As public relations professionals, we understand that timeliness, proximity, human interest and relevance are some of the important elements that make a story newsworthy. That’s why, at Coldwater Communications, we work closely with our clients to understand who they are, what’s important to them and what messages they want to share—it’s a hands-on approach that helps foster strong relationships and builds a rock-solid foundation for creating strong, relevant and buzzworthy media pitches.
Tailored media pitches and good media relations go hand-in-hand. When juggling numerous projects and working to meet tight timelines, it can be tempting to think that sending generic pitches to a long list of media outlets is the most efficient way to generate buzz. However, taking the time to customize pitches to targeted outlets and journalists is an effective strategy that can lead to positive and effective results for clients…and more meaningful relationships with reporters and editors.
It is important to invest the time to build relationships with media and understand what they need in order to produce their story. Researching both outlets and reporters to determine the kind of content they cover and who their audiences are allows us to connect the right media with the right stories. At the same time, being conscious and considerate of the challenges journalists are currently facing is also key in maintaining positive relationships with them: whether it’s reduced budgets, shrinking newsrooms, tight deadlines or dominating world events, journalists have their hands full.
With all that in mind, here are some of our best practices in crafting a solid media campaign:
- Responding to emails and phone calls in a timely manner
- Including images and B-roll video footage
- Inserting links to additional sources of information
- Ending the pitch with a clear call to action
- Following-up to ensure the outlet or journalist has all the information they need
The pandemic has forced us to rethink and re-asses almost every facet of our lives. Organizations have had to adapt and find new ways of doing business. Some have expanded or tapped into new markets that might not have been discovered. New products and services are being launched every day. For each of these successes, there is a story to be told.
Earning media coverage through targeted media strategies helps to build and nurture the mutually-beneficial relationship between the media and public relations professionals. It also helps to ensure that, despite the ever-changing media landscape, we can continue to play the important role of showcasing our clients’ work and celebrating their successes.
