Creating and pitching press releases is a common task when undertaking a public relations campaign, but reaching out to journalists with the story can be done in a few different ways. Some PRs try to be as creative as possible, such as sending a hard copy to their office, which can be a successful way of getting the attention of a publication in the digital age. Or, as was recently widely reported in the industry, but was also highly criticised as a desperate act, one account manager recorded a video begging the journalist to cite a smartphone app in a national top ten feature.
Commonly, companies or their PR agency use newswires to distribute press releases and although it may be seen by a number of staff reporters or freelancers, there is no guarantee that the ones relevant to their industry will be. Therefore, pitching to a researched journalist, in a more focused way, as is always done at Punch Communications, will produce better coverage results. So, what are the benefits of using email or a social network versus picking up the telephone to make that first contact?
Social Media
It can be difficult to contact a reporter by phone, even if you try at different times over a couple of days, and your news can quickly become too old. Therefore, the real-time nature of social networks that are used by journalists, such as Twitter, make them ideal platforms to make first contact on. PRs are utilising Twitter more and more to line up interest in a story but eventually this method will become as saturated as emailing. For now, at least, sending an @ message to ask if they would like to see the press release or to alert them to your email is a handy way of making contact and building a relationship rapidly. Additionally, using hashtag searches, such as #journorequest (in the UK) reveals requests from reporters, from 'does anyone know the PR company for X' to 'looking for a pregnant woman in her 40's', from 'reviewing Father's Day gifts ' to 'need an expert to speak about X'. These types of requests can provide excellent opportunities for pitching press releases as well as promoting products or company representatives.
There is an obvious risk in sending a press release on email; it could get lost in the tens or sometimes hundreds of similar pitches and journalists often cull their inboxes, especially getting rid of those names they don't recognise. However, if the title of email is attention grabbing enough and it is sent at the correct time of day then you may have a head start when you follow up with a call. Emailing very early in the morning may ensure it's one of the top messages when they sit at their desk and late-morning or mid-afternoon are the times when reporters are likely to be finished with editorial meetings and lunch.
Telephone
As with emailing, you want to catch the reporter at their desk rather than leaving a message; unless you know the person or they do not have a landline number it could be seen as too forward dialling their mobile. By speaking directly to the correct reporter you can put your full PR skills to use. Ensure that you sell the story in an enthusiastic and knowledgeable manner and explain the relevance to them and why you know that publication will want to run the story. Prepare your key messages in advance so you can pitch concisely and use the precious voice-time in the best way possible.