So much has been written and/or talked about PR folks reaching out to bloggers with stories and news. There’s been a lot of ‘tiptoe round the tulips’ advice (e.g. tread very lightly) and comments about how different it is from traditional media outreach.
Well, we’ve been engaging bloggers for just over a year now and, I believe that if you’re a good PR practitioner (ethical, honest, creative), the approach is the same.
- Identify the outlet (msm or social)
- Get familiar with the writer by reading what they write
- Figure out what kinds of stories might interest them
- When you have an idea you think might work, get in touch and politely ask if they’d like to receive it
- If no, thank them for their time
- If yes, send them your best story pitch that demonstrates an understanding of their interests and why it might appeal to them
- Follow up politely
- Repeat when appropriate
I know this sounds simple, but in my books an informed, thoughtful and measured approach is the best way to engage people regardless of whether they’re writing for old or new media.
Thanks for your comment Rudy. You bring up a good question and one that’s a bit challenging to answer in a comment. But here goes. You may want to look at some of the bloggers I follow (mostly PR folks, all with an original perspective) and check out some of their links. I think with a little digging you never know where you’ll end up. Separately, you may want to visit the Palette PR website and send me an email. (Sorry for the delay responding; it’s been hectic at work.)
Dear Mr.Waxman, I am not sure, if this is the right place to ask, if not – I am sorry. But maybe you could advise me on virtual communities, where different PR professionals can be met online? – where I could ask some questions? I could not find any so far. Thank you and keep on blogging, your blog is an interesting read.