PUBLICATION PRIORITIZATION
Tier Classification
| Tier |
Definition |
Examples |
Investment |
| 1 - Must Win |
Industry-defining publications, large audience |
WSJ, NYT Tech, TechCrunch |
High - regular touchpoints |
| 2 - Important |
Strong reach, relevant audience |
Industry trades, business pubs |
Medium - monthly touchpoints |
| 3 - Opportunistic |
Niche but relevant, building reporters |
Blogs, newsletters, podcasts |
Low - pitch-based |
Publication Mapping Template
| Publication |
Tier |
Audience |
Key Beats |
Our Relevance |
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JOURNALIST IDENTIFICATION
Research Checklist
JOURNALIST RESEARCH CHECKLIST
FOR EACH TARGET JOURNALIST:
☐ Recent articles (last 6 months)
Topics covered: _______________
Companies mentioned: _______________
Writing style: _______________
☐ Social media profiles
Twitter handle: _______________
LinkedIn: _______________
Posting frequency: _______________
Topics of interest: _______________
☐ Contact information
Email: _______________
Preferred contact method: _______________
☐ Relationship history
Previous interactions: _______________
Coverage of us: _______________
Coverage of competitors: _______________
☐ Notes
What they care about: _______________
Pet peeves: _______________
Best time to reach: _______________
Journalist Database Template
| Name |
Publication |
Beat |
Email |
Twitter |
Last Contact |
Relationship Score |
Notes |
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☐ Cold ☐ Warm ☐ Strong |
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RELATIONSHIP BUILDING STRATEGIES
Initial Outreach Approaches
| Approach |
When to Use |
Template |
| Offer Value |
Always |
"I noticed you're covering [topic]. I have [data/source/insight] that might help." |
| Respond to Article |
They wrote something relevant |
"Your piece on [topic] was interesting. [Thoughtful comment]. Happy to be a resource on [angle]." |
| Expert Introduction |
Building long-term |
"I work with [Expert] who knows [topic] deeply. Happy to introduce whenever useful." |
| Conference Connect |
Events |
"I'll be at [event]. Would you have time for a coffee/brief chat about [topic]?" |
Initial Outreach Template
Subject: [Topic] resource / quick intro
Hi [Name],
I've been following your coverage of [topic/beat] - your recent
piece on [specific article] [genuine, specific compliment].
I'm [Name] at [Company]. We're working in [relevant space] and I
thought we might be useful as a resource for future stories on
[specific topics].
Not pitching anything specific - just wanted to introduce myself
and offer to be helpful if you're ever working on [topics].
Would you be open to a quick intro call? Or feel free to just
keep me in mind for future stories.
[Your name]
VALUE-FIRST ENGAGEMENT
Ways to Add Value
| Type |
Description |
Frequency |
| Share relevant news |
Send interesting articles/data (not yours) |
Monthly |
| Make introductions |
Connect them with sources (not yours) |
When relevant |
| Provide background |
Explain industry context, no strings |
As needed |
| React to their work |
Thoughtful engagement on social/email |
Regularly |
| Event invitations |
Invite to relevant events |
Quarterly |
| Early access |
First look at news (not always exclusive) |
Major news |
Value-Add Email Examples
SHARING RELEVANT NEWS:
"Hi [Name], saw this [article/report/data] and thought of your
coverage of [topic]. No pitch - just thought it might be useful
for a future piece."
OFFERING BACKGROUND:
"Hi [Name], I know you're working on [topic]. Happy to provide
some background context if helpful - completely off the record,
no pitch. Let me know if useful."
REACTING TO THEIR WORK:
"Hi [Name], your piece on [topic] was great - particularly
[specific point]. [Thoughtful comment/question]. Always enjoy
your coverage."
ONGOING TOUCHPOINT CADENCE
By Relationship Tier
| Journalist Tier |
Touch Frequency |
Type of Touch |
| Tier 1 (Key) |
Monthly |
Mix: coffee, calls, social engagement |
| Tier 2 (Important) |
Quarterly |
Calls, event connections, check-ins |
| Tier 3 (Building) |
As relevant |
Pitch-based, social engagement |
Annual Relationship Calendar
| Month |
Activity |
Purpose |
| January |
Coffee/calls with Tier 1 |
Set annual priorities |
| March |
Pre-conference outreach |
Event connections |
| June |
Mid-year check-ins |
Maintain relationships |
| September |
Industry event connections |
Face time |
| November |
Year-end stories |
Holiday planning coverage |
| Ongoing |
Pitch-based outreach |
News-driven |
EXCLUSIVE MANAGEMENT
When to Offer Exclusives
| Situation |
Recommendation |
| Major funding |
Offer to Tier 1 business/tech |
| Significant product |
Offer to key industry pub |
| Breaking news |
Wide release (no time for exclusive) |
| Strong relationship |
Reward loyal journalists |
| Building relationship |
Invest in new target |
Exclusive Protocol
EXCLUSIVE MANAGEMENT RULES
1. Only offer true exclusives - don't double-dip
2. Be clear on terms (timing, scope)
3. Keep your word on embargo
4. Let journalist pick timing within reason
5. Have backup plan if declined
EXCLUSIVE OFFER SCRIPT:
"I have news I think would work well for [publication]. Before
I share details, I wanted to offer an exclusive - are you
interested? The timing would be [window]. Let me know and I'll
send over the details."
RELATIONSHIP TRACKING
Contact Log Template
JOURNALIST CONTACT LOG
Journalist: _________________
Publication: _________________
DATE | TYPE | TOPIC | NOTES | FOLLOW-UP
-----|------|-------|-------|----------
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| | | |
RELATIONSHIP NOTES:
• Topics of interest: _______________
• Preferences: _______________
• Best practices: _______________
• Avoid: _______________
Relationship Health Scoring
| Score |
Definition |
Indicators |
| 5 - Strong |
Reliable coverage, proactive contact |
They reach out to us |
| 4 - Good |
Regular positive coverage |
Respond to most pitches |
| 3 - Warm |
Some coverage, responsive |
Take meetings, some coverage |
| 2 - Developing |
Few interactions, potential |
Opened relationship |
| 1 - Cold |
No relationship |
No response, no history |
RELATIONSHIP REPAIR
When Relationships Go Wrong
| Issue |
Response |
| Didn't deliver on promise |
Apologize immediately, over-deliver next time |
| Bad coverage |
Don't react emotionally, ask for correction if factual |
| Missed deadline |
Take responsibility, provide alternative |
| Exclusive leaked |
Investigate internally, apologize, offer future exclusive |
| Over-pitched |
Back off, wait for relevant news |
Recovery Email Template
Hi [Name],
I wanted to reach out about [situation]. [Take responsibility -
no excuses].
Here's how I'm making it right: [Specific action]
I value our relationship and want to ensure this doesn't impact
our ability to work together. Let me know if there's anything
else I can do.
[Your name]