There may not be much glory when creating a media list, but it can be a star of a well done pitch.
We use Cision to make our lists. And while products like it help, pulling a media list can still be time-consuming and can make you go cross-eyed (from staring at your screen so long), so it is important that you get strategic.
When making a new list, it is important to think of the target market/demographic and the press opportunity you’re pitching. Here are some tips for getting started:
- Take a look at the media opportunity – you should know who would most be interested in this news, so only include those contacts in the list.
- Be honest with yourself – would Anderson Cooper or The View really be interested in a grand opening? Not often.
- Read the descriptions – in Cision, it’s on the left by the outlet – because they give great clues on what is covered and how to personally contact them. Let’s face it – even as PR pros, we’re not up-to-date on every outlet by name, so this little feature comes in handy so there aren’t outlets on the list that shouldn’t get your pitch.
- Always double-check – This is the most important and probably the most forgotten. Once you are completed with your media list, despite how long it takes-always scan through the final version to make sure any unwanted press contacts are not included.
A media list takes time – so sometimes it can get pushed to the back burner, but in many ways, a good media list is vital to a good PR pitch – without it, your release will have no heat.