Archive for Washington Business Journal
Media Relations Tip #12: 'Socialize' in Real Life, Too
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Don’t get me wrong, social media is a powerful way to connect with people online, and it’s already changing the way public relations pros are approaching their jobs. But nothing beats good ole face-to-face communication.
About a week ago, we visited with the staff of the Baltimore Business Journal during a tweetup at their new downtown Baltimore offices. Next it was off to Chef Geoff’s restaurant in Virginia to meet up with folks at the Washington Business Journal (that’s WBJ Editor Douglas Fruehling, right, in the corner introducing the editorial staff). In both cases, we got to hear first-hand what’s on the minds of the editors and reporters, enabling us to make better decisions as to where a client’s potential news story might fit. Or not.
In addition to specifics about their beats, curiosity about social media is on their minds, but so are the horror stories we continue to hear about PR people either spamming them with press releases or pounding them with unwanted phone calls. One WBJ reporter/columnist (who last week wrote a great piece about a Sawmill client) said she could spend all day simply fielding phone calls from perky PR people making follow-ups. Voicemail is her time-saver. Minutes later an editor talked to us about the balance of using techniques such as tweetups to reach out to younger readers when the core audience is still older businesspeople who aren’t likely spending time on social networking sites. They’re still trying to find that right mix.
It’s one thing to follow media on Twitter and Facebook (which we do and encourage others to do), but the recent meetups bring to mind a few tips for cutting through the clutter: take the time to meet these people in real life, only approach them when you have a decent story (your PR firm should be able to protect you from making a fool of yourself) and make sure you’re reaching out to the right reporter the right way in the right (brief) format. Otherwise, it’s “delete.”
Media Relations Tip #1: Do Your Homework!
Posted by: | Comments“Please do your homework before contacting me. At least know what I cover.”
These two sentences are nearly always the opening mantra of reporters talking on yet another panel of media seated before yet another gathering of PR professionals hoping for a tip that can catapult their e-mail pitches and follow up phone calls to the top of the reporter’s “must cover” list.
In a sidebar to a story by Jennifer Nycz-Conner of the Washington Business Journal, she reminds us to “know what kinds of stories a reporter is drawn to.” Or she as she so memorably writes, “you wouldn’t walk into a hardware store and ask for mascara.”
Recently, I got caught not doing my homework by an editor of a major trade publication covering an important client’s industry. Much to my chagrin, my pitch was absolutely out of line. If I had studied the online editions of the publication and then paused before hitting “send” I would have realized that they don’t cover what I was proposing and that the pitch was a waste of his time and attention.
However, he had the grace and professionalism to take the time to instruct me on his publication, including what it would take to get his attention. I got lucky, didn’t I?
I’m now in the process of re-tooling my pitch to him and feel confident that my second and corrected attempt will be a successful one. His magazine gets what it’s looking for and gets it exclusively, my client is thrilled with the prospect of coverage in this prestigious industry magazine and I believe I’ve learned the “mascara in a hardware store” lesson once and for all.
Once again, Sawmill Marketing Public Relations was the subject of a feature story on social media/social networking phenom Twitter, this time in the current issue of the Washington Business Journal.
We’re thrilled with the coverage, but equally impressed with how such a story came about. (Hint: no press releases were used in the making of this story!)
It all started back in March during a routine update lunch with Baltimore Business Journal advertising & marketing reporter Julekha Dash when, among other topics, we talked about Twitter and social media. A month later, sister publication Boston Business Journal published a Twitter story which later prompted a call from Rob Terry, associate editor of the BBJ, who was working on localizing the Boston story for use in Baltimore (and learned via Julekha about our expertise). The BBJ article appeared in June as the lead item in their Advertising & Marketing edition. Then, the Washington Business Journal article appeared this week, in the September 5 issue. We can’t wait to learn what’s next.
The secret to landing this kind of coverage? Call it a mix of expertise, having the right contacts, a bit of being in the right place at the right time and, most of all, patience.
