| Reporters are dying to quote entrepreneurs,
small business owners and consultants just like you. The trouble is, they don't know you
exist!
If only you can get your hands on a great media contact
list, then you can get your name and credentials in front of reporters. This way they will
contact you when they are writing a story that would be perfect for you.
So how can you get your hands on a great media list that's
filled with information about reporter's who want to quote you in their articles?
Many companies sell names of reporters. Like everything
else on the Internet, they vary by quality, features and services.
Before you buy a media list, be sure to ask questions like
the ones below.
10 Questions You Must Ask When Buying a Media List So You
Get the Most Bang (Publicity) for Your Buck:
1. When was the list updated?
Reporters change jobs quite frequently. And many newspapers
and magazines are laying off people. So you want to make sure the list is updated on a
daily or weekly basis. Otherwise, you'll waste time, money and energy sending messages to
people who don't work there!
2. What contact information is included in the list?
You'll want a list that has name, title, email, phone and
snail mail address. Yes, snail mail. This way you can send books or product samples.
You'll want email for sending pitches, press releases and press kits. You'll want the
phone number to pitch by phone. Of course, you will have much of this information on your
website, but you'll want to have every means available to contact reporters in the format
they most desire. Reporters can be very, very picky!
3. What information is included about the reporter?
Most basic lists you'll find on the Internet will have
contact info, but not much else. That's not enough to do target marketing. You want to
know what topic (referred to as a "beat") the reporter is covering as well. Some
of the best companies offer additional insights into the beat. For example, some lists
will tell you if reporter A only covers politics with a conservative slant. That will help
you when you fine-tune your pitch to her.
4. Do you get a list that is sorted by the topic the
reporter covers?
Some list companies will sell you the entire database of
each publication. That's way too broad for most people and will lead to a lot of waste. In
other words, it's not enough to know that Jill writes for Business Week. You want to find
the person who covers your topic. Because if Jill doesn't, she'll just throw away your
message.
5. Does the list contain a reporter's personal information?
Most lists don't have information such as "like to
bowl," or "wrote a screenplay" or "recovered from cancer." But if
the list has this information, you might gain extra insights into the reporter and you
might be able to build rapport faster.
6. Does the list have the publication's URL?
Let's face it, not everyone knows everything about every
publication. Nor is every publication available at your local newsstand or library.
However, if you have their URL, you can easily read about the publication, get its view on
the world and read articles by that reporter. It's a great time saver.
7. Does the list have web-only publications, like websites
and blogs?
These outlets are beginning to play a much bigger role in
telling stories to you audience. Don't overlook the online-only opportunities.
8. Does the list show circulation figures?
Since you don't have all the money in the world to send out
books or product samples, or even to call everyone on a good list, you must decide who is
important. That's where the circulation figures come in to play. Start with the biggest
and work your way down. If you don't have the circulation figures, you don't know who the
big boys and girls are.
9. Is the list searchable and sortable?
Look for a list that is delivered in a digital form, like a
spreadsheet or a word document. That way you can use sorting and searching tools to find
the best reporters.
10. What rights do you have to the list?
Some companies give you one-time use of the list. They even
"seed" the list with fake names so they can tell if you use the list more than
once! Look for a company that gives you unlimited use of the list so you can get the most
value for your investment.
If you follow these tips, you'll find a list of media
contacts than can serve you well at a price you can afford. |
