How To Find Journalist Contact Details...
One of the things that seems to hold business owners like yourself back from getting publicity is not knowing where to look for Journalist contact details.
It’s almost as if this, coupled with the fear of putting your story out there, derails any attempts that you make in this area of getting visible.
The thing is, it’s not nearly as difficult as you think it is to find details of most Journalists/Editors.
So I thought it would be useful to outline three of the things that should help you overcome this, if it’s proving to be a stumbling block for you.
1) It sounds really obvious but Google really is your best friend when it comes to publicity and getting started. Once you have worked out which media your ideal client likes to consume (watch, read, listen to), then you just need to track down a Journalist’s details. A simple Google search for instance of a local radio station such as BBC Surrey will give you a contact number for the station. A little bit more digging will show you who presents what show and at what time. What this means is that you can contact the switchboard and ask who the Producer is for the relevant show or who the Forward Planning Editor is. That way you have a name and can reach out to them directly. It’s always worth avoiding any generic email addresses if you can such as newsroom@ or news@ as you’re never really sure how often they’re checked. Another thing to mention is to check out what topics are being run/written about in the title/media that you would like to be featured in. Online sites of a magazine are a great way to see what’s working well for that particular publication. It’s all about a quick and smart bit of research.
2) As soon as you know the media that your ideal client is looking at - make sure that you go and buy yourself a copy, especially if it’s a magazine. In it, usually near the front - there will be a list of the Journalists and the Editorial team members who work there. It’s a great starting point to working out which person you should contact and again, a quick Google search should help you track down how someone’s email address is configured ie nicola.rowley@ or nicola@njrpr.com
3) The third and I would argue most powerful tool of all for finding Journalists is to use Twitter. The reason that so many Journalists love it as a social channel is because it’s quick, news spreads fast and it allows them to connect with people in real time. Have you heard of #Journorequests - this is one hash tag that is definitely worth following if you want to up your PR game. This is where Journalists post out requests for interviewees they’re looking for. Sometimes you might not hear back, but sometimes you do. But it’s worth remembering that whatever opportunity you put yourself forward for, you know what you’d like the outcome to be. That’s to say what you’re getting from it. Are you looking to position yourself as an expert in your chosen field? Do you want to grow and attract more members to your audience?
The other thing to mention about Twitter is that Journalists will quite often have their emails on their profiles and you can search for a title they’re writing for and they should come up. It really is that simple.
So please don’t let the thought of finding a Journalist’s contact details put you off, because it really is as simple as ABC once you know how to do it. And if you’re still struggling or are worried that you don’t have the time/capacity to reach out for PR, then there is always the option to call in a professional. But whatever stage of your business you’re at, you absolutely can do it yourself once you know the steps that you need to take… x
PS If you would like more tips and know-how around PR and are a business owner or Journalist please come and say hello in my lovely Facebook group - The Communications Community. It’s where a lot of connections are being made and Journalists are finding suitable case studies all the time
