Choosing a Winning Subject for Your Next Press Release

If you’ve had trouble recently getting the attention of even the most faithful of your editor and journalist friends, then you may need to take a look at the type of material you’re sending. You could be getting a little too “familiar” and started figuring that everything is ok to send or even write about. 

I… Read more

The Most Important Questions to Ask when Negotiating an Exclusive Coverage Agreement

Offering a reporter or media outlet an exclusive can give them a huge incentive to cover your story. Every outlet wants to be the first to cover a big story, so offering them an exclusive is a great way to pique their interest while at the same time building their trust and taking the relationship to the next le… Read more

Know Your Audience When Sending a Press Release

After completing a press release you naturally want everybody in the world to read it. Friends, neighbors, and every journalist you can find an email, phone number, or physical address for in the continental US and beyond would love it if it was up to you. The release is naturally the most important thing in … Read more

Dealing with Picky Journalists and Editors

Getting your press release or news story into a newspaper, on TV, or even a journalist’s blog can be an uphill battle. It makes it that much worse when the journalist or editor is super picky. After the fifth round of third degree questioning, and a brutal fact checking, it can seem like they just don’t like YO… Read more

With Print Media on the Decline Will Journalists Be More Open to Your Story?

It’s no big secret that print journalism isn’t doing so great right now. With 24 hour news stations, the Internet, and even online versions of their own editions, newspapers and magazines are looking for ways to stay relevant in an increasingly electronic world.

However, their heartbreak and struggle c… Read more

How to Not Make a Journalist Hate You When You Call

Sometimes, you need to pick up the phone to talk to a journalist. Maybe you want to follow up on a press release you sent them, or maybe you need to get in touch with them quickly to retract a press release you sent too early or to correct some information you gave them.

Whatever the reason, when you pick up the pho… Read more

Writing a Great Subject Line for Your Pitch

You have an awesome pitch, and now it’s time to send it by email to the reporter of your choosing. And while you probably thought composing the pitch was the hardest part, the truth is that you still have one of the largest challenges ahead — getting the reporter to open your email. How can you guarantee that th… Read more

Should You Be Giving Exclusives to Journalists?

Your company has a huge announcement in the works. You’re gearing up to help spread the news out to the world. Suddenly you have a revelation: let’s offer it as an exclusive! That way our news will seem even bigger than it already is. Plus, we’ll have a unique deal with one media outlet, guaranteeing lots of co… Read more

5 Reasons People Hate PR Pros

Public relations professionals get a bad rap. It seems like I can hardly go a day without coming across a blog post criticizing PR people in one way or another. But why the hate? Are PR pros really these despicable, glorified car salesmen that others try to make them out to be? Or have people developed an unfai… Read more

5 Reasons You Should Always Follow Up On Your Pitches

Some media members have PR people believing they live by the motto: “Don’t call us, we’ll call you.” That’s why you might think that when you don’t get a response on that press release you sent out it must mean that no one is interested. Maybe that is the case, but maybe it’s not. The only way to know for sure is to … Read more