How to arrange interviews with press and trade publications??

Hi all,

Newbie here! Glad to be part of the group.

Hoping someone can help me. I'm looking for some advice on the best way to arrange interviews with press and trade publications?
My background is more research and analysis than PR - i appreciate that its not as simple as giving a paper or a magazine a call and requesting an interview - therefore could anyone point out the best techniques? Is it a case of press coming to you? Our brand is not well established (yet!) so i would like know how i can entice press/trade to come to us.

Cheers
Pix

 

Ask friends,family,neighbors, workmate colleques,teachers,former classmates etc. for names of people you should talk to. Scour the internet and newspapers. Send them an introductory e-mail. Explain to them that you require only 10-20 minutes of their time.
Agree that you can meet them either at work,in their office or over a coffee or lunch at a restaurant or coffee shop. Be dogged and persistant and don't give up.
If you make enough of a nuisance of yourself, eventually a publication will give you an interview just to get you off their back. Believe me I know this for a fact.

 

Hi Spoiltdiva,

Thanks for the response - really appreciated.
I'm a bit concerned, wouldn't a dogged approach hinder the relationship you're trying to build? - as no doubt i'll have to call upon them again.

Also, i was told to put together a good press release beforehand and send this out to as many of the press as possible as this would provide an easier lead in.
Would you agree with this?

My only prob is i'm not much of a copywriter so i guess i'd have to enlist the skills of a PR agency (or experienced PR freelancer)??

Any thoughts?

 

I actually hired a pain in the a** dogged young person. He so impressed me with his determination that I was in awe. He now works in the mailroom and is on his way up the ladder.

 

Wow! Really interesting approach - i'm definitely going to try this. Thanks!
Do you (or does your employee) write your own press releases?

 

I work for an international firm(U.S.A./Canada/France) and we have hundreds of employees. He did it all himself, but it was his grit and perseverance that got him the job more than his writing skills.
He was able to impress apon me that he totally believed in himself. He didn't have as much talent as he thought, but I knew he was a diamond in the rough. Now he's getting polished and fine cut..

 

Thanks for your help Spoiltdiva - i've already started thinking of an approach.

I'll keep you posted

 

We normally approach press clubs to arrange press meets. If we can inform press clubs about the meets and the topic they would arrange the meeting by calling the press members from different publications.