After You Pitch: 3 Things You Should Do

So you have prepared for your big pitch to a reporter and actually contacted them.

Go you.

And now you wait -- and wait.

Let me say that every reporter isn't going to get back to you. I like to think that I responded to every query and pitch with a "no, thank you" if I didn't need it, but I can't be sure. With that said, sometimes reporters are interested in your story and no news is not good news.

But still, here are a few things you can do to follow up and none of them involve making a pest of yourself.

1. Call or email. If your sent your pitch via email and haven't heard anything back, call the reporter and leave a message as well. Vice versa if you called first; make sure that you email as a follow-up.
2. Peruse the news to see if anything related to your story was aired or published. What this means is that you follow news trends to see if something in your industry has been covered. That could be why reporters don't want to cover it again OR you can use it as as fresh leverage to show your pitch or topic is still relevant.
3. Take a look at your pitch again. See if there is anything you can do to improve for next time. Perhaps you can freshen up some statistics or throw in a new angle so that ultimately, you can pitch it again.

The moral of the story? Sometimes reporters don't respond. Every pitch doesn't necessarily get a "yes." But the great thing about that "yes" is that you only need one to get started. So don't give up.

Bridgette Outten is a journalist and publicity strategist 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.

Social Media vs. Traditional Media...Which Wins?

I'm a reporter.

Yes, I know, you know that. As a reporter, how I help people is share what I know from being on the inside, so to speak, to help you put together a better story to present to people just like me.

So when I hear that PR folks are no longer needed due to social media, I have to pause.

Social media is an awesome supplement for traditional media. I actually love social media, so don't think that I'm not a fan.

But social doesn't replace traditional media, for several reasons but here are my top three:

• Third-party verification. Of course, you think you're awesome. But when someone else thinks you're awesome, someone who isn't paid to retweet your promo or to say certaing things on a Youtube video, it's still good news.  Reporters are that third party that can objectively -- more or less -- report on what makes you great.
• People still trust the news. Reporters have a way of digging up facts that people still trust and care about. Though you may be able to spread your entertainment quickly via social media, a lot of people don't trust it until it comes from a credible news source.
• Traditional news multiplies social media. When a video goes viral, it's a great thing. And imagine how many more hits the video gets when it gets shown on "Good Morning America."

I love social media. And I love traditional media. The moral of the story? Effective marketing, PR and publicity strives to use a good combination of both.

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.

Keep a Record of All News Appearances

Before I just started asking my clients outright, sometimes I would have worked with a client for several weeks before I find out they have appeared in a news publication or on a program before.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

This question is typically met with a shrug. Or a blank look as if to say, "What, that matters?"

In a word, yes.

Remember when we talked about why you want publicity and how you can benefit -- and one reason is that it gives your organization credibility.

So if you have already had a reporter verify who you are and what you do, make sure you share it on your website under a link marked "In the News" or "Press."

And one last word to the wise: if your last media appearance was six years ago, you should be looking for fresh ways to get publicity.

Bridgette Outten is a journalist and media 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 their programs and efforts in the news. Meanwhile, she blogs on all things journalism.