Public Relations: How to Get Results, the Old Fashioned Way

Making phone calls, sending e-mails, efficient follow-ups, finding the right person, getting scooped, lengthy pitches, lead times, and generating interest. Whew!!

The list could keep growing with the hurdles public relations professionals face in pitching a story to the media and getting coverage for the company they represent.

While it can seem like an uphill battle, there are effective techniques to make successful editorial placements in newspapers and trade/association publications, and on radio, television, the Internet, etc.

Following-up Efficiently and Effectively

Reporters receive hundreds of press releases and pitch letters a day. Since they get so many, it's best to keep the pitch letters and follow-ups at about two to three paragraphs.

The follow-up to the release or pitch letter is usually the most productive. E-mail tends to be the most effective method for reaching many reporters, but it's always good to make a phone call.

The key to a good follow-up is having a good pitch in the first place. Make sure that you have done your homework with thorough research and prepared talking points. These techniques help our clients receive a faster response for their potential opportunities.

News Scoop Prevention

PR pros go crazy when a story breaks and it's already posted on the Internet without their company’s quotes. We use two techniques to solve the problem.

Most newspapers publish portions of stories online, when they break, and then the outlet releases the full story in its print and online editions the following day. When the first story is printed online, contact the reporter immediately to get your client interviewed for the full story or for when the reporter writes another related story in the future.

The other tactic is to send the company's information to the media member and/or meet with that person ahead of time to promote your organization's expertise. When a story breaks, the reporter will have the information on file to quote the company, in print or on the air, or request a future interview. We have an expert guide for the local media, which is arranged by news topic and client.

Keep Track of the Calendar

Quarterly or monthly publications publish months ahead. A daily or weekly publication has special sections, which is planned weeks or months ahead of time. Keep track of deadlines from editorial calendars and communication with the media.

If a company submits a byline article, it could be held for a long period of time until the editor feels it's the best time for its readership. For example, we recently heard back from an editor who said she was about to print a byline we submitted more than a year ago.

Finding the Right One

Be sure to send your release or pitch to the proper person. It only takes a few minutes on a search engine or a quick phone call to the media outlet.

But finding the correct media contact could send you in circles. What you think is the most appropriate beat writer or section editor might not be the one to cover the company's story. We have pitched editors who said we should talk to this person and then that person told us to talk to another person but at the conclusion of the process, we find somebody who's interested in the story.

A reporter might accept a story idea because of a personal interest they have in the topic and you might not know it from previous research. We pitched a story to a local TV reporter about a store that knitted chemo caps for the Race for the Cure, and the reporter wanted to do the story because some of her family members had cancer.

In the End...

Beware of the pitfalls on the way to getting press for your company. For more information, contact the DROZ Public Relations Team at 412.338.1818 and ask for PR Director Bethany Ruhe or contact via e-mail at bruhe@droz.com.