Target your audience, craft your pitch and uncover the art of the follow up. This step-by-step guide will give you the tools and technique you need to secure your own PR. For more tips and detailed how-to's for bootstrapping your PR, download my free ebook: http://bit.ly/BootstrapYourPR

1. How to Bootstrap Your PR Like a BOSS.
A Tactical Guide to Media Outreach
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Kate Finley, @KateUpdates
Belle Communications
Kate@ThinkBelle.com
ThinkBelle.com

2. People who make things more complex than
they are either know less than they think, or
[they] are trying to sell you something.
!
- Jay Baer, Convince and Convert
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3. About Me ...
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4. What to Expect ...
• How to craft a *measurable* media outreach plan
• 7 Steps to Effective Media Outreach
• In-session Q&A
• Media relations DOs and DO NOT evers.
• Resources to simplify the media outreach process
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5. Can I ‘pick your brain’?
Alright, but just this once: In-session Q&A
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6. When it comes to PR ...
• I’m not sure what to expect so I’m here to scope it out.
• I don’t have the budget. No really, I don’t.
• I have a background in marketing / PR and I like the idea of
bootstrapping this aspect of my business.
• I have the budget but I’d rather try things out on my own for while.
• Wait — I thought this breakout was being led by an angel investor.
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7. PR takes (a lot of) time.
Today we’ll give you the tools but the rest is up to you.
!
Tip: Give your brand the same priority you’d give a client.
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8. Media Outreach Plan
• A compliment to your business plan
• Target audiences
• Clearly define objectives and tactics
• Tangible outcomes
• Measurable success
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9. Objectives
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• What do you want to accomplish?
• Generate awareness
• Educate customer base
• Reinforce expertise
• Build industry prominence

10. Tactics
• Who, what, where, when, how
• Treat each tactic as as a goal
• Ensure each tactic can be quantified
• Who will carry out each tactic?
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11. Measure the Right Things
Tangible Measurement
• Site traffic
• New leads
• New sales (retail and online)
• More robust sales (add ons)
• Decreased site bounce rates
!
• E-Newsletter opt-ins
• Product Trials
• Content incentives
• Web and Social Analytics
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12. 7 Steps for Effective
Media Outreach
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1. Measurement
2. Audience Identification
3. Outlet Research
4. The Pitch
5. The Follow Up
6. Securing an Opportunity
7. Making Your HIT Stick.

13. 1. Measurement
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• Generate new visitors
• Social Media Traffic
• Web Traffic
• Blog Visitors
• Turn those visitors into leads
• Requests for more information
• E-Newsletter opt-ins
• Contact Us Forms
• Collaborate to convert leads to sales

14. • What does the data mean?
• How does this data relate back to what we’re trying to measure?
• Where’s the missing data?
• If it were my business, what would I want to know?
• Know when to DITCH unnecessary data.
Analyze the Data
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15. 2. Know Your Audience
• Key demographic differentiators
• Niche audiences
• Preference and behaviors
• What are they reading, listening to,
watching and where to they spend
their time.
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16. 3. Research
• What have they written before?
• Would my target audience read this?
• Look online and qualify both the
outlet and specific reporter or
segment for your feature idea.
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17. 4. Craft your pitch
• Tailor your pitch
• Get to the point and include CTA
• Link to additional information
• Subject line = headline (mobile)
• This is NOT a sales pitch
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18. Bad pitch
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19. Successful Pitch
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20. Successful Pitch
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21. Successful Pitch
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22. When + How to Pitch
• TV: Before their segment, via email and usually in the morning.
• Radio: Via phone, before their segment and follow up with email.
• Print: After 10 a.m., email first, then call but keep print dates in mind.
• Bloggers: Evenings often work well and email is best.
• National media: Time varies by outlet, email works best.
!
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23. Um…Do I suck at this?
• Getting met with silence is the typical response to initial pitches.
• Silence does not mean no.
• Was your pitch targeted?
• Was the outlet a the right fit?
• It’s time to follow up on this pitch …
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24. 5. The follow up.
• When to follow up?
• How to follow up?
• How often?
• Adding value.
• When to let go and move on.
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25. How to piss off a reporter.
• BCC them on a mass pitch.
• Be unfamiliar with their beat.
• Assume they remember the pitch you sent them.
• Pitch the same idea to multiple reporters.
• Ask them a ton of questions or leave multiple messages.
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26. 6. Securing Coverage.
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• Are you contacting them at the right time?
• What are you pitching and why is it relevant to the person you’re calling?
• Do you have an alternative idea to pitch in case you get turned down?
• What will you say *if* they say no?
• What will you say *when* they say yes?
• Get specifics, be prompt and confirm in writing.

27. OMG.
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• They said YES!!! Now what?
• Get specifics.
• Be prompt.
• Confirm in writing.

28. 7. Making it STICK.
• Preparing for your interview
• Keep the opportunity from falling through
• Delayed / bumped opportunity
• When to let go and move on.
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29. Media Outreach Resources
SEO
Guest
Social Media
Blogging
Media
Outreach
Keyword
Research
Integration
Event
Marketing
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30. Help A Reporter (HARO)
• Gain access to immediate media needs
• Coverage opportunities
• Insight into trends
• Pitch Ideas
• National media coverage
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31. Feedly ...
• Comment on
Industry News
• Pitch Ideas
• Trending topics
• Competition
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32. Guest Blogging
• Create a post that ranks
• Pick a trending topic
• Support on social
• Google Authorship
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33. • Strategic counsel
• Pre-existing media relationships
• Industry, target audience and media expertise
• Crisis planning and reputation management
• Look for shorter retainers or project-based help
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34. Inside Your PR Toolkit
• Media Outreach Plan
• 7 Steps to Successfully Secure Media Coverage
• Sample Pitches
• Tools, tips and resources shared within today’s presentation
• Questions to ask when considering a PR agency
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35. Key Takeaways
• Treat your brand like it’s a client.
• Start with a plan.
• Research and qualify before you pitch.
• Tailor pitches to avoid the trash folder.
• Use free tools like HARO to bring media opportunities to YOU.
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36. Thank you!
Follow our team at facebook.com/BelleCommunications or connect at LinkedIn.com/in/KateFinley.
{
Kate Finley, @KateUpdates
Belle Communications
Kate@ThinkBelle.com
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