3 Tips to Get the Right Beat

Just so you know, this post is not about music.

I've already talked about how reporters typically have beats, meaning they all have different topics of interest that they regularly report on.

Now let's figure out how we can determine who is who to ensure you are pitching to the right person.

• Categorize your story. Health? Sports? Business? You need to figure out where your story falls.
• Do the research. Is there a specific reporter that covers that category? Contact them.
• Take a look at the trends. How does the outlet you're contacting normally handle this particular category? Does it air once a week on Saturdays? Does it appear in the B section of the paper? This will help you decide when to pitch.

The moral of the story? It's better to have one or two targeted pitches than sending out 10 pitches randomly and hoping one will stick.

Bridgette Outten is a journalist and media relations consultant with The Write Vision Group, Inc. With a background in print media, she has written thousands of articles for newspapers and online publications. At The Write Vision Group, Bridgette consults with nonprofits and small businesses about how to get their programs and efforts in the news. Meanwhile, she blogs on all things journalism.