By: Angela Raleigh, Senior Account Executive, Leonard & Finco Public Relations
No matter how great you
think your media pitch is, or how often you send pitches to the media, if you
don’t follow-up, you probably won’t get the results you’re hoping for. Why
bother with following-up? - The media gets hundreds of emails every day and the reality is that sometimes things get missed. Since you took the time to develop the pitch and send it out, take the time to make a follow-up phone call. It can be what helps the media circle back to the information you sent over and can help keep your pitch from being ignored.
- Being persistent can pay off, but don’t be a nag. If you sent your pitch to the media, wait a couple of days before following up. If you sent the pitch via email, don’t immediately follow-up with a phone call because the media needs time to read it and respond. Think about your own email and how sometimes it can take all day to get to it. If the media isn’t interest, don’t keep pushing. Simply thank them for considering your idea.
- A phone call adds a personal touch and helps build a relationship with the media. Plus it can help your pitch stand out in a crowded inbox.
- A follow-up provides you with the perfect opportunity to explain the benefits of your idea and how it will fit for the targeted media outlet. You can talk about the information in a way that shows how it can be used and you can let them know you have resources available for additional information or interviews.
You want success for your
company or your client. A reporter wants a successful story for their outlet.
It can be a very good symbiotic relationship if you nurture it and care for it;
and that includes following up. Do you follow-up on a regular basis with your
media contacts? Do you follow-up in an interesting or unusual way? Please feel
free to share your stories or your challenges.
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