Despite the cold weather in New York City, spring is here. For PR folks spring cleaning should mean more than just file purging. Consider a re-evaluation of your media contacts (although we know you do this more than once a year, right?) Here are some media list clean-up tips, to keep your lists up-to-date and high-quality!
Drop the dead weight: It’s amazing how we can get into a routine with our “master” media lists, no matter how many bouncebacks we receive over the year. Look back through your most recent outreach efforts and drop the contacts that don’t exist anymore. This is also a good time to check and see who might have changed beats without telling you.
Play detective: The journalism industry is constantly changing, so be sure to replace your eliminated contacts with the most recent ones. Do some research to find out who’s covering your clients’ space and relevant topics. This might require some extra digging on your part but a quality contact is well-worth the effort!
Trim the fat: In a dream PR world, every journalist is eagerly awaiting your next pitch, but we don’t always hit our targets right on the bullseye. Make sure anyone who’s requested not to be contacted is no longer on your list. It might hurt a bit to remove them, but it will hurt more if you’re (worst case scenario) blacklisted!
Add new contacts: Be sure to include any reporters or bloggers you’ve developed new relationships with. It’s a great way to maintain your newfound connections and share high-quality contacts with your team.
Re-evaluate your targets: It’s always a good idea to ask yourself, “Who else can I form relationships with?” Take an opportunity to search for prominent industry influencers. Who’s tweeting about your client’s space? Did a new blog spring up under your nose? These are great opportunities to branch out and expand your target media lists.
Although it can be a big chore, cleaning up media lists periodically is a great strategy to ensure that your outreach is as successful as it can be.