NEWEST FILE UPDATE: 6/11/2018
Update includes examples of where to plot ideas for print magazines vs blogs, as well as other instructional notes.
Some areas have been combined for tighter organization.
Pitching a reporter, producer or editor is one small step in the big picture to landing a media hit. Tracking who you pitched and when is key to a smoothly run PR campaign. Tin Shingle's PR Planner is all set up for you to start using right away, and prompts you to think big picture when reaching out to media contacts. Once purchased, you will see a link to download it right away on this page. You will have forever-access to all updates made to it. If we upload a new version, we will send an email letting you know, and you can return to this page to download the revised version.
FREE FOR ALL ACCESS PASS MEMBERS OF TIN SHINGLE
If you're logged into your All Access Pass account, then scroll to the bottom of this page and you'll see the link to download this PR Planning Template!
BEST WAYS TO USE
We highly recommend you upload this file to your Google Drive. This PR Planning Template is an Excel file (color coded!). When you add it to your Google Drive, you can access it anywhere with your Google Sheets app, and so can your team.
INCLUDED IN THIS TEMPLATE
- At-A-Glance Media Landscape
In one place, see your plans for when you want to pitch a print magazine like Entrepreneur, and what you want to be pitching blogs or local TV. Because these media types work in different cycles, the content will vary drastically. TV and blogs may be working on Summer subjects, but print magazines are working on Fall and Winter subjects. Keep things straight on this at-a-glance sheet. - Idea Sheets
Once you have your at-a-glance plans down, go into specifics on the idea sheets for each media outlet type. Track your ideas for magazines on one sheet, and your ideas for bloggers on another. Input your intended Media Contacts right there, and a column for if you pitched that idea or not. - Color Coordinated
Individual idea sheets are color coordinated with the At-A-Glance Media Landscape. - Pitching Log
Pitching the media can become a game of numbers. The more you pitch, the more your chances increase of getting picked up. Track each time you pitch and followup in one sheet - the Pitching Log. - Removing Rejection Syndrome
When you pitch the media, you often won't hear back from them. That's OK. But the silence can hurt. Remove this per-occupation by pitching several different media outlets, and following up with them. When you begin pitching a lot, you won't think about who didn't get back to you and why. They will simply be in your rotation of who you want to pitch when. - You Did It!
You got press! You think you'll remember where your business got press, but after several hits, you will lose track - and links. Avoid this problem by tracking it in this PR Planner, and then leveraging it in different areas of your business.
SNEAK PEEK!
The At-A-Glance Media Landscape will help you get your big picture view of what you should be focusing on for each month.
Tracking writers as they move around is very important. You can do that from a worksheet in Tin Shingle's PR Planner & Tracker. Contributing Writers are looking for content for several magazines at once. A writer may be a very good fit for your brand. You'll want your business to be top-of-mind for when they need to highlight a product or seek advice from an expert.
FREE
