We now understand that it is enormously beneficial for your b2b organization to generate media attention. But still, it is not as simple as it seems. Many b2b organizations decide to take the plunge into PR but give up quickly. This often has the same reason. Namely, it doesn't work! Chances are, you'll make a number of mistakes when you approach a journalist. To protect you from this, I have listed a number of reasons why your press release is not being picked up.
The first reason why your press release isn't being picked up is probably also the most important one. Most b2b organizations just want to talk about themselves without really contributing to the knowledge of a news story. This is a common problem among b2b organizations.
You have to imagine that journalists receive an awful lot of pitches and requests every day from organizations that want to share their message in the media. Therefore, make sure you stand out because you have something newsworthy you have to report. For example, this can be an interesting perspective, which has to do with a relevant news item from your industry.
By the way, it's also not at all beneficial for your b2b organization if your press release is shared with only promotion for your organization. Then you won't take your chance to get your real one thought leadership to show. So a missed opportunity!
A big annoyance for journalists is when they receive a press release that doesn't suit the newspaper or magazine they're writing for at all.
It's important to delve into the target group, the topics, and the type of media you're sending your press release to. The journalist should get the idea that you know what you're writing about and who you're sending a message to. Therefore, also argue why your message will be a good fit for the platform.
It is not only important that you delve into the platform, but also into the publicist. Know who you're sending your message to. What topics does this person primarily write about? Does this fit in well with my topic? What else is this person interested in?
The most important thing is the journalist's name. Always address the journalist personally in your email. This gives them the idea that they are not a number on your mailing list. Of course, don't forget to spell the name correctly.
Another annoyance for journalists may be that you don't send all the information directly. Journalists are often very busy and don't have time to go after all the information. Therefore, they will not publish your story. They simply spend too much time on it than on another story.
So send your information like this completely possible in one message. It is very annoying to receive multiple emails in a row. Make it as easy as possible for the journalist. After all, you need something from them, right?
Of course, this does not apply to every press release. But if your message is about launching a new innovative product, it's very important to send the product to the journalist.
Journalists really like it when they can also see the product in action. Then they can experience for themselves how great it is. Of course, you can tell us how great your new product is, but you want the journalist to see it for themselves. The chance that the journalist will then decide to write about it will be much greater.
Or to put it bluntly, you have no manners. Good manners are incredibly important. You increase your chances of placement if you follow a few simple rules.
The first rule is: act quickly. If a journalist responds to your message and asks for more information, don't wait a day to respond. You've got the journalist's attention, don't waste this opportunity. Being able to switch quickly is crucial in the media landscape. Can't you do this? Dan is pr nothing for you.
Another important rule is: do not follow more than once. It's best to follow your message once if you don't get a response. But don't spam the journalist with your emails. Also, give the journalist at least one week to respond to your message. Aren't they doing this? Then accept that they don't find this post interesting. Perhaps another message will attract them in the future.
The last rule is: don't stalk the journalist on other channels. Don't send them extra messages via social media or LinkedIn. This is incredibly annoying. If they find your message interesting, you will get an answer automatically. Please be patient.
Don't be stubborn with the content of your message. As mentioned earlier, a common problem is that B2B organizations only want to talk about themselves. This is also the reason that many requests receive no responses. If a journalist decides to comment but asks for a number of adjustments, don't be stubborn. The journalist knows what interesting content is. If you then have to change a number of things to get the publication, take a chance.
PR is a component that takes a lot of time and patience. The longer you work on it, the more it will bear fruit in the future. Provided you don't ruin relationships with journalists for the reasons mentioned above.
So take the time to really build relationships with journalists. Then publishing will also be much easier in the future.
Of course, all organizations want more awareness, visibility and credibility by sharing their knowledge. But using PR effectively for your organization is not something you just do on the side. It takes a long time to keep an eye on the news and to keep in touch with journalists. Organizations often do not also not have the right resources and the network to use PR effectively.
