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An Insider Glimpse Into Effective Media Relations

Author: Mary Fletcher Jones

Article:
An Insider Glimpse Into Effective Media Relations By Mary
Fletcher Jones, Fletcher Prince Communications (http://www.
fletcherprince.com)

What do reporters and editors really want from publicists? What
is the best way to pitch a story to them? And, importantly, how
do you avoid annoying them? These and other questions were
candidly addressed at the recent "Washington Women in Public
Relations Annual Media Roundtable," held at Washington, DC's
historic Arts Club on June 20, 2007. Holding forth were the
following panelists:

* Nancy Kerr, Features Editor, Washington Post.com * Heather
Dahl, Senior Producer/Story Planning, Fox News, National * Chad
Pergram, Chief Correspondent, Capitol Hill Bureau, Public Radio
International * Kristen Page-Kirby, Section Editor/Features,
Washington Post Express

Pitching With A Purpose The panelists agreed that pitches with a
twist got their attention. They look for quirky and fresh story
angles on holidays, seasonal trends, and news. For example,
don't pitch golf gifts for Father's Day, pleaded Ms. Page-Kirby.
They especially wanted great story ideas during the slow news
months of July and August.

The Fundamentals of Media Relations Hoping to build a
relationship with a journalist? Once you've familiarized
yourself with the name and beat of the individual reporters, the
panelists suggested being friendly and reliable, and seeking out
ways you can make their jobs easier--such as providing
photographs, research statistics, and product samples. Checking
in once a month or so to see if there are any stories you can
help with is acceptable; e-mailing them once a week is not. The
journalists said they receive from forty to two hundred e-mailed
pitches daily.

Media Relations "Do's" and "Don'ts"

• DO demonstrate that you are familiar with the style and format of the media you're
  targeting, and tailor your pitches and releases to that
  publication or broadcast.
• DO e-mail concise press releases, with important information about the topic and date in the
  subject line. Ms. Dahl emphasized the importance of writing
  press releases with the Blackberry in mind--if she can't get to
  the point of your communication in two clicks, you've lost her
  interest.
• DO e-mail relevant and timely updates, when
  appropriate. Mr. Pergram urged the audience not to discount the
  importance of the one-line, e-mailed tidbit of information; he
  can sometimes build a story around it.
• DO orchestrate your
  media events for success. Generally, the journalists weren't
  enthused about attending press conferences, but they agreed that
  they would be most likely to attend a media event that was held
  in a convenient location, after business hours, with
  refreshments--but then only if it appeared to be fun or
  interesting.
• DO return calls promptly. The most annoying pet
  peeve cited by the panelists was publicists who did not return
  their calls for two days or more.
• DON'T send attachments or high resolution images with your e-mailed press releases and
  updates, but DO let journalists know that high resolution images
  are available for the asking. Ms. Page-Kirby said great
  photographs are always appreciated and suggested creating a web
  site with high resolution images--even stock photography--that
  could be accessed by journalists, as needed.
• DON'T make multiple follow-up phone calls, but DO leave a voice mail
  message the first time you call, and be patient about the return
  call.
• DON'T expect journalists to view video news releases or
  b-roll. These panelists mentioned that they just don't have the
  time.
• DON'T fax press releases to an anonymous "Editor." Any
  fax without a properly spelled contact name goes right in the
  circular file.

About the author:
Mary Fletcher Jones is the co-owner of the Washington, DC
creative services firm, Fletcher Prince Communications
(http://www.fletcherprince.com). She has worked as the Marketing
Communications Manager for the headquarters of the American Red
Cross and has handled public relations for the Greater Reston
Arts Center, the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival, and the
Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts. She is a member of
Washington.