A PR agency is only successful if it can generate coverage for itself and its clients. And it can only achieve this if it is accomplished in the art of media outreach.

This refers to the process of pitching news or information to journalists, bloggers and even influencers, with the intention of gaining press coverage, business exposure and brand mentions.

However, it’s an operation that even experienced PR professionals with considerable experience struggle with, as PRs continue to outnumber journalists by more and more every year. If you’re not sure if you’re conducting your outreach correctly, Curzon PR is on hand to provide you with a few helpful pointers.

Is PR outreach the same as media relations?

PR outreach and media relations are both important aspects of an effective PR campaign, but they are not interchangeable.

As already outlined, outreach is the process of pitching news or content to journalists. The process usually begins by identifying specific writers, broadcasters or publications that cover your niche and who could be interested in working with you.

However, media relations covers the whole concept of building relationships with journalists and bloggers. It’s a case of working closely with people, on a two-way communication, to create an engaging relationship so they know to come to you when needed.

A successful amalgamation of media outreach and relations can help a business to build a positive image.

Know your target audience

This is nearly always an editor, journalist or blogger. Do your research on all media outlets and individuals that you’re planning on establishing contact with.

Read or watch as much of their work as possible and investigate their social media channels. This allows you to prepare pitches and content that will more likely peak their interest.

One of the most common PR outreach errors is pitching content that isn’t really useful or relevant to a target.

Seize the opportunity to take part in media monitoring – using softwares such as Meltwater and Brandwatch – as it encompasses the monitoring of related terms within your industry, as well as your competitors, and assists with the discovery of journalists and bloggers who cover that particular subject. You can also choose to set up alerts to track certain topics and/or mentions, which can be a great reference point when it comes to your media outreach pitches – as you’ll be able to quantify how relevant your chosen subject is with supported data.

Compile a specific media list

As well as increasing the likelihood of getting press coverage, pitching the right story to the right person will also help to establish your credibility with the media.

The most effective way to guarantee that you have a successful media list is to follow these five steps:

– Define the type of content you want to pitch
– Develop unique angles
– Decide if your pitch is relevant immediately or is your story more “evergreen”?
– Do a deep-search of both publication and writer
– Ensure you are pitching to the correct designation of journalists and writers

Avoid mass pitching

As has previously been stated, effective PR is built upon relationships that require a personalised approach.

While it can be tempting to copy and paste one pitch to many journalists, you will be seen as much more of a credible source if you only pitch the right story to the right person. It is also more likely that you will get coverage this way, than you would just pitching everything to everyone.

If – after you have paired up your pitch with the right people to contact – you have multiple journalists to target, focus on thinking up different angles so that you can tailor your copy so that each recipient receives a unique message.

Always use attention-grabbing subject lines

Busy journalists have overflowing inboxes, so your email only has a matter of seconds to stand out from the crowd.

That’s where an effective subject line can tip the balance in your favour, as curiosity will almost certainly persuade them to read on.

Keep it short and sweet, but personalise it and ensure that it provokes an inquisitive response from the recipient. That can be the difference between whether or not your pitch is opened, never mind read.

Be concise

Ensure that your outreach messaging is clear and concise, with a word limit of 200-300 words.

Keep in mind the key message of your content and how it should be conveyed to that specific audience. The newsworthy components of the content should also be communicated, while the emotional insights can be added in a quick bullet-point format.

When it comes to pitching press releases for future events or special occasions, make sure that you send it through well in advance of the date you’d hope to gain coverage. Journalists work to very tight deadlines, so will schedule coverage several weeks – or even months – ahead of time, so if your content is particularly time-sensitive, don’t expect it to be picked up for inclusion if you only send it through a few days before the event is scheduled to take place.

Substantiate the value of your content

The media strives to report original information that has come from credible sources. Therefore, your pitch will likely be ineffective if you don’t prove the value of your content to the journalist and their audience.

Make sure that not only is your content authoritative, but that you include any data sources.

Draw attention to the newsworthy elements contained within your content. Examples of this could be something that directly impacts a local readership or pertains to a trending news topic.

Stress the relevance of your content to a media outlet’s audience and why it will resonate with them. If you can, elaborate on how it will educate, entertain or inspire the readers.

Curzon PR is a London-based PR firm working with clients globally. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our Business Development Team [email protected]