Smart PR professionals know that garnering news coverage for a client is about pitching their story to the right people at the right publication at the right time. Enter editorial calendars, the wonderful guides for creating inroads and becoming a valuable resource to reporters. While many PR pros may think of editorial calendars as outdated, they still serve a purpose by adding value to any client campaign while making media outreach a bit easier. Here’s why:
They cut through the clutter
We’ve written before about the hectic life of the reporter, and how pitches that aren’t aligned with their current needs may just hit the trash. When you leverage insight on the reporter’s upcoming stories and tailor your pitch to them, it’s likely your email stays near the top of their inbox. It’s a win-win; they get timely information, and you get client exposure.
They keep you organized
Yearly editorial calendars enable PR pros to better organize pitches, content, social media updates, case studies and anything else client related, to coordinate a finely-tuned outreach schedule.
They help establish rapport
A surefire way to turn a reporter off is to pitch something irrelevant to their beat. In contrast, the best way to draw a smile and build that relationship is to laser target your pitch to their needs. Reporters appreciate when you’ve done your homework, and doing so regularly earns their trust so hopefully they turn to you in the future, even when you’re not actively pitching them.
They fill in the gaps
Consistently creating content is an extensive process, and often times a client won’t have new content to pitch for extended periods of time. Editorial calendars work perfectly to fill in those gaps, offering an easy way for clients to contribute comments, analysis and expertise tailored to a reporter’s needs.
They help identify the target audience
Sometimes it’s clear from their title what a publication covers, but not everyone makes it easy; a title like Jim’s Marketing Daily doesn’t reveal much, other than a dizzying list of potential coverage areas. An editorial calendar comes in handy here by laying out specific topics, helping to clarify if the publication is right for your client’s needs.
Ultimately, the editorial calendar remains a useful tool for guiding other media relations tactics at your disposal. Taking some time to sit down and review your target publications’ calendars and setting reminders to regularly check for upcoming opportunities can go a long way in garnering coverage for your clients all year long, adding value to client campaigns, and building media relationships along the way.