Know-How Exchange : Advertising/PR

If you know the reporter's name, you can usually find an email address on the Web somewhere, no?

If not, you can usually determine the email address once you see how others in the organization set up their email addresses (first.last@company.com, flast@company.com, last.first@company.com, and so on).

Many of today's journalists have their own blogs. Visit their blogs, participate in the discussions and become a valued contributor. The journalist will appreciate the expertise and it gives you a common ground to build a relationship. Get to blogging!

I've gone that route, no blog available. But thank you!

I am in teh bake and take meal prep industry- we have a new fresh food, weight loss line of food.

We have gone that route and it has been successful in some markets. Our line is endorsed by two of NBC's Biggest Loser- and Biggest Loser is sort of a 24 Hr Fitness deal, yet they as independanst don't have nay ties to that gym.. it's messy, but good idea, thank you!

Reporters almost never determine their beat. There are assignment editors and producers who front the ideas.

Also, don't totally discount the idea of posting on PR Newswire or one similar. It automatically boosts your credibility.

I agree with building a unique story line, and be sure you pitch it differently to each one.

Interesting points. I will consider. I'm trying to make sure I do this whole thing correctly! Am I doing this right?

Calling or emailing a reporter directly will only work if you have the following:
1) Built a relationship with him/her prior to your pitch and you know exactly what that reporter writes/covers (be sure to have read up on what the reporter has most recently covered),
2) If it's a great, great, great story that needs to be told.

Otherwise, your best bet is to go to the assignment editor, the city editor, the news director, or the producer (all are different titles depending on what medium you're targeting). You can work on your idea/pitch by hearing from them.

Worst time to call/email reporters is in the afternoon. They are all on deadlines trying to wrap up their stories. Best time to call is 10 am - 12 noon, especially if it's a daily.

As a former reporter, I can tell you that my colleagues' and my biggest complaint about getting a story pitched to us was that the person calling us had NEVER read our publication or any of our stories. So, their pitch was very centralized on their company and not on how it would be of interest to my readers.

A good PR person, with strong media relations skills, would know all of this. So, hopefully you'll find one that can help you with this.

Good luck! And do let us know what happens ...

Someone mentioned this, but it is amazing what information you can find on the internet. I would spend some time doing searches. There is a database of various people at JigSaw.com and you never know the people you want to find might be on the list. Try it.

When you are promoting a product or service, it is good to have a completed profile on Marketingprofs and other social nets. That way people can contact you and give you information they might not want to post, like editor’s names. Also, having a completed profile gets you mentioned in search engine results and helps to promote your product. Just a suggestion. It is good to ahve digital footprints and a lot of them if you are promoting something.