Tenacity often pays off in PR, but when following up with media on a pitch there’s a difference between persistence and being overbearing. Where is that line? And how can you avoid crossing it?

Everyone defines that line differently, but in a nutshell it comes down to practicing common courtesy and learning the individual preferences of the editor, blogger, producer or reporter you are pitching. Where some don’t mind a PR professional following up, others prefer to get in contact if they are interested.

“If I can tell a pitch is sent specifically to me and not part of a mass e-mail, I will try to respond every time,” said Randi Weinstein, Phoenix Business Journal managing editor. “If I don’t respond, that means I’m either not interested in the idea or we’re not able to get to it. Sometimes I’ll hold on to a pitch that might fit a project we’re working on down the road. I’d rather not have the follow up. If I’m interested, I’ll let you know.”

Typically not hearing back can mean one of two things: they aren’t interested or they are simply too busy to respond to the hundreds of pitches they receive.

“Not always but more times than not it does mean we are not interested” said one Valley TV producer. “A good booker will at least reply with a ‘no’ but unfortunately we don’t always have that time luxury. There is a small chance that the booker is interested, but it has fallen between the cracks. That is when ONE follow up is always good. More than ONE becomes annoying and will push a booker away from the pitch.”

“Usually I’m distracted with something slightly more immediate,” said Megan Finnerty, nightlife editor for The Arizona Republic. “So call me, email me again, or send a carrier pigeon, if you can find one. Just don’t send food, gifts, liquor or a singing telegram.”

Persistence v. pushy
It should go without saying, but calling immediately after a pitch is sent just to ask if the email was received is a pet peeve of most media. Give it at least a few days, and don’t call while the show is on air, or during a print deadline. Hands down, most agree the most effective way to follow up is via email rather than phone. But how do you know when to follow up and when to let it go?

“As far as persistence and pushy goes, it’s not a big deal,” Finnerty said. “I am a forthright woman and appreciate it when others are that way, too. If I don’t want a story, I will just say so. Typically, I try to say why so in the future, you’ll have a better sense of what works for the sections I edit. And if I really say no, feel free to ask me who else might want it. It’s a big newsroom.”

The local television producer also suggested choosing one way to pitch – email or phone. Don’t try to pitch both ways numerous times. She said, “If I pass on the pitch then just understand there is a reason on my end we cannot do it. Do not overly question why I am passing on it.”

Bottom line – know the media outlet you are pitching (including deadlines), the contact’s beat if applicable, and why this particular story angle or segment is a good fit for their audience. If the answer is no, figure out why and go back to the drawing board.

“I really appreciate the PR pros who understand how the Business Journal works and craft pitches that are a fit for us,” said Weinstein. “We receive a lot of pitches for stories that aren’t part of our coverage area. PR folks who pitch good, exclusive stories and respond to reporters quickly are greatly appreciated.”

Always do your homework and understand their job is not to promote you or your client. Learn the likes and dislikes of individual members of the media and be respectful of their time so you can possibly become one of the “favorites.”

“My ‘favorite’ PR people are the ones who send clear, thorough and direct press releases that are free of grammatical and spelling errors,” Finnerty said. “My ‘favorite’ PR people tell me about big, cool things even before ALL the details are nailed down (even ones months out) so I can get them on my radar. My ‘favorite’ PR people know what sections of the paper I edit and write for, and if they’re not sure, they just ask.”

Pitching Tips (courtesy Megan Finnerty and a Valley TV producer):

• A follow-up phone call should NEVER be done while a show is still in progress
• Email is always the best way to contact a booker no matter what
• Make sure it fits in one of the sections the journalist is responsible for
• If pitching local, make sure it has a local tie
• Always be mindful of timeliness
• If the topic is obscure, reference larger publications that may have covered the trend and angles they pursued

Question: How do you follow up on a pitch? What have you found to be effective?

It may be safe to say blogging has hit the mainstream. There’s a blog – and in some cases hundreds – on any and every topic conceivable.

