Delta. Afghanistan. Hurricane Henri. Return to Offi—Just Kidding.
How’s pitching going guys?
I’ve heard from a few media people that it’s not great. (and, yes, I’m striking out too)
Reporters are slammed … on vacation … or can only cover breaking news, and as much as I love newsjacking, not everyone has stories that can fit in this cycle. (Curses to those in hospital PR with where the world is your oyster…kidding, you guys are tired, I’m sure).
Just remember … we’re still in August, one of the worst months to pitch the media.
So what’s a PR pro to do in the meantime?
Plan. Labor day will be here before you know it, and … normalcy (err, for our jobs, not the world) always returns in the fall.
Learn. Seriously. There are some great professional development opps coming up this month.
Play. I decided to add a new section to the newsletter showcasing some of my favorite media tools (and I’m always looking for more! share with the class, pls), so play away.
Tool of the week: RocketReach
I will be honest, I don’t know how this sorcery works. Can I describe it as magic?
I pride myself on being an excellent internet sleuth when it comes to finding reporter and freelancer email addresses (and any information about people, let’s be honest), but sometimes, it’s just not out there.
Rocket Reach is a browser extension that can find email addresses of hard-to-find contacts in seconds. And if you don’t pitch a lot (or you have a media database and just need help beyond that) you can usually get away with the free account (5 email searches a month, more than that you have to pay, but it is totally worth it.
Download it here: https://rocketreach.co/
Cool Links for Cool Pros
Share you own webinar, conference, article, etc. by replying to this email
Free Conference: Earned Media Mastery**yes, I’m saying it again this week. Cause, folks, it’s worth it to pay for it, not to mention the free access.
Webinar: Upleveling Your Media Relations Game **weird title, but there’s a healthcare reporter involved *shrug*
Article: Four Tips to Improve Your Media Relations Pitches (PR Daily)