Pitching Shouldn't be like Speed Dating

Pitching Shouldn’t be like Speed Dating:

My experience Getting Listed in a Media Database

Flickr CC: Mike_Crane

PR Industry Advice from

Linda VandeVrede

Mass pitching journalists and bloggers is just

like speed dating

Flickr CC: wespeck

You’re relying on the odds of making a connection through broad-based,

impersonal connections

Flickr CC: 07anycolouryoulike

You might have success, but there is a thin line between getting the word out and annoying the heck out of people

Flickr CC: Bob Miller

Ever since my blog was included in one of the

largest media databases my inbox has been full of emails

from PR professionals

Flickr CC: Peter Forret

Most of the bad pitches have come from agencies!

Flickr CC: chemisti

What made them bad pitches?

They weren’t even

moderately customized

Flickr CC: mcleod

The only custom aspect was who it was addressed to

Flickr CC: Chuck Coker

It is difficult to connect to the right

people for your clients product or

service

Flickr CC: benwerd

The database is not an area to take a shortcut

Flickr CC: fishbraintexas

A large part of the success of any PR

campaign is making sure the right information is delivered to the right

people!

Flickr CC: pareeerica

Look at PR as building a

relationship, not as a transaction!

Flickr CC: rahego

Receiving a mass pitch can make you feel kind of abused, much like I imagine

speed dating would feel

Flickr CC: nooccar

No on wants to be your Ms. Right Now,

they want to be your Ms. Right!

Flickr CC: dollie_mixtures

The challenge comes in knowing when to leverage technology and when to

resort to block and tackle PR

Flickr CC: chubbysphotography

Building the best media list for your client takes time

and work

Flickr CC: lisa_yarost

Are you diligently researching all the online media that serve your target

market for your client?

Flickr CC: godutchbaby

This gives you a feeling for the trends covered and any time you see an editor or analyst quoted you can research them and add them to the list

Flickr CC: jakerust

Did you query the recipients first to see if they want to be

added to a list?

Flickr CC: debord

Ask them for permission and stand out from the others barraging their inbox

or social feeds

Flickr CC: mommyof4ruggies

If you have a publicly held client, did you meet with your CFO to tap his/her knowledge?

Flickr CC: proimos

Often they have valuable insights into good target

journalists to include!

Flickr CC: difei

Have you spent time checking the websites and Twitter feeds of competitors?

Flickr CC: mkhmarketing

Industry competitors represent a

potential gold mine of information!

Flickr CC: jsjgeology

Whenever you go on business travel, make a point to reach out to target

journalists and bloggers face-to-face

Flickr CC: jackfrench

Your success rate will dramatically

improve by taking the time to get to

know them

Flickr CC: Kimmy

Ultimately you really don’t want

a media list of hundreds or thousands of

names

Flickr CC: photographingtravis

Quantity is not always synonymous with quality

Flickr CC: archeon

A smaller, targeted list will yield better results!

Flickr CC: richardofengland

It is important to educate your clients that public relations is not speed dating!

Flickr CC: Mike_Crane

It doesn’t happen over

night, and you don’t turn it on

like a faucet!

Flickr CC: brightfame

Taking the time to build a database consisting of the right people will make everything

you do easier!

Flickr CC: Jbid-post

Thank You!

Connect with us!

Linda VandeVrede