Blogs are great outlets for voicing opinions, educating, expressing creativity and, of course, as marketing tools. They provide you or your organization a global platform and an opportunity to create a more meaningful relationships with a niche audience. If you don’t have a blog and you’re thinking about starting one, or maybe you do, but have hit a wall with creating fresh content, there are a few things you can do to get started or overcome creative block:

• Research – what is already being done in this area? Can you fill a niche not currently being filled or approach a common topic from a fresh angle? Discover that and you will have a leg up on the competition.
• Passion – what are you most passionate about? Base your blog on something you are passionate about and it won’t feel like a chore. Topics will come easy, and you’ll be excited to constantly create and share your passion with the world. In turn, you will create better content, because it won’t be forced.
• Voice – find your voice. Your passion will dictate this too, but also think about whether you want your blog to be written, video or audio as a podcast. Blogs are not just limited to the written format. If you hate writing, maybe audio is the route to go. Make it fun.
• Curating content – create an editorial calendar with at least a month or two of topic ideas so you are not scrambling each week. Check in with your audience. What are they talking about? Ask them what they want to know or see in your blog. Crowd source!

A good example of someone rocking the blog world is Liza de Guia of Food Curated.com. She started by analyzing what else was being done in the food blog world, found a void in the online food documentary arena, then determined how she could take her documentaries to the next level.

Though there’s no shortage of food blogs, de Guia managed to create a name for Food Curated and a following by doing something different. See the interview below in which de Guia provided some great tips for rising above the fray and finding your passion.

Hopefully this gets you thinking about what you can create. Just remember to be relevant, have fun, find your passion and make it special.

Question: Have you found a new approach to blog about a common topic? If so tell us about it and share a link your blog.

Resources:
• FoodCurated.com
• Tumblr.com
• WordPress.com
• “Top 5 Business Blogging Mistakes and How to Avoid Them” ~ by Josh Catone via Mashable

For more marketing and PR tips and tools check out JetPack Radio.

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It’s happening with greater frequency – traditional media using social media not only to share their stories, but also cultivate new stories and sources. As an added benefit, they are also deepening relationships with their audience and creating more loyalty.

While some organizations have been slow to adopt social media, others jumped in feet first – treading new territory and figuring it out as they go, just as the rest of us are. One news outlet that has integrated social media into the show format is the Today Show with Kathie Lee and Hoda Kotb. Though it was a collaboration among producers and talent, Today Show correspondent Sara Haines has become the unofficial social media correspondent for the show and is doing a lot to deepen interaction with viewers.

During the show, Haines regularly reads comments and questions from the Facebook page, and tracks trends and feedback to help shape the direction of the show. Now, more so than ever, viewers are helping source content and coverage.

“Whether they specifically lead to an idea or shape the route I’m taking….they (the viewers) contribute everyday,” Haines said. “It happens everyday in every post, it influences what we’re thinking and which way we’re leaning.”

This is completely changing the way we communicate with mass media. For the first time, we are seeing more opportunities for two-way interaction, rather than the one-way street we’ve grown accustom to.

“Having people ask questions, and knowing you can give it back, means it’s not a one-dimensional thing,” she said. “Back in the day we could feel we knew someone just by tuning in each day. Imagine if you tune in each day and now you talk with them. It just deepens the bond.”

While not all news institutions monitor and utilize their social networks like the Today Show, more are seeing the value. So what does this mean to you?

You now have the potential to have your voice heard, either by sharing a story idea, interesting news or trend you think journalists and producers would be interested in; joining the conversation – you could have your comment read on air; or you could even be called on as a source for a feature story. Take advantage of the fact that this barrier is slowly coming down and start interacting with the media…but remember to keep it relevant, because spamming will work against you.

**For the entire interview click the video below or download the audio version.

Question of the week:
What online tools are you using to connect with traditional media?

For more tips and tools check out JetPack Radio.

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How can you effectively build relationships with members of the media and increase the chances of them telling your story? Get social.

