Inspiring people to engage with the topic we are working on is a key skill for anyone responsible for promoting a brand in the media. However, reaching journalists is not easy.Whether we are acting on behalf of an individual, a company’s image, or a product, our message will not be noticed if we neglect a few essential matters. It is important to realize that editorial offices receive hundreds of messages every day, so if we limit ourselves to sending an email, the chances of our topic being picked up are slim. Below we present some useful tips.Morning sends. Emails are best sent between 6 and 8 a.m. This is the time that offers the highest likelihood that our message will be the first one the journalist sees. This is fundamental because for prepared material to be used, the editor must first read it, yet the vast majority of emails sent are ignored or unnoticed by journalists, lost under a flood of others. Also, avoid mass sending to a large group of recipients – everyone wants to be treated uniquely, and knowing that others besides us received the email, they are unlikely to want to use such an overused material.Choose wisely. Sending press releases on a mass scale is not an optimal strategy and does not help build good relationships with journalists. It is better to spend more time finding valuable contacts, i.e., editors who cover topics close to us, such as consumer advice. To do this, it’s best to use Google, search archived publications to see if someone has already covered the issue or could potentially benefit from it.Refine the material. It’s worth considering what can be done to increase the chances of the text being used. You can enrich it with a local angle, as journalists are most interested in information from their own city. Reach out to a local expert’s opinion, refer to a specific event or location, or make the material more attractive with unique photos.Talk. Without telephone contact, we cannot be sure that the journalist has reviewed what we have prepared for them. If we have provided truly valuable information, it will be easier to persuade the editor to publish it. It is important to remember respect for the other person – journalists often do not have time to immediately read an email, may ask for a callback, or simply be unreachable. Patience and kindness are traits that can yield the best results.
Author of the text: Kornel
