Mastering media relations is an incredible way to build credibility because rather than telling your customers you’re the best over and over, media features allow customers to hear about your brand from a credible third-party source.
Read on for a beginner’s guide to media relations to help you start thinking about ways you can collaborate with journalists and other creators to boost brand awareness, authority, and credibility.
I’d also like to note that media relations is an art that isn’t mastered overnight; it requires time and effort to become a pro at pitching and landing features, especially when targeting high-profile media outlets or creators. Therefore, if achieving a top-tier feature is a goal for your business, remember to remain patient and continuously refine your skills over time.
Connection + Story Quality > Volume
Most things in life are considered a numbers game so when it comes to media relations, many might think, if I can email 500 people, at least one will reply, right? And, while yes this might be true, it’s crucial to remember journalists are inundated with requests every day, so you must be strategic when approaching media relations.
Think about it, you’re not the only person who is obsessed with their podcast or blog and would be honored to collaborate. When receiving hundreds of emails a day, journalists do not want a copy + pasted pitch that has been sent to 500 people with the hopes of getting at least one person to bite. They want to feel a connection and, most importantly, understand the benefit of having you as a guest on the show or interviewing you for an article. Many people make the mistake of focusing on why they want to be on the show, and completely forget to emphasize why it would benefit the host and audience to feature them.
You also need to craft a compelling story to captivate the journalists attention and prove it’s worth covering your pitch. Especially if you are pitching a top tier publication, your content needs to be extremely relevant and timely.
Consider setting up Google alerts for specific topics you’d like to share expertise on and jump on any opportunity to insert yourself into the news cycle. You can also keep relevant holidays in mind and plan public relations campaigns at relevant times of the year. For example, if you’re a female business owner, get creative around International Women’s Day and strategize your way into your favorite publication!
Do Your Research
When it comes to pitching yourself for media placements or collaborations, make sure you do your research and customize each note to the specific person you’re sending it to. This doesn’t mean you need to write a fresh email for each and every outlet you pitch, but make sure you are being thoughtful when hitting send. You want to ensure the receiver feels valued, respected and appreciated for their work, and not like you are only reaching out because of your personal, ulterior motive. At the end of the day, for the host to accept your pitch, it must highlight your worth and the value you can bring to their audience.
Start off by creating a templated pitch including the topic you’d like to speak on and then tweak it before sending it out to each person. For example, if you want to get on a specific podcast or blog, make sure you engage with the community. Understand what they stand for, what the audience enjoys learning about, and explain why you have something of value to offer that audience. If you are blindly pitching outlets that you know nothing about, you won’t get very far because the disconnect and inauthenticity will be felt.
Build a Solid Media List
When looking to pitch podcasts, most have a contact form on their site, so make sure to send your personalized pitch in that medium. However, when it comes to pitching guest blogs, it’s important to find the managing editor at a publication because they usually make the call on what contributed pieces make the cut. There are also tools such as Prowly and Muckrack that provide journalist information, but when starting out, you can most likely find the contact information you need directly on the media site.
Make sure the publications are relevant to the topic you are looking to write about and remember to customize each pitch to make it more meaningful.
In addition, if there is a particular platform you admire and dream of being on, consider starting to engage with relevant reporters in a friendly way. Don’t start off the relationship with an agenda in mind. Show them that you really respect their work and offer to take them out for a cup of coffee or a drink. Politeness and building genuine relationships go a long way!
When you build a real relationship with media in your space, it will open the door for them to come to you when they need a source or guest, rather than you needing to always pitch them. Since you know each other on a human level, you will likely be the first person they contact when they need someone with your insights and expertise.
Cross-promote
If you land a media feature, always cross-promote it and thank them for their time. The least you can do is share the news with your network to further incentivize the partnership. Remember, it should be a mutually beneficial arrangement, so don’t think it’s all about you!
Final thoughts
The same goes for collaborating with other online creators, they may not be as bombarded with requests, but remember to do your research and highlight the benefit of the partnership to build a lasting relationship and network.
I hope you found value in this article & feel more confident in tackling media relations. Happy pitching!
Love and light to you all!
Amanda 🙏🏻💓✨