Whether you work in the media or public relations industry, own a business, or create some amazing gizmo, you should be using social networks to connect with storytellers – bloggers, journalists, broadcast and radio reporters and producers. You never know when you might be able to serve as a source for them or better yet, have your story told.

By now chances are a majority of people in the media have Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts. They are using these mediums not only to promote their work, but also to connect and search for sources or story ideas. Being on the receiving end of their posts will help you network with some powerful voices and be in the know if they are looking for sources for their story or news report.

The social media platform has done a lot to tear down many of the barriers and bridge the gap between media producers and the community. So how do you connect? Join the conversation and start interacting, but remember many of the same rules apply here:

• Don’t spam or bombard them with irrelevant messages.
• If they ask for a source or topic for a story, be sure you truly fit the bill. If you pitch off-topic you run the risk of never getting one of your responses read by them again.
• Self-edit. While speed and brevity are the nature of social media, be sure you are sending accurate information. You want them to think of you as a credible source.
• Pay attention to their posts. See what they typically write about or report on. This will give a tremendous amount of insight on what types of story ideas they might be receptive to.
• Don’t always just promote yourself. If you have a connection to a source they are in need of, but it won’t necessarily promote you or your company, still let them know. Or if you come across a compelling story that doesn’t involve you, but they would be interested, share it with them. They’ll remember you for it and it’s just good karma.
• Don’t get discouraged if they don’t respond. Keep in mind they likely have at least ten times the number of followers as the average user and likely receive just as many messages. It would be near impossible to keep up with them all. Be diligent. Be relevant. And don’t give up. More often than not it will pay off…trust me.

How do you find these sources? Search the various networks and also check out the below links for a few lists. Once you find them, search their profiles. Who are they following and talking to? You may want to do the same…if it’s relevant to you.

• We Heard You: 10 More Media Tweeters to Follow
• Twitter: 25 Media Insiders to Follow Right Now

Question of the week:
How do you use social media to connect with various media outlets? Any surprising moments? Share a comment.

For more tips and tools check out JetPack Radio.

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How do you make your Facebook page more appealing? One way is to customize it through applications, and now there is bevy to choose from – everything from games to polls to blog/RSS feeds and video boxes. Applications not only enable customization, but if used correctly will also create a page that’s made to stick – your fans will actually want to hang out there, and contribute and share your information with their friends.

Relevant, rich content and regular interaction are imperative to attracting Facebook fans. Applications can help you push new content to your page, make it appealing and keep your fans engaged.

Five to get you started:
1.    Blog RSS Feed Reader – this will automatically feed your blog into your Facebook stream. If you don’t have a blog, there is no better time to start one. There are several blog and RSS reader apps out there and you can also do this with the built in Notes app. Two that work well are the Blog RSS Feed Reader and Social RSS. These can be customized to look like your actual blog.
2.    Static FBML – allows you to add a customized box to your page using Facebook Markup Language. Get creative – add images, videos, text – anything to customize it to your brand. This app was developed by Facebook so it won’t be subject to the problems third party apps sometimes encounter.
3.    Extended Info Box – allows you to fill in more information about your organization beyond the standard information categories. You can also choose the name of the box so it matches your brand.
4.   YouTube Video Box – allows you to import videos from your YouTube account and has an integrated search option, which is handy if you have a lot of videos. There are several YouTube applications on Facebook, but this one seems to be the easiest to use and only requires one step for adding your videos.
5.    Polls – this application makes it easy to create polls for fans. You can add pictures, videos and links to the polls. Again, use your creativity here.

Explore Facebook and all of the applications offered there. Be sure to read the reviews and check who developed it. There are tons of solid applications, but many of them can be overloaded with bugs and not worth the time. Check out the apps other organizations are using too. Zappos.com, for instance, has a very engaging page and more than 32,000 fans. Poke around see what they’ve done – their huge fan base shows they must be doing a few things right.

Question of the week:
What Facebook applications are you using to actively engage fans?

For more tips and tools check out JetPack Radio. Feel free to fan Wired PR too!

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