JOURNALISM 370

February 15. 2012

Media relations checklistSeven Steps For Success

• Know your media• Localize • Be available/responsive • Be honest and fair • Be sensitive to deadlines • Be persistent, not annoying• Be wary of offering free stuff

Reaching the media

• Identifying the correct medium is essential • Be sure information is relevant to the medium

and its audience • Send it to the correct, current contact person

(i.e., editor or reporter)

Databases

• There are four that most use– PR Newswire– Busineswire– Cision– Vocus

Databases

• Media organization name• Mailing address • Telephone and fax number • E-mail addresses• Names of key editors and reporters• Twitter handles or Facebook

Editorial calendars

• Provide information about what will be covered in certain issues of a publication.

• Often set a year in advance.• Many keep same special issues from year to

year.• These allow you to play connect the dots

between media and your organization.

Tip sheets

• Weekly newsletters that report on• Changes in news personnel and their assignments • How to contact them• What kinds of material they’re looking for

• HARO is a great daily tip sheet

How do you contact folks?

• E-mail • 83% of journalists prefer e-mail as a way to

receive information• No kidding, it’s easy to not open an email

• Online newsrooms• Makes information readily available to journalists,

but is passive

Why is this important?

• PR needs the media to validate content.• The media needs PR to find stories they’re too

busy to find.• There is a love/hate relationship.• Many journalists think PR people are used car

salesmen.• Many PR people think journalists are sensational.• This is why personal relationships matter so much.

How can we play nice? Six tips for media interviews

• When reporters call, interview them first. • Know the purpose of the interview• Be prepared for questions, know your facts. • Don’t be combative, arrogant, evasive. If you

don’t know the answer, it’s OK. Just explain when and how you can find the answer.

• Get your message/talking points across.• The best PR pros think like reporters….

How can we play nice? News conference

• Don’t use reporters for routine announcements

• Allow all media information simultaneously • Allow follow-up questions • Schedule at a good time for reporters.• 10, 1 and 3 are good times.

• Select a location that accommodates reporters’ technical needs.

How to play nice:News conference

• Invite reporters a week in advance.• Establish a schedule and rules for the

conference. • Spokespeople should remain available

afterward.• Be tech friendly• Webinars• UStream…

How to play niceMedia tour

• If they can’t come to you, you go to them.• Media outlet itself• Satellite tour • Radio• TV• Skype!!!!!!!!!

How to play niceother ideas

• Previews• Opening of facility• Launch of a product • Announce a new promotional campaign

• Press junkets • Press tours/trips• Must be legitimate news angle• With bloggers, all bets can be off

How to play niceother ideas

• Editorial board meetings • Contact editor to request a meeting• Great way to build relationship with gatekeepers• Great way to build third party endorsments• People don’t use this enough

• Conferences• Use to garner support• Use to state a case, • Use to introduce something• Great for media and your target audience

Media relations checklistSeven Steps For Success

• Know your media• Localize • Be available/responsive • Be honest and fair • Be sensitive to deadlines • Be persistent, not annoying• Be wary of offering free stuff

LET’S TALK BLOGGERS • Here’s how I target bloggers• www.technorati.com• www.blogged.com• www.followerwonk.com

• Good old fashioned grunt work• What blogs are bloggers reading?• RSS feeds• Follow the trail….

• Bloggers can be your best friend or worst enemy. • Prepare for both.

Blogger RelationsThe Differences

• 77% of Internet users read blogs• 89% of journalists conduct research on blogs• 72% of bloggers blog to share experience• 61% of bloggers supplement their income by

blogging

Blogger RelationsThe Differences

• Bloggers don’t break news• Bloggers answer to readers and communities,

not editors or news directors• Bloggers didn’t graduate from J school, let

alone Scripps• Bloggers don’t have daily deadline; they don’t

need press releases• Bloggers can get paid to promote products;

they just have to disclose payments.

Blogger Relations

• Define The Ask• Do you want to giveaway products?• Do you want a guest post?• Do you want an interview?• Do you want to be part of their links page?• Do you want permission to use their name as part

of future outreach?

Blogger Relations

• Build A Relationship• What do they like to write about?• How do they want to be pitched?• How far in advance to they work?• What is their favorite post?

Blogger Relations

• Justification: Offer a simple declarative sentence as to why anything you’re pitching would matter to the blogger’s readership.• Does it solver a reader’s problem?• Will it spark a conversation that helps generate

more traffic to the blog?• Are you responding to the blogger’s needs?

Blogger Relations

•Make The Relationship Last• Many bloggers use their blog as a revenue

generating instrument.• How can PR pro drive quality traffic to the site.• Link Building• @mentions on Twitter and Facebook.

Blogger Relations

• Content • Product Reviews• Research Findings• New Data