How can you get your business in your dream media outlet? This blog post explains.
One of the questions we ask our clients at the beginning of each editorial media pitching campaign is, “If you could be in any media outlet, which would you choose?”
The answer is almost always the Ellen DeGeneres Show or Better Homes & Gardens. Although not every product or service is ideal for Ellen or Better Homes, there is an outlet out there that they would be good for.
How to Find the Best Media Target for Your Business
How do you find that media outlet, pitch the right journalist and secure editorial coverage? Think about the following two questions:
- Who is your target demographic?
- What do they read, watch or listen to?
It’s also good to ask similar – but slightly different – questions to make sure your target outlets are a good fit:
- Who is the outlet’s target demographic?
- Would your product or service’s price point fit within their budget? If their typical reader is middle class, chances are they won’t be interested in a hat worth thousands of dollars, no matter how amazing it is.
- Is your product or service really something their audience would be interested in?
How to Approach Your Target Media Outlets
Here are 5 steps to take once you’ve selected your ideal media outlet.
- Do your homework. Find out who the best contact at the outlet is. For example, if you have a beauty product, contacting the Food Editor won’t get you very far. Make sure the person you contact actually writes or talks about items similar to your product or service. Browse their website, look for articles about similar companies and pay attention to the name of the reporter that wrote the piece.
- Make sure your pitch is meaningful. If there’s no reason for the journalist’s readers, listeners or viewers to care, they have no reason to care either. Think about how your product or service would truly make their lives better. It’s always good to find out what the publication chooses to care about as a whole and tie it into why their audience would be interested in your product or service.
- Craft your pitch carefully – and concisely. A well-crafted media pitch is vital to piquing a reporter’s interest. Keep it short and to the point while making it meaningful. Journalists are busy people, and they don’t have time to read a 6-page pitch, even if it is written well.
- Think about presentation. If you receive a sample request, think about the package’s presentation. The way your product is presented is part of your brand, so make sure it looks clean, sharp and professional. You don’t have to break the bank to do this, but the “WOW!” factor goes a long way with the press and should be strived for with every single sample, no matter which outlet it is going to.
- Be pleasantly persistent. Follow up with the reporter – but remember to stay polite! At Three Girls we call it pleasant persistence. Follow up enough to remind them of the sample you sent, but not so much that you become a thorn in their side. It helps to offer additional value in your follow up, too, such as another story angle or benefit for their readers.
Do you want to know more? Check out these blog posts, and contact us if you’d like advice specific to your company!
- [Media Relations] Common Pitching Mistakes and Simple Fixes
- Public Relations for Small Business: What You Need to Know
- Free Guide: What is a Press Release, Media Pitch & More?
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