Interns Shouldn’t Build Media Lists
The one where I stand on my soapbox.
I’ve worked in enough external PR roles to know the tasks often delegated to interns:
· Mailing media kits
· Helping at events
· Phone follow ups
· Building media lists
(Don’t worry, this is not an article about Tara hating interns.)
I get it, research is a great skill and project for an intern, but only if you … as the strategist … take the time to train them properly.
How about a story?
A few years ago, an intern scheduled a meeting with me because she was struggling to find reporters who would cover a very niche B2B company.
However, within five minutes of the meeting starting, I definitely scared her.
Beyond knowing what the company did (a feat in and of itself), the intern had no idea what stories were being pitched, what a win was for the client, or who the competitors were. And neither did I.
It wasn’t her fault. I could see she was given a task without being given the tools to be able to accomplish the task … and accomplish the task well.
Truthfully, I trust almost no one to help build a media list for me. And I definitely don’t trust media lists that are handed down to me (other than to make sure I haven’t missed an outlet).
I enjoy connecting the dots between what a reporter may be interested in by perusing their past articles and social media accounts. I want to know what reporters are writing about, and make sure what I’m pitching makes sense. And even if I don’t have a pitch in mind right now, I know I can connect the dots when I have an angle in the future – something that’s hard to do if someone else built the media list to begin with.
To me, building a media list is a massive part about being strategic in media relations … but I also know everyone doesn’t work like me. So, whether you’re building your own list, or training an intern, make sure these questions
Who is your client’s audience for the story/news?
What are the outlets that will reach that target audience? Are they the same as the client’s “dream” outlets? If they are different … why?
Have the specific storylines already been created? If not, what are the general topics that will be pitched?
Will the media list be comprised of just top-tier media? Or are we trying to build this client’s brand with smaller (but still highly targeted!) outlets?
Sound off: do you let others build your media lists? Reply and let me know.
Tool of the week: Qwoted
Is there anything better than pitching reporters a source for a story you know they’re writing? I think NOT.
Similar to more popular options, Qwoted is a free platform designed to help the media connect with expert sources and PRs. They have both free and paid plans, and I rarely see these requests pop up on other services.
Cool Links for Cool Pros
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