Whether you’re looking to raise your public profile or hoping to promote a new product, media coverage is one of the best ways to get your organization noticed and its key messages heard.

Unfortunately, securing press coverage requires more than sending inquiries and hoping for favorable outcomes. A successful media strategy requires careful planning.

Muckrack reports that there are six public relations professionals for every journalist. That’s a lot of emails, voicemails, DMs, etc., a reporter must weed through. To stand out, you need a plan that will help you turn your queries into headline news. Here are five action points you need to make happen.

Step 1: Make Newsworthy Media Content

Want to know the trick to getting press coverage with each pitch?
It’s simple: do something that will get the media’s attention. To succeed, you need to think from the media’s perspective. Think, “What do members of the press want?” Regarding the bottom line, they want the same thing as you: getting their audience’s attention. Once you figure out what the media’s audience likes to consume, you’re on the road to making headlines or having them cover your event.

Reports show that many journalists receive, on average, 80–100 pitches per day. That’s a lot of competition. The only way your organization will get media attention is by shaping a compelling story, one that will help it to stand out from the scores of other pitches sitting unopened in reporters’ inboxes.

One tactic is to create a personal story that aligns with your organization’s pitch. Such an approach will humanize your press release. However, you must go beyond the typical narrative of “how I got into this line of work.” Instead, demonstrate why the world needs your organization. Focus on the specific problems your organization solves, the pain it relieves, and the wounds it heals. Avoid claiming your organization is a change agent or some other popular moniker. Show how it is a change agent by telling a story about how it is improving the world.

Let’s examine the steps you need to take to make sure your story fits this bill.

Step 2: Establish Goals and Build A Targeted Media List

Just like you would do for any campaign your organization embarks upon, you have to establish goals. Establishing goals is a critical step because they help us identify our desired destination and serve as a target, guiding us in building the necessary steps to reach it.

Goals need to be specific. Instead of stating that you want to “generate substantial positive publicity,” you should focus on “increasing awareness of our organization among philanthropists with common interests by gaining exposure in the media they engage with.” Then, identify the specific media that they consume. Advanced PR agency tools are not necessary to make that determination. Common-sensical searches using Google, YouTube, and podcast indexes will take you far. Develop a targeted media list based on your findings.

I’ve learned over the years that although a list of media contacts containing dozens, sometimes hundreds, of venues impresses clients, less is almost always more. What you need are top targets, which are venues your key audiences consume that are more likely to accept your pitch. This is especially true if you are not a PR specialist. Working the media is extremely time-consuming. So think about quality, because you need only one or two solid media hits to capture your audience’s attention. Indeed, include all likely, probable, and possible reporters on your media lists. But by allocating the top few targets most of your time and energy, you will be less inclined to spread yourself so thin that nothing sticks.

Step 3: Build Relationships With Journalists Before Needing Earned Media

In the field of public relations, we call this the “first day on the job tactic”: sending a brief email introducing yourself, your organization, and what it offers. Doing so is the first step in successful media relations. Here’s an example:

I am Pat Smith, Executive Director of the Patients and Physicians Alliance (PAPA), a nonprofit organization that seeks sensible tort reform through the state legislature to reduce frivolous medical malpractice lawsuits.

I am familiar with your work reporting on legal matters within the medical community. None of our members would want to see a patient truly harmed by a medical error left uncompensated. But because numerous attorneys file frivolous lawsuits with the intent of settling out of court, we seek to cap only the percentage that law firms can collect on such suits. We do not seek caps on payouts to patients who need to be made whole by medical errors.

Please keep us in mind if you need a physician’s view on the cost of medical malpractice lawsuit abuse, tort reform, or any related topic. And, if you ever need data or information we can provide, I’ll gladly assist you regardless of whether it results in a media mention.

Notice a few important elements:

1. Immediately identify yourself, your organization, and your mission
2. Become familiar with the journalist before pitching. Just because a beat reporter writes on your issue doesn’t mean he or she supports it. In the above example, Pat Smith would be in for quite a surprise after arranging an interview for a member only to find out too late that the reporter is slanted toward trial lawyers and believes that “rich doctors” are trying to avoid responsibility for medical errors.
3. Unfold a little more of what you introduced. At the time, Pat wrote, PAPA seeks state-level tort reform, and then below briefly clarifies the parameters.
4. Pat asked to be kept in mind. Notice that we are not pitching a story; rather, we are indicating how we can serve as a resource and are willing to do so, whether or not it results in a story.

None of us would ask a stranger for a big favor. The media operates in a similar manner. You can certainly gain media coverage by delivering the right message at the right time for a topic the media is currently covering. However, you are better off off building at least an introductory relationship before asking the media to write what will essentially become a marketing tool for your organization.

It is widely known that building relationships improves media personnel’s responses. How far in advance should you build relationships before pitching? Since each situation is unique, it is advisable to begin as soon as possible.

Given the media’s busy schedules, it might be reasonable to wonder if introductions might be considered a waste of their time. Quite the contrary. Media pros expect organizational spokespersons to make introductions. Spokespeople wait to make introductions until there is a need and run the risk of appearing unprofessional.

Keep in mind, there are various ways of connecting with the press. Most media directories provide information about each media pros’ contact preferences. But if you’re not a publicist, you probably don’t want to sink thousands of dollars into a media directory subscription. It’s not hard to figure out how targeted reporters wish to be contacted. Look at their publications and social media activities. You’ll figure it out.

Let’s look at the few tops ways of connecting to the press.

