by Leslie Grant (@LeslieLGrant)
SHIFT Communications (@SHIFTComm)
May 26, 2015

http://www.shiftcomm.com/2015/05/scoring-with-business-press/

In the latest SHIFT Communications corporate blog post, Senior Account Executive Leslie Grant shares a few of her best practices for how to land coverage in some of the premier business publications (such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg Businessweek).

Grant first stresses going beyond the basic in your pitch – think bigger (and use more creativity) than a simple corporate announcement or product launch information. Consider all the angles that make the story unique – look for other real-time, relevant examples within the applicable industry, even other companies in the same space. Make it relatable, by sharing customer stories focusing on how the technology is usable and innovative.

At the same time, it’s important to also work on building a relationship with the reporters. Focus more on pitching your client as a long-term resource instead of one specific story pitch. Strive to make the relationship mutually beneficial and, if possible, provide direct access for the reporter to the CEO.

Finally, be prepared. If the reporter does decide to run with your story, you will want to be timely in providing all the multimedia elements needed to successfully run the story (supporting photos, video, infographics, etc.) And also be prepared to wait. This process could take months! Focus on building the relationship and keeping the prospect at the forefront of the reporter’s mind.