As an ex-journo, it’s handy to have some insight how journalists, and the news cycle, work when trying to get your story into the media. Of course it’s not foolproof, and there are oftentimes when your story was going to get a run and then a major event happened and it gets bumped, but remembering the basics does help. Here are my top seven tips for some media coverage:

1. Don’t beat around the bush – if you have a key message you’re trying to sell, sell it! Draft your media release in the way you would expect to see a news article written. Make sure you include the essential who, what, where, when, why and how in your first sentence. Keep your key points at the start and work your way down to items of least importance. Journos will receive dozens of pressers a week, so it’s important they can skim the first few sentences and know straight away what it is you’re promoting.

2. Follow up with a phone call – don’t just email your media release through and wait for the phone to ring – you need to do the work! Mention in your email that you will follow up with a phone call so they’re expecting it – then actually make the effort to ring them.

3. Target the right person – Use a media database to get the journo’s direct phone number if you can, otherwise you can usually find details online, and make sure you’re targeting the right person. Research your target journalists and read their previous work to ensure they cover the kind of stories you’re pitching – there is no point ringing a crime reporter with a lifestyle piece!

4. Be aware of the news cycle and plan your release/event to suit them – the news cycle won’t change to meet your deadlines! If possible, give a day or two’s notice for an event, and then follow it up closer to the date to see if they are interested in covering it.

5. Likewise, choose the most appropriate time of day to send your release – most newsrooms have a couple of news conferences in a day – this is to plan the evening’s bulletin or the next day’s paper. If you want your story to have any chance of running, make sure you send it in before a conference so the journalist/chief-of-staff/editor can take it into the conference and sell it to the editorial team.

6. Make the time to build a relationship with the key journalists you are likely to deal with – invite them out for coffee, take them out for lunch if time permits and keep in touch regularly via phone or email. This way, when you contact them with a story, they’re more likely to remember you and actually take the time to read your release or listen to your pitch.

7. Wherever possible, make the journalist’s life easy – provide photo opportunities, someone for an interview, some great TV vision – whatever it is that means they won’t have to find another source. And remember the basics – put your mobile number somewhere on the media release, and add a secondary contact, such as an email or landline. You would be amazed at how many people miss this crucial information off!