PR Outreach Strategies
Do you know how to capture the attention of the media and make your voice stand out from the crowd? The public relations experts at Red Banyan do. We know how to connect with reporters because many of our staff are former journalists who understand what makes a good story and what will end up in the trash. Our PR consultants’ proven strategy will help your organization gain earned media and establish your company as a valuable source for legitimate stories and news tips.
Red Banyan’s PR agency will create a press outreach plan that will help open the lines of communications between your organization and the media, so your story pitches reach the right people at the right time. With services and training from our media relations professionals, your company will get the coverage and interest it seeks and the type of media recognition that will get your organization noticed in a positive light.
Press Outreach Emails
Attracting the attention of the press can be difficult these days but with the right approach, your organization can grab their attention and capture their interest. Contacting the press through emails is an excellent way to reach out but if your email doesn’t stir interest, no one will even open it and it will just end up in the trash.
So how do you stand out from the crowd? Write a captivating subject line. Subject lines are the first thing someone reads when your email shows up in their inbox. If the subject line is boring, generic or too long and too complex, the reader is likely to hit the “delete” button. Don’t let your message disappear without even being read.
Our savvy media experts will teach you how to reach out to the media with attention-grabbing emails that will garner you the attention you seek. Getting a callback from the media is directly related to the quality and content of your pitch. We will also help you identify specific writers who might be interested in your niche and show you how to contact them in a way that is most likely to yield positive results.
Common Press Outreach Mistakes
First and foremost, do your homework! Our press outreach experts know how frustrating it can be for time-starved reporters to have to weed through poorly written or irrelevant press releases when they have plenty of better things to do. Find out who the most relevant reporter is in relation to your subject matter and you’re much more likely to get a positive response.
Second, make sure your pitch is relevant and not filled with self-serving content that is far too promotional. A poorly-thought-out email is sure to go nowhere. Red Banyan’s PR experts will guide you through the pitching process and help steer you around these landmines so that reporters don’t automatically hit the “delete” button when they see your emails.
Your pitch is doomed unless it’s credible, newsworthy and relevant. Another big mistake is failing to follow up. But don’t wait too long and never be pushy. Our media relations consultants know that sometimes even the best pitches get overlooked in the business of the day. Time it right to get the right results. It’s also important to reach out to the correct media outlet; tailor the pitch to that outlet and ask for a favor instead of offering an opportunity.
Ways to Improve Your Press Outreach
If you always fish in the same pond and never catch any fish, you need to make a change: use a different bait, move to a different pond or go fishing at a different time. The same is true for press outreach. If your pitches are being ignored or falling flat, maybe you are looking for publicity in the wrong place.
The PR experts at Red Banyan are skilled at building targeted media lists and will help you define your target audience. Remember, pitching the press is not a one-size-fits-all type situation. Plus, competition is stiff. Our media consultants will teach you how to write an attention-grabbing subject line, explain the relevance of your story and then prove the value of your content. Can the outlet you’re pitching publish third-party content? What kind of content do they cover? Do you know how they promote their content or if they have an interest in the topics you are seeking to highlight?
These are all questions that are important to answer before you start sending out pitches that could be irrelevant to the outlets you have chosen. People love stories so if you have a good one, make sure to tell it well. You want the reader to hit “open” instead of “delete.” Timing is also important. If your news relates to a recent event, don’t wait. Get your news out immediately.
PR
Our team of PR experts will help your company get the publicity and media attention it deserves. We have established relationships with reporters, and we understand what the media needs to write the stories and produce the news clips that appear in newspapers and on TV.
We are storytellers so we know that interesting details can make or break a pitch. Our team of former reporters know what makes a good story and can help shape your organization’s public messages, so they are picked up by the media with the best results possible. We have worked hard for many years to become a reliable source for the news media and can teach you how to make your messaging and pitches memorable. Our team works directly with the editors and reporters who write the news every day.
Red Banyan’s PR experts are mostly former journalists so our PR team has the added dimension and skills critical to capturing and holding the attention of the mass media. We know how to pitch your legitimate story to key players, giving you the best chance possible at earned media.
Connecting with Reporters
Sending a pitch to the news media can be tough, but your pitch is more likely to get viewed if you have an established relationship with the reporter. The PR professionals at Red Banyan understand what kind of story will stir interest and have worked hard to connect with reporters so their pitches are more likely to be considered. Researching media outlets and finding out what journalists covers what topic is one of the best and most effective ways to create a personal connection in your email or pitch. Our top PR experts can teach you how to do this so you can be certain your pitch stands out and delivers results.