How to Get Press: Part 1

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON FORBES NOVEMBER 11, 2013 | READ THE ORIGINAL POST

I recently had the opportunity to chat with Elisette Carlson, the Founder of SMACK! Media, a boutique Marketing and Public Relations agency focused on innovative and authentic brands in sports, health and fitness. We were chatting about how important it is for entrepreneurs to understand PR and why it’s so crucial to success. After I berated her with questions – I decided to share some of her wisdom which hopefully will provide you with a competitive edge with your business. I’ll be sharing some of my new pr learnings through a multi-part series that covers different important aspects of having healthy PR activity as party of your company’s marketing strategy.

Part 1: How To Build The Best PR Relationships With Media

Success relies heavily on communication. Period. When something goes wrong, the culprit almost always is a breakdown in communication – be it a friendship, a marriage, a business partnership and surely, a relationship with an individual from the media. (For the purpose of this article, we’ll refer to any reporter, editor or producer as a journalist.) Conversely, when things go very well, the success likely lies within good, clear communication, and this ultimately leads to the beginning of a relationship, or what Elisette likes to call: ‘Public Relation(ship)s.’

I know first-hand what it’s like to get emailed by publicists and business owners constantly, trying to tell me why I should write an article featuring their story. I have also tried to get stories about Chic CEO published. Having been on both sides, I recognize that it is kind of a chicken and egg game. Although I don’t like to be bombarded with people telling me what I should be writing about – the emails often give me ideas of things I’d like to write about. So, here are some tips on how to build relationships that will hopefully lead to getting your story featured by journalists.

BE PERSONAL

Journalists are all different, from how they want to be contacted to personal passions they reveal in their writing. Do your homework and try to learn more about the specific person from previous articles, blog posts and social outlets such as Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. Did you go to the same college? Do you share an interest for a sport? Have you worked with a colleague of theirs? The connection with a journalist should be thoughtful and personal. Find a common perspective to demonstrate to the journalist that you value his or her work. And finally, ask yourself, “Would I want to read this story?”

MAKE YOURSELF A RESOURCE

Some of the best PR people provide journalists with information even when it doesn’t pertain to their clients. So, take the opportunity to share your expertise and be that resource for a particular topic. For example, SMACK! Media is recognized for their expertise in endurance sports and fitness. When a journalist wants to line up an interview with a World Champion triathlete, an Olympic runner or celebrity fitness trainer, SMACK! Media has made it clear that they can help facilitate those types of interviews. Find your area of expertise and help that journalist land that story or that interview. Become a “go-to” person and establish yourself as that resource.

MAKE CONNECTIONS AND INTRODUCTIONS

Along the same note of selflessly helping a journalist, make yourself useful and personal by facilitating introductions and connections. Become a “connector” in a genuine manner and the exchange between the newly-connected instantly becomes warm. If you establish yourself as someone that has real personal relationships (and not just LinkedIn connections), you will become someone that people remember. In turn, you will be remembered and journalists will be more likely to want to return the favor.

PERSONALIZE YOUR PITCH

I get emailed pitches from publicists and business owners all the time that have nothing to do with what I write about. I understand how hard it is to get your story picked up and that it can sometimes feel like a numbers game, but I can tell you – I delete emails right away if they do not fit within my scope. I write about female entrepreneurs. That means I do not plan to write articles about the latest men’s fashions for the fall. Spend a little time understanding what the journalist writes about so that your pitch resonates.

NURTURE

Check in with journalists that you have begun relationships with to see if there’s anything they need, even when you do not have a story to pitch them. Share cool opportunities with them, even when it will not directly benefit your company. The more you remain in contact without constantly pitching them, the more likely a journalist is to reach out to you when they are working on a story that could benefit your biz or know of a cool opportunity for you. For instance – I was contacted by a business owner a few weeks a go after she read an article that I had written – she just reached out to tell me that she enjoyed the article. I happened to have just been given tickets to an event happening in her area that benefited her business and I thought to give them to her because she was just reaching out with no agenda.

SWEAT TOGETHER

Yes, you read that correctly. This is a practice that Elisette from SMACK! Media feels very strongly about. She believes that if you’re in a position where you can meet that journalist in person (which she believes is amazingly important), she encourages you to get outside together and go for a run, a walk on the beach, a hike, or take a boot camp class together. One of the events they put together for a client a couple years ago was a bootcamp morning with a celebrity trainer and they had to “buddy up.” Elisette’s buddy was a head fitness editor that she had gotten to know a bit over email and phone. They sprinted together, held each other’s legs for sit-ups and challenged each other for push-ups and squats and guess what….today, they are close friends and working on stories together. Elisette says, “when we work out, we let our guards down and step outside of the office. We feel exhilarated. The endorphin rush is excellent and there isn’t anything better than sharing a workout with someone, except for maybe that post-run coffee or post-ride beer.” Give it a try.

THANK THEM

Thank you – two simple words that go a long way. Journalists appreciate an acknowledgement for a great story. Find a creative way to thank them. Send a thoughtful thank you email or a thoughtful note in the mail. It’s a lovely gesture.

Be personal. Be useful. Be caring, and you will learn the art of ‘Public Relation(ship)s.’