As Director of Social Media, I know I am supposed to champion new media communications tools such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. but sometimes I think in the midst of all the hype around social media we forget to use the most social of tools-the telephone.
It first started with e-mail, the godfather of social media, which made it easy to contact someone easily and send information without having to take the time to make a phone call. Social networking tools have taken this one step further, allowing people to contact many friends or followers almost instantly without having to use the phone. This ability to connect quickly and easily is very useful and without a doubt the way communication is heading. However, there is still a time and a place for a simple phone call, especially when contacting the media.
The media are inundated with e-mail pitches on a daily basis, many of which are not relevant to them. A quick read of The Bad Pitch Blog will give you some of the more extreme examples. As a blogger I am now getting pitched by other PR agencies-I even got a free pack of gum with 3D glasses! The sheer quantity of pitches being send via e-mail makes it all that much harder to deliver a relevant pitch to the media, but if you take the time to "work the phones" and talk to the right media for your story, you'll find they will often be receptive to your pitch or helpful in finding someone who might be interested in talking to you.
Of course, you first have to do your homework and be prepared:
- Make sure the media you are calling are interested in whatever it is you are pitching! Read what they have written and have it handy when you call.
- Do not trust Cision, MyMediaInfo, Vocus, etc. to do your research for you. They are good starting points, but many times the information is incorrect or outdated.
- Be prepared to deliver your pitch quickly and simply when you get someone on the phone. Get to the point and don't waste their time.
- Have any backup materials ready to be sent if requested and send them immediately after finishing the call.
Once you have finished your call though, don't forget to send a thank you e-mail, follow those media contacts on Twitter, set up RSS feeds on their blogs, and share any coverage on Digg!
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