For today’s topic, I am answering an inquiry from a budding PR practitioner.
Dear Ms. Buensalido:
I’ve been working with a public relations agency for six months now and I love what I’m doing. The most challenging part of my job, so far, is how to deal with journalists and editors whenever we offer them stories and press releases—or when we’d like to invite them to do interviews or stories on our projects. I would thus appreciate your professional advice on how to go about “breaking the ice” and how to rouse their interest in the stories that we propose to them.
Thank you for your advice.
Bella
Dear Bella:
Building a professional relationship with media can be one of the most challenging yet the most rewarding tasks for every PR person. It may seem daunting at first, especially if you’re new on the job, but once you get to know how the editors and journalists think and work, and how you can provide the information they need, you shall have made the first step toward getting your pitches noted and earning their trust.
A caveat: This is easier said than done, so the following practical and time-tested tips should help you along as you connect the dots in this most exciting part of your career journey.
1. Do your research properly and thoroughly before you even contact the media. Find out what a particular media outlet specializes in and the kind of content they like. For instance, your proposed subject must be relevant to the publication or the media platform you are targeting. You do not pitch a lifestyle story about a newly launched resort to a business reporter who’s tasked to write about the management, operations and future expansion plans of such venues. But if you need to sell the resort’s upscale features and amenities, world-class cuisine and its other unique attractions, get lifestyle and travel writers on your speed dial.
Similarly, if you want to submit a story or a news release to a web site or invite a TV news channel to cover your event, you must do prior research on the type of features that these media entities specialize in. Have you even done your homework on the kind of news stories this TV channel covers? Have you checked this web site’s content so you’ll know the type of stories they focus on? Due diligence preps you for times when an editor or beat reporter may ask you why you’re pitching a particular story to them.
2. You may follow up on your stories, but don’t overdo it. Being overly ardent works when you’re selling a pricey gadget or the latest Cathy Molina rom-com. But not when you’re dealing with journalists and editors who are forever chasing deadlines. So do limit your e-mails, follow-up texts, and calls to a minimum—and only to those you have met personally. If you have direct access to editors, you have better chances of getting the accommodation you need for your clients.
This brings me to raise an important point: PR practitioners who make an effort to get to know these journalists personally shall have navigated “tricky waters,” so to speak. Earning their trust and goodwill makes your job much easier.
3. Avoid pitching a story that is obviously slanted to promote a brand. Journalists can tell if your pitched topic is “hard sell” or is simply crafted to promote your client. There is no real story that may be deemed “newsworthy.” Always remember, journalists or reporters require context when quoting statements from your clients. Even “exciting new products” or updates do not interest them unless you are bringing in an international celebrity or spokesman whom they can interview for their stand on matters of global interest.
At this point, I must stress that it’s your job to know the media and to discern what is newsworthy. It’s your job to be upfront with your client and tell them your objective. You have to find and create an interesting angle for your client—one that works for your targeted media.
Note, too, that there are new consumer products cropping up in every category imaginable. How do you make your client’s product relevant to the media and their audience? For example, are you pitching a new brand of milk tea in a market that already offers a dizzying number of choices? Then don’t just say, “There’s a new milk tea in the market!” Look for what makes your brand unique, then check what media entities would positively respond to this. Avoid pitching the same story to all media outlets. Thoughtfully conceived and well-written stories earn their trust and respect, something that benefits you in the long run.
4. Be like Buzzfeed; don’t churn out generic e-mails! I personally attest to the fact that it’s still best to have personal interaction with the journalist and editor when introducing your product/service. But these are increasingly frenzied times when PR practitioners are forced to e-mail their pitches to journalists/editors who are usually deluged by tons of pitches in their inbox! So think like an editor and present the information in the most interesting way. Have an eye-catching, click-worthy subject line. In the body of the e-mail, don’t just copy the content of the press release; in the most succinct way, try to explain why it is relevant to them.
5. Address the media properly. Verify their correct names and titles before sending those e-mails. Make sure you know who the journalist/editor is and address your communiqués to that person. Never start with a “To Whom It May Concern,” which shows that you obviously do not know who the person in charge is and don’t really care as long as your release comes out. Do your research first (or go back to number 1).
And do make sure that the addressee still exists! To this day, the late great food critic Doreen Fernandez gets inquiries from clueless college students asking her to participate in their theses, which is not only downright insulting but also annoying to Ms. Fernandez’s colleagues from the academe.
6. Make it easy for the media to help you. The most important part of your job is to make it easy for journalists and editors to get your stories and content published. Providing good-quality photos, for example, helps tremendously. Get to know what kind of images they favor for their stories.
If you’re handling an apparel brand, for example, know which media outlets prefer thematic shots of the products or which are keen on catalog-style shots. Which media outlets prefer high-res photographs or which can do with screencaps or photos embedded in social media.
For events, which media outlets prefer shots of people who attended and which media outlets opt for photos of the brand representatives? And here’s something even more current: which media outlets have ditched the use of CDs and which ones specify photos sent through Viber because it’s faster? Again, it comes down to being familiar with media outlets and their requirements, and providing them the easiest way to appreciate your story and materials.
After all, editors and journalists remember the PRs who make their jobs easier, which translates into smoother work ties between them—now and in the immediate future.
PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the United Kingdom-based International Public Relations Association (Ipra), the world’s premier association for senior communications professionals around the world. Joy Lumawig-Buensalido is the president and CEO of Buensalido & Associates Public Relations.
PR Matters is devoting a special column each month to answer our readers’ questions about public relations. Please send your questions or comments to askipraphil@gmail.com.