday newspaper and
there's less news on a Monday. Try to avoid days when local or regional
events are likely to dominate, leaving your news item high and dry.
Weekly
newspapers are normally distributed on a Wednesday or Thursday,
which means your deadline looms at least two days before. Weekly
trade magazines often have Thursday deadlines and are mailed Monday
of the following week.
Deadlines
for monthly trade publications, which often work with 2 and even
3 month lead times, vary from one publication to the next.
Keeping
the media list current
Reporters
and producers regularly switch beats and change jobs, so you have
to keep updating your data on a regular basis. Ideally, you will
keep adding to the list as you discover new media contacts.
Divide
your list into three segments:
A:
Prime Prospects. These are your most desirable targets-any media
that you especially want to cover the news announcement.
B: Second-Tier Possibilities. These are smaller or long-shot
media that you don't view as essential.
C: All Others. All the remaining media outlets.
Some
PR experts recommend that you call your Bs first to practice your
pitch. Then, move to the As. Finish with the Cs, and let them know
about the other media who have agreed to cover your release. The
less-well-known media tends to be influenced by what others have
done. If time is short stick to the A's. Follow-up is important
but being a pest is destructive. Some people recommend making only
one follow-up call, as editors are inundated. If the release is
really important and newsworthy, we recommend two.
Cardinal
Rule: "Follow up, follow up, follow up." Call every
media outlet to which you sent the press materials.
In
the next issue we'll talk about how to contact the media and present
your pitch.
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