outnumbered
plan
The U.S. department of labor shows that there are now 4.6 public relations pros to every one journalist* (I’ll pause here for dramatic effect).
Why is this significant? PR pros, now more than ever, have their work cut out for them to reach their desired audience.That writer you’ve been chasing – he/she is the popular guy/girl in college that everyone was after. But hey, we’re solution finders, so here are a few pro-tips on making things easy for that reporter with the flooded inbox, maybe landing you that date after all:
Keep it short
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again – a reporter’s inbox is a perpetual black hole of email pitches. The last thing any PR pro should do is drone on when trying to catch their attention. Keep it short and keep it simple. A nice hello, a few bullet points and a simple ask – all that’s required assuming you …
… Target the relevant writer
We have no sympathy for you if you send a pitch with great paid search data to a writer that covers high school hoops. Do your research and find the perfect fit for your particular needs. Once you do …
… Have a plan
Line up your spokespeople ahead of time and ensure you’ve got a firm grasp of a writer’s deadline. The last thing you want to do is wait too long to submit a well-polished response only to find out the article ran three hours prior.Granted, many might say these are common-sense tips for even the most junior PR pro, but in light of the labor stats, they’re more important than ever to remember moving forward. *http://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2014/apr/14/marketingandpr-usa