NEW YORK, Nov. 20, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Securing earned media coverage can be a powerful way to reach a large communal audience and gain critical exposure, but if the media pitch is handled incorrectly, your small business may suffer. To secure valuable press coverage, PR Toolkit contributing author Zachary Weiner suggests following these don'ts of media relations:
Don't be impersonal. Being cold or impersonal in interactions with a reporter is not an ideal way of building a long-term relationship. Take the time to understand their job and determine how your pitch can help make their job easier.
Don't use fast and blast PR. An easy and common mistake is sending your pitch to every single journalist's inbox that you can get your hands on. Ensure you have correctly identified the reporter that covers your beat and personalize your approach with them.
Don't "newsjack" if there is no connection. If there is no realistic connection between your announcement and a major news story, don't try to force your brand's message where it doesn't belong. Ensure that you are adding value to a conversation that the public is looking to be a part of.
For the two remaining media relations don'ts, read Weiner's full article here: http://bit.ly/1T14pwP.
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