2 ways for media relations pros to stand out in 2022

Whether you’re new to public relations or a 20-year veteran, pitching media contacts can be a tall task. Even the best-written and most timely pitches don’t guarantee earned media.

When Ivy Ledbetter Lee sent the first press release in 1906, it was a revolutionary concept—so revolutionary that The New York Times printed Lee’s press release in full, with no changes. In 2021, thousands of press releases are sent every day.

Quantity alone isn’t a predictor of media coverage. Fewer than 10% of pitches become stories. Even the PR world’s top performers fail over 90% of the time.

So how do you stand out in a crowded marketplace? Focus on quality.

Here are two tips for 2022:

1. Do your research.

The first step of media outreach is neither content creation nor distribution. It is media research.