Earned media vs. advertising

The majority of participants in a recent study identified earned media as the most trustworthy source of information about a brand. The participants specifically noted that they look at:

• The author’s level of independence
• The balance of information provided
• The author’s credentials
• The prestige of the media outlet where the story is published 

The challenge for many business owners is taking the time required to vet and build trust with quality journalists. If you own a tech company, your mental bandwidth is spent on building innovative tech stacks, not researching the credentials of highly-read writers.

Journalists and tech PR agencies

Tech PR agencies know how to get your brand featured in favorable publications. While you’re busy iterating on your latest product, public relations experts, like the team at Corelini PR, are building professional relationships with the best journalists.

But let’s be clear, PR is not crafting a press release to distribute to journalists and hoping for a callback. Public relations, in its most effective form, is building connections with podcast hosts, television personalities, columnists, magazine editors, and the many journalists in between, and nurturing those relationships with mutually beneficial storytelling opportunities. 

Customers often interpret a journalist’s mention of a brand as an endorsement, which is a major benefit to the brand. It stands to reason then, that the journalist will want to understand the product, its purpose, and how it will impact their audience. That’s the type of information that can’t be relayed in a cold-send press release.

After getting tech companies featured on global media platforms, the Corelini PR team has built a checklist for how to get journalists to care about your company. 

Build relationships  

Relationship building is at the core of any successful public relations strategy. Sending an automated email to an entire list of journalists in hopes someone will turn the press release into a feature story delivers minimal results. 

Develop familiar relationships with journalists you trust. Personalize your persuasive pitch to the journalist or platform. You’ll want to consider the specialty, or beat, of the author. Then, craft a story idea around your brand that fits into the journalist’s wheelhouse.

Offer two or three angles for the writer to consider, tying each back to how the audience will be impacted. Customizing your pitches will offer a much higher return for your brand. 

Find a unique angle

Journalists receive numerous emails a day from brands that would like to be featured in an article, blog, podcast, or television segment. In order to set your company apart, you need a unique angle.

• Is your product tied to a local news event?
  Does it improve the lives of users?
• Does a portion of revenue support a local non-profit?

Consider how the journalist can tell your brand’s story while adding value to the lives of those who consume information from the media platform. 

Be familiar

Is there a way to relate your brand story to something the journalist has done in the past? Review their recent stories. And when you send your story topic ideas, mention specific elements of their previous work you enjoyed reading. It’s a good idea to understand a journalist’s writing style and genre before making a blind request for coverage.

Keep it short

It’s worth a second mention – journalists get tons of emails. If you write a subject line that’s intriguing enough to open, the next win must be the brevity of your pitch. 

Most journalists won’t have time to read an entire press release, which is why your outreach should be a brief, customized story pitch. Highlight the most important parts of your story, explain the value for the audience, and provide different angles for storytelling based on the journalist’s style.

Hire a tech PR agency

While you’re focused on growing your business, allow a strategic public relations firm to build relationships with journalists who will tell your brand story. When done authentically, public relations leads to earned media that increases your brand awareness and trustworthiness with your target audience. 

The best part? You’re getting this valuable coverage cost-free. Unlike advertising, earned media is produced from a place of interest and builds credibility with your potential customers.

See how Corelini PR can enhance your brand awareness with potential customers through our free PR assessment.