Trying to get in front of influential bloggers and catching their attention isn’t always easy. This includes journalists who blog.
Let’s say you want to pitch a story about your company to an A-list blogger in your industry. Your emails go unanswered.
Have you tried connecting on the social media sites? I follow a lot of social media bloggers on Twtter, and I’m betting some of them would respond far more quickly to a direct question on Twitter than they would if I simply emailed the question to them.
My email would probably get lost in the hundreds of other emails that clog their Inbox. But if they’re fanatic about Twitter, and they’re on top of their feed constantly, they’d see my question and probably reply. That could be the start of a conversation that might not stand a chance if we were emailing.
You can get their attention by:
- Asking them a question about their work.
- Commenting on their content.
- Sharing anything of interest tied to their topic by retweeting, so they notice you in their Mentions.
- Adding them to a Twitter list and then letting them know you’ve done so.
Do everything you can to build the relationship. Ask if they need certain types of sources. Or tip them off to trends in your industry. Building the relationshlip first, and then pitching, can sometimes reap big dividends.
Not sure how to pitch them? There’s nothing wrong with asking them on sites like LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
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Great article. Pinning your helpful hints under references on my Pinterest boards.
Fabulous, Donna. Thanks for sharing.
This is one tip I particularly like. I think it is mutually beneficial to show interest and give kudos to others, not only to advance your own business or marketing, but as a sincere form of appreciation. What goes around comes around. Thanks for this tip. By the way, you are a wonderful blogger who I have learned may things from for many years.
Dani
Danielle, thanks for your kind words. I love having you in my community of Publicity Hounds.
“Building the relationshlip first, and then pitching, can sometimes reap big dividends.”
This is actually the main key in getting the attention of those who you want to get involved with whatever business (or intention) you present. Not just bloggers, it also works well with establishing your presence with your customers. It’s all about trust!
Yup, social media sites are great for any type of industry you are in. Of course, you really have to present quality feed, article or something worth sharing (so to speak). When you use the power and influence of the Internet, you place your business in a higher realm of networking.
Thirday, you are so right. The best way to build the relationship is to present quality content that others, including journalists and bloggers, will find helpful. It’s the quality content that usually precedes relationship building.