One of the most challenging aspects of any campaign is amplifying media outreach. And one of the most challenging aspects of amplifying media outreach is building effective relationships with the right contacts. But like most difficult things, it’s worth the effort, and when done properly, can make all the difference.
Finding common ground with key influencers can ensure that your message is communicated properly and to the right people. And once that relationship is established, future outreach and collaboration become that much easier.
Here are three tips to bridge the gap between you and the contacts that are crucial to amplifying media outreach.
Before spending time refining your list, make sure you are working with accurate contact information. This means having their most up-to-date phone number, email address, Twitter handle, etc. Anyone who has invested time into a targeted outreach project, only to find out half the contacts didn’t get their message because of stale data, will back me up on this.
1. Break down your list
Once you have established your list, look for that common ground between your message and the regions your contacts represent. Breaking your list down by city, county, or designated market area (DMA) lets you directly relay the parts of your message that affect their region. This increases the chance of getting their attention, while letting them know how your message affects their interests.
2. Find a common ground
To get an idea of exactly what’s been important to them lately, take a look at their social media profiles. This person is on your list because they a) identify with your message, and b) have a large audience. Because of this, there is a good chance of finding common ground between your message and something they have recently expressed interest in. Being able to connect with them on the specifics of how your message is related to their recent communications shows them the benefits of working together.
3. Identify the key contacts
Now that you can see which contacts have the most in common with your message, look at their own target audiences. By cross-referencing the contacts that identify with your message with those that have the largest audience, you can see who your key influencers are most likely to be. These are the relationships that are the most important to build and foster, and precisely where you need to focus your outreach.
Building rapport with influencers improves the chances of making your current campaign a successful one, while also laying the groundwork for collaboration on future initiatives. And collaboration is what it is: when an influencer promotes your campaign, they are also providing themselves with content, the likes of which will serve to grow their own following. It’s this mutually beneficial cycle that forms the basis for the working relationship.
Finding common ground with influencers who share similar interests with your campaign is the most effective way to establish solid lines of communication and ensure that your message is being communicated the way you want, e.g. far and wide yet still targeted.
Need more help with amplifying media outreach? Contact me at matt.french@agilitypr.com and I can answer your questions on building effective relationships with the right contacts.
