One question I get asked the most is how can I get my business on major media? My book (product/service, etc.) is perfect for Ellen, Good Morning America, Inc. Magazine, Business Week, etc.,  but how can I reach them?

Fortunately, it’s easier than you think. Especially with my secret weapon called Cision (Cision.com)  All, I have to do is log into Cision tell them what media I’m looking for (newspapers, TV, radio, blogs, etc.), add in the location (United States or individual states) and then finalize it with the topic (business, entrepreneurs, health and wellness, etc.)  Bamm!  Within a short time, I have a complete database of the best media sources along with complete contact information.   Now it’s a bit more involved than that, but basically that’s how it works.

These databases give you the right person who handles guest booking, article submissions for magazines, book reviews, and more. Add in a professionally crafted pitch and press release or article, and you are on your way to media magic. YES, that’s how it’s done!

However, there are several things that make it work even better. These tips will help!

Fine tuning the Databases – Once the databases are created you still need to fine tune them and delete any that don’t apply.  Yes, they might write on health and wellness topics, but they might be exclusive to diets or other topics which wouldn’t fit your pitch.  So #1, fine tune and send to only those that are truly a good match.  Let me tell you, when you contact a sports editor about your diet book, they are not happy campers and they will let you know it too!

Delete Duplicates – Nothing tells a reporter more that they are being pitched to, then when they receive 25 emails with the same pitch.  Not good.  Not good at all.  So all databases need to be reviewed for duplications.  Remember often one reporter might write for several different publications, so they will appear multiple times.  Also, be mindful  as often times different editors at different papers can use the same email, so you might have different names, with the same email addresses.  So do a review on the emails themselves.

Remove any that say they don’t want to be included in your database – On all pitches, you should include a notice that if they don’t want to receive additional pitches, let you know so you can delete them from your database.  The key here is to make sure that you do remove them.  Once again, these editors are not happy campers when they have asked to be removed and then see something else from you in their email box.  What I do is in addition to removing them from the databases, I also note their names and email addresses on a file so before I send out any pitches, I can do a quick review.  Once in a great while one might slip through, but boy I make sure it never happens again and I apologize profusely.

Preparing databases takes work, but it’s so worth the effort. One thing to keep in mind is that these databases can and should be used for multiple pitches.  It’s takes a reporter time to get to know you so on that first pitch you send to them, you might not peak their interest.  However, you keep sending quality, targeted and useful pitches to them, and bingo, they write back and make that connection and start to build that relationship.

Interested in having databases prepared for you? Email us at qvnan@iveghnyjbeqchoyvfuvat.pbz, to discuss it further.