Connect With Local Media, Trade Journalists, and Influencers

• Twitter/X: The media gravitates toward Twitter/X. Follow them and engage in their tweets, including those about regular life matters. Be sure to engage in their live tweets.
• LinkedIn: Some thrive on LinkedIn. If those you’re targeting are active on LinkedIn and the timing aligns, inquire about their preferred pitching method. Ask them what stories they want and how much notice they need to cover your news.
• In Person: Always take advantage of opportunities to meet with local media and influencers at events, conferences, or trade shows.
• Be a Resource: When you see media pros tweet or post an online query seeking an expert source to interview for a story that’s outside your organization, take the time to connect them to people you know who can help, either through DM or, if appropriate, by tagging in a comment. That courtesy will eventually return to benefit you.

Relationships go a long way in public relations. Invest the time in connecting with media personalities through social media and in person. You will find that you achieve much better results compared to cold-calling pitches. And when it is time to pitch, your email address will be recognized, which makes the probability of placement far greater than otherwise.

Step 4: Approach Journalists with Media-Friendly Marketing Strategies

After building your targeted media list, you need to develop a strategy for your approach. The best way to go about this is similar to what you would do in any other marketing campaign: start with strategic planning. This step is not complex and does not require a lengthy 30-page action plan. You can create a single-page, bulleted planner. The key is to be strategic.

Sylvia Marketing & Public Relations provides celebrity PR services to musicians and actors. Most of our celebrity clients’ career primes occurred in the 1970s, 1980s, and some 1990s. They come to us to help brand, promote, and publicize new ventures, which include books, online courses, speaking engagements, restaurants, etc. Although their current interests differ from their celebrity work, they find much of what we did strikingly similar. Personal branding involves developing a professional persona, which resembles the creation of one’s stage presence.

What applies to Celebrity promotions and packaging also applies to PR work. Our approach, pitch, and follow-up manner are our “stage presence.” What we say is our script. Success in any industry depends on having a solid marketing strategy. After researching media venues, news writers, and their beats and developing your media list, you need to take the time to craft the perfect pitch.

And that takes us back to the beginning of this blog. The perfect pitch considers what the media’s audience will want to read, watch, or listen to. The only way to capture one’s interest is to produce a pitch that readers, viewers, or listeners will want to consume. Knowing your target’s beat, interests, and biases is key to knowing what his or her audience wants. It can also help you shape story angles to increase the newsworthiness of your message. This will help you send your media advisory or press release with confidence.

Study your journalists’ work, and your pitch will create itself. You will know exactly where your organization fits in and keep in touch.

Here’s the kicker. After developing a professional relationship with the reporter, delivering great story ideas and interviewees, and proving yourself reliable, ultimately, you will find you rarely need to pitch. Your long-term relationship will give you such familiarity that you’ll know what’s news and what’s not. Your pitching will transition to sharing story ideas that will, time and again, get media coverage.

Step 5: Following up on the Pitch

No matter how familiar you are with someone, following up is essential. However, depending on how one follows up, it could be considered an annoyance or a professional courtesy. Reporters are extremely busy professionals, so they often cannot immediately respond. And like anyone else under that scenario, it’s important to send timely follow-ups.

What’s the difference between an annoyance and a professional follow-up in terms of reminders? An annoyance is following up too soon or too many times on a topic the press does not immediately find newsworthy. A professional courtesy is based on knowing what news professionals and their audiences want, and sending timely reminders.

Services such as MailSuite are ideal to help determine when to follow up. Such programs let you know when the recipient opens, reopens, or forwards your email. Being equipped with this information is instrumental in remaining professionally courteous and avoiding becoming an annoyance.

When should you follow up? If the recipient opened the email, you may do so within two or three days. Depending on your deadlines, you may try again in a day or two. Journalists sometimes need time to respond, so you must start pitching well before your deadlines.

A final round of follow-ups to confirm coverage for events is okay. Do so with newspaper reporters several days in advance and broadcast within several hours before the event starts. Broadcast stations often warn that breaking news can void commitments, so PR teams should always be prepared to send photos and footage as a backup.

How to Get More Media Coverage over Time

Nurture your relationships with your media contacts. Engage with journalists on their social media accounts. Consider commenting on and sharing some of their articles unrelated to your organization. Support and appreciation go a long way in the communication industry.

Maintain Media Coverage Report

Media coverage reports are an important tool to track the coverage you’ve been getting from media outlets. Your reports should include social media mentions, interviews, or articles about your organization. These documents will help you understand important nuances, emerging trends, and key patterns related to your organization. Effective media monitoring will ensure your coverage reports are complete. Being armed with this information is the key to achieving your success.

Remember that media coverage is a process, not a one-time goal. Organizations must continually seek coverage for many reasons, which include

• Name recognition
• Amplify messaging and key points
• Build brand awareness
• Shaping public opinion
• Reputation management
• SEO
• Building trust over time, which will be invaluable during crises.

Once a media outlet features your organization, opportunities for future coverage increase, and an unsaid “media resume exists.” If your goal is to attract national press coverage, then you should build as much local and regional publicity as possible. Doing so strengthens your press kit and increases the likelihood of discovery by national news directors and program hosts.

Generate As Much Local Media Coverage as Possible

You can never generate too much positive coverage. Take every opportunity that comes your way, as it requires significant effort to remain in the limelight. A school leader once advised me against seeking news coverage for common events, such as talent shows, because she preferred more in-depth features. This narrow perspective is counterproductive because, in the context of the 24-hour global media cycle, being “out of sight” leads quickly to being “out of mind.” The client preferred to micromanage work that should be left to the pros, who can ensure that at least part of the school’s story is told, no matter the event. Other schools have taken the news coverage opportunities that this CEO gave up. Now, the media is more inclined to give in-depth coverage to schools with which they are familiar.

Finally, one thing to remember when seeking positive coverage is to do whatever you can to make their job easier. Whether you are targeting local TV, the local newspaper, contacting an assignment desk, or a news reporter, the quickest way to positive media coverage is to make your media advisory sound like a news report.