In our upcoming annual Vocus State of the Media Report, we’ll discuss the preferred way to receive pitches from the journalist’s point of view, using research gained from a recent survey posed to a number of reporters and editors working at different mediums and outlets across the country. In anticipation of this report, inVocus asked PR practitioners to discuss their techniques and what they find currently works best with media professionals. Here’s a sampling of those responses, which we will post here today and on Friday:
Brittany Berger Public Relations and Content Coordinator at eZanga.com
As a PR pro whose emphasis is on social media at my current job, I do like to try to pitch via social media. We’re in an email overload era, and journalists receive too many pitches that way. I know some journalists who admit to sending them to the trash folder en masse. However, even if the journalist is very active on social media, their notifications are a lot less cluttered there. I’m not sure what most journalists prefer, but I have found that incorporating social media into your pitching strategy can work.
My favorite method of incorporating it is to send the pitch via email, and then contact the journalist on Twitter 12-24 hours later. Several times, I’ve sent a quick “Hey, I sent you an email…any interest?” type of tweet, to be met with an “Oh, I haven’t seen it yet. Let me read it now!” response. Reaching out through social media calls an extra bit of attention to your pitch that can make the difference between getting coverage and getting ignored.
Hugh McIntyre, marketing manager at Boombox
I am both a PR person and a journalist (I write for the Huffington Post and MTV, among others), so I feel I can share some unique insight here. I would much rather be pitched via email, as it is easier to provide more information that way, and I find the same when sending my own pitches. Twitter simply doesn’t allow someone to give everything needed in a good pitch, and Facebook feels too personal for business.
Having said that, I have found that establishing relationships with other
writers, PR people, or subjects on social media and then pitching them (or being pitched) is a very successful strategy. This way, it’s not all business, but we’re still staying professional when necessary.
Laura Knapp, founder of Social Spotlight Media
While I encourage PR professionals to connect and engage with media
contacts that they have developed relationships with, I don’t think pitching should be done via social media.
I think journalists prefer to be pitched via email as well. Mostly because they have an unlimited amount of space to ask any questions they may have, etc., vs. being limited to 140 characters.
Nancy A. Stephen, Director of Communications & Tourism Development, Stoneware Art Factory
I prefer to pitch journalists via email, but I use social media (Twitter and LinkedIn) to learn a bit more about them, or their media outlet, before I make the pitch. I think social media is a better way to stay in touch once an initial pitch has been successful.
Sakita Holley, CEO of House of Success PR
Email is still the preferred method of pitching, but social media shouldn’t be overlooked. You can learn more about a reporter’s beat on social media and you can learn about what they’re working on which can help you tailor and time your pitches better.
