How to Email the Press

People often ask me how do they get the attention of journalists via email. There are a few professional tactics you need to use in order to grab the reader's attention, but relationships are always key to getting your email read vs. going in cold.

The first tactic is to ensure your subject line is accurate, newsworthy, and concise. Journalists HATE fluff when it is pitched to them.  So, make their job easier by getting to the point right away without any subjective point of views applied to your subject line.

Next, don't send attachments. Journalists will not open them. If a journalist wants an EPK, he or she will either ask for it or can visit your website to download it.

Don't put a press release inside an email. Journalists hate this. Instead, send a media-relevant pitch that quickly links to the release should the reporter require further information.Make sure it is AP style or it will get tossed. 

These simple tactics can elevate your email to a viewable level with many press agents.

Until tomorrow,

Velma Trayham

The Dr. Oz Disaster

Here's a terrible media morning... you wake up as Dr. Oz's publicist - insert punchline here. In case you don't know what I'm referencing, Dr. Oz took to Twitter stating he was doing an open Q&A session and would respond to his favorite questions. Seems like harmless branding, right?

Well, Dr. Oz set up the hashtag #DrOzsInBox so everyone was able to see the questions being asked. He didn't get to vet the questions through DM. And then this happened;

If you have a celebrity client, or any client, in the midst of a recent scandal- a live Q&A with a public hashtag probably isn't the best idea! It's kinda PR 101!  So, as we head into the weekend, spend some time thinking about how much control you have over your clients' social media accounts. It may be time for a conversation about branding backfire.

Until Monday,

Velma Trayham