How do you use PR tools to manage relationships with journalists and influencers?

1 Identify your goals and targets

Before you start using any PR tool, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and who you want to reach. What are your objectives, key messages, and desired outcomes? Who are the journalists and influencers that cover your industry, niche, or topic? How can you align your story with their interests, needs, and preferences? Having a clear goal and target will help you select the right PR tool and use it efficiently.

2 Research and monitor the media landscape

One of the most important functions of PR tools is to help you research and monitor the media landscape. You need to know what's happening in your industry, what topics are trending, what stories are being covered, and what gaps are there. You also need to know who are the key players, what are their profiles, what are their contact details, and what are their pitching preferences. PR tools can help you find and track relevant journalists and influencers, monitor their social media activity, analyze their coverage, and identify opportunities for outreach.

3 Build and maintain your media list

Your media list is your database of journalists and influencers that you want to contact and pitch your story to. It's not enough to have a generic list of names and emails. You need to segment and personalize your list according to your goals and targets. PR tools can help you create and update your media list, adding relevant information such as location, outlet, beat, pitch history, response rate, and feedback. You can also use PR tools to organize your list by categories, tags, or stages, and filter it by various criteria.

4 Craft and send your pitch

Your pitch is your message to the journalist or influencer, inviting them to cover your story or collaborate with you. It's not a one-size-fits-all email. You need to tailor your pitch to each recipient, highlighting the value and relevance of your story, and providing the necessary information and resources. PR tools can help you craft and send your pitch, using templates, personalization features, attachments, and tracking options. You can also use PR tools to schedule your pitch, follow up, and measure the results.

5 Engage and nurture your relationships

Your relationship with journalists and influencers doesn't end with a pitch. You need to engage and nurture your relationships, building trust, rapport, and credibility. You need to follow up, thank them, provide feedback, offer support, and keep them updated. You also need to be responsive, respectful, and professional. PR tools can help you engage and nurture your relationships, using reminders, notes, alerts, and reports. You can also use PR tools to monitor their activity, share their content, and acknowledge their work.

6 Evaluate and improve your performance

Your performance is the outcome of your PR efforts, measured by the quality and quantity of your media coverage and influencer collaborations. You need to evaluate and improve your performance, tracking your progress, analyzing your results, and identifying your strengths and weaknesses. PR tools can help you evaluate and improve your performance, using metrics, analytics, dashboards, and insights. You can also use PR tools to benchmark your performance against your competitors, goals, or industry standards.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?