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Cover letters, media advisories how to play nice

WORKING WITH MEDIA

Why is this important?PR needs the media to validate content.The media needs PR to find stories they’re too

busy to find.There is a love/hate relationship.• Many journalists think PR people are used car

salesmen.• Many PR people think journalists are sensational.• This is why personal relationships matter so much.

Media relations checklistSeven Steps For Success1. Know your media2. Localize 3. Be available/responsive 4. Be honest and fair 5. Be sensitive to deadlines 6. Be persistent, not annoying7. Be wary of offering free stuff

NATIONAL Database GATHERINGThere are four that most use

•PR Newswire•Businesswire•Cision, •Meltwater

DatabaseFEATUREs1. Media organization name2. Mailing address 3. Telephone and fax number 4. E-mail addresses5. Names of key editors and reporters6. Social media accounts7. These are not always precise

Editorial calendars1. Provide information about what will be

covered in certain issues of a publication.

2. Often set a year in advance.3. Many keep same special issues from

year to year.4. These allow you to play connect the dots

between media and your organization.

Tip sheetsWeekly newsletters that report on

• Changes in news personnel and their assignments

• How to contact them• What kinds of material they’re

looking forHARO is a great daily tip sheet

There are two ways we initially alert media

Pitch Letter/EmailORMedia Advisory

PITCH LETTER=PITCH EMAIL

PITCH LETTER/email OVERVIEW• Pitch letters let media gatekeepers know

something is going on.• They are usually the first thing a gatekeeper

sees.• It’s a sales pitch that explains why the media

outlet needs to cover this.• PITCH LETTER MUST BE CUSTOMIZED.• YOU HAVE TO CONNECT YOUR CONTENT TO

THEIR NEWS VALUES

PITCH LETTER/email OVERVIEW• Step One: Connect to them.

• What is of interest to them?• How have they covered the story or issue in the

past?• Twitter and Cision help you personalize the pitch.• LinkedIn can help too.

• Step Two: Connect to you.• Keep it short.• Follow up with call or tweet.

I really can’t stress this enough

• The more personal the pitch, the higher the batting average.

• This applies to cover letters as well.

PITCH LETTER 101COURTESY BAD PITCH BLOG1. Hit with your best shot. 2. Make it damn personal. 3. It’s method, man. Letters delivered by

email need different content than those delivered by envelope with stamp.

4. Do not rush a letter. 5. Proofread. Proofread. Oh and then

proofread again.

Pitch letter example• I hope you've come down from the Breaking Bad

high of Sunday. I still can't believe everything that happened in 75 minutes.

• As you get ready for the OSU/Northwestern game and other coverage this weekend on ESPN Radio, I wanted to pitch a potential guest who can offer a different perspective on where the OSU team is and how it got there….

Pitch letter example• I recently read your vaccine article

 and wanted to connect about an international autism conference taking place next week in Columbus, Ohio.

Pitch letter example• Sorry about Pete

Carroll’s brain freeze.

MEDIA ADVISORIES

Let’s Talk Media Advisories.• They tell assignment editors about upcoming news

events, opportunities or local angles• When you host a press conference or event, you send

these.• When you have special availability, you send these. • When you don’t trust reporters to embargo a release, you

send these.• When you have a major announcement and don’t want to

let the cat out of the bag, you send these.

FormattingThese are one page:

• These are almost always for immediate release.• Contact Information: CELL MANDATORY….• Headline• What, who, when, where, background in that order.• Logistics

• Where can I park?• Where do I go when I get there?

WORKING WITH MEDIA ONCE THEY ARE INTERESTED

How can we play nice? Six tips for media interviews1. When reporters call, interview them first. 2. Know the purpose of the interview3. Be prepared for questions, know your facts. 4. Don’t be combative, arrogant, evasive. If you

don’t know the answer, it’s OK. Just explain when and how you can find the answer.

5. Get your message/talking points across.6. The best PR pros think like reporters….

How can we play nice? News conference1. Don’t use reporters for routine announcements2. Allow all media information simultaneously 3. Allow follow-up questions 4. Schedule at a good time for reporters.

1. 10, 1 and 3 are good times.

5. Select a location that accommodates reporters’ technical needs.

How to play nice:News conference• Invite reporters a week in advance.• Establish a schedule and rules for the

conference. • Spokespeople should remain available

afterward.• Be tech friendly• Webinars• UStream…

How to play niceMedia tourIf they can’t come to you, you go to them.• Media outlet itself• Satellite media tour

• Radio• TV….5 minute interviews• Skype!!!!!!!!! • Internet or Twitter chats

How to play nice:other ideas• Previews

• Opening of facility.• Launch of a product or campaign.

• Press junkets • Entertainers do these all the time to promote.• They stay in one place and reporters rotate in and out.

• Press tours/trips• Must be legitimate news angle.• With bloggers, all bets can be off.

How to play nice:other ideasEditorial board meetings

• Contact editor to request a meeting.• Great way to build relationship with

gatekeepers.• Great way to build third party

endorsements.• People don’t use this enough.

How to play nice:other ideasCreate Conferences & Fundraisers

• You garner support• You state a case to a sympathetic crowd.• You better control content because it’s a .

one stop shop for media and audience• It’s also social media friendly. • The key is to sell the subject matter, not

the conference itself.

Media relations checklistSeven Steps For Success1. Know your media2. Localize 3. Be available/responsive 4. Be honest and fair 5. Be sensitive to deadlines 6. Be persistent, not annoying7. Be wary of offering free stuff