Mistakes happen. We are only human. Even in our 30+ years of experience pitching the media, we sometimes add someone to a media list that isn’t the right fit. Perhaps they’ve moved on from the journalism world, or they were recently switched to a new beat, or they might have even switched jobs. Whatever the case, what do you do to make sure you are pitching the right reporter? And more so, what do you do when you make a mistake?
Read our three tips for successful media relations to make sure you’re pitching the right reporter.
Find A Recent Story
When pitching a reporter or producer, be sure to Google them first. See what their most recent stories have been and make sure your pitch is crafted in a way that makes sense for what they cover. Only after you’ve researched this, should you reach out. It may even make sense to reference the story that made you reach out to them. It shows you’ve done your due diligence and made the effort to target them for a good reason.
Apologize
When you do accidentally “spam” someone, be sure to apologize. A sincere apology can go a long way. Again, everyone makes mistakes. But then learn from it and make sure it doesn’t happen again.
Offer To Help
If the reporter has moved on to another role at the outlet or to a different outlet entirely, ask them how you can help them out in their new role. A reporter may be working on a story and you may just have an excellent resource for them that was not included in your original pitch. Helping them now can help pave the way for a positive relationship in the future.
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