When Ken Clarke, Conservative party leader candidate, decided to express his new views on the Euro he went to specialist trade title Central Banking Journal. Instead of going to the Financial Times or The Daily Telegraph he gave an exclusive, eight-page interview to a quarterly journal that most of us have never heard of. Why? His message was most relevant to its audience of senior staff at central banks. And, of course, because the story was so high interest it quickly found its way into the nationals, albeit a condensed version.
Relevance is the key issue when targeting the press trade and national. Clarke, or more probably his advisers, chose relevance over high circulation figures and a sexy title. Choose the publication that your target audience is reading and the odds on it being a successful PR campaign escalate dramatically.
Most are aware of at least one trade magazine relevant to
their sector but a little research could unveil other publications that match your criteria. Start with the Periodical Publishers Association (PPA) where you can search for business magazines according to sector. With approximately 150 different sectors, ranging from the meat trade to marketing, the search will not be in vain.
The PPA provides links to all of its member sites replete with contact details and more information. If the magazine matches your criteria, call and ask for some back issues, also ask for a media pack as this provides circulation information as well as a breakdown of readers by job title, firm size etc.
Circulation figures can be cross-referenced on the ABC website where an independent audit of all certified B2B publications is accessible free of charge. Though Lucy Fairclough, head of B2B marketing at the PPA, warns against judging a magazine by circulation figures alone. People tend to look at the circulation when they don’t know what they’re looking for they end up looking for value for money. Look beyond the numbers, if it looks like it will meet objectives it’s always worth talking to them and finding out what’s going on behind the numbers. It may have the right profile for you.
Brad, a monthly directory of all magazines published in the UK, is primarily for advertisers but with a list of new magazine launches and closures it keeps you on the cutting edge, though at a cost of £970 for a yearly subscription. However it is available at some local libraries.
This research should yield a short list of at least five publications and the best way to find the most suitable magazine(s) is by reading them. Rachel Hawkes, account director at Elemental PR, advises, Think strategically are there publications you can strike a relationship with that your competition is not? Unspoilt waters such as these may come in the form of a new launch or a niche publication with smaller circulation figures.
Once the list is whittled down to a more manageable one or two, commit yourself to these publications. Read them every week, month or quarter so you are familiar with the content, style and personality. Martin Cairns, communications director at the Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA), advises, understand the magazine’s attitude to issues that are also relevant to you. Understand its coverage of news and features. Do this for a decent spate of time, buy back issues, do what it takes until you get a thorough understanding.
This advice sounds obvious but Dean Palmer, editor of engineering design magazine Eureka, states that 80 per cent of the calls he gets are from companies or their PR agencies who have no idea of its target readership.
According to the PRCA, contacting the press requires the hide of a rhino but if you know the magazine’s content, the right person to ask for (editorial staff and phone numbers are always printed in the magazine and on the website) and have a concise objective for calling, you should be well-received. As with any cold calling it’s courteous to ask if the timing is okay this is a good way to learn deadlines as the editor or journalist will quickly let you know if it’s press day.
Offering a well-targeted press release is an ideal way to initiate the relationship but if the news is not available don’t force it a re-hashed story or non-story will work against you. (For a best practice guide to writing press releases see page 56.) Instead, think of other ways to contribute; for example via a letter’s page, problem page or review. Case studies and viewpoints are another way in and magazines are always hungry for them. To ensure that your contribution stands a good chance of getting published, mould it around an upcoming feature. Look out for forward features on the magazine’s website or in preceding issues.
Understanding the nuts and bolts of the magazine will place you in good stead, but to cross the line from being a helpful, occasional contact to one who gets formidable coverage requires a certain calibre of content and ideas. Marc Prema-Ratner, joint MD of Zest PR, explains: Trade publications are specific and contain specialist issues. An in-depth understanding of the issues, trends and movements of that industry is required.
So too is the ability to forecast in an intelligent and erudite way. All communication by a PR needs to display these qualities, whether verbally, written or otherwise. Tough, but if you are knowledgeable and passionate about the industry, this kind of comment will come easy.
Still failing to get coverage? Cairns advises, Ask yourself is it [the press release] poignant? Is it newsworthy? If it’s still getting ignored then find out why. Call them, it may be that they don’t understand it’s your role to ensure that they do.
Emailing and quick telephone conversations are sufficient when you’re dealing with a standard press release or contribution. However, in order to build a more meaningful relationship with a magazine it is worth meeting face-to-face and discussing opportunities either over coffee or lunch. To dispel with the myths: it doesn’t have to be boozy and it doesn’t have to be plush.
Rory Godson, former business editor at The Sunday Times and now Partner at PR agency, Powerscourt, advises, The most important thing is conviviality, not generosity. If I was trying to get a client’s story into B2B Marketing I’d meet you for a drink at a local pub rather than the Royal Opera House.
Godson also advises introducing the journalist to interesting people. One of my clients is Tony O’Reilly [CE of Independent News & Media] so rather than bore on to journalists about him I arrange meetings and they love that because he’s an interesting guy.
Meeting a journalist or editor means you get their undivided attention (long phone calls from a hundred-words-a-minute PR are a good time for journalists to clean out the inbox). You also get immediate feedback there’s no email ping pong. And you may even come up with some good story ideas because a keen journalist will be thinking up ways of exploiting you or your clients in the magazine.
Forging relationships with editors and staff writers should be priority, but don’t forget about freelance journalists. As Andrew Mildren, account director at Porter Novelli, points out, Freelance writers are contributing more heavily to trade titles because there are fewer full time staff writers. It is worth investing the time to develop relationships with those who cover the industry you work in.
Having identified the right publication, made the right contacts and produced a good press release, don’t mess it up by failing to follow through. Provide a knowledgeable spokesperson, be efficient with requests for pictures or more information and keep the journalist in the loop. If
you’re experiencing difficulties getting hold of information or securing an interview tell them and work around it rather than let them down at the 11th hour.
And finally remember that you are ‘working with the trade press’ as the title suggests; not trying to get one over ie. free advertising in the form of editorial. Magazines are not out to get you either; in fact, it’s accepted within the realms of trade journalism that it needs the industry’s co-operation as much as the industry needs the trade press. Working together will improve the publication and ultimately can raise standards in the industry. Which is more than can be said for Heat magazine.
People tend to look at the circulation when they don’t know what they’re looking for they end up looking for value for money. Look beyond the numbers, if it looks like it will meet objectives it’s always worth talking to them and finding out what’s going on behind the numbers. It may have the right profile for you Lucy Fairclough Head of B2B marketing, Periodical Publishers Association
- Target where your audience is
- Read the publication carefully over a few weeks
- Deadlines: try to understand them and then approach at the best times
- Offer really punchy quotes; avoid a PR-style full of product mentions
- Spelling mistakes on press releases drives journalists ballistic
- A press release pretending to be something that it’s not is infuriating
- Checking whether the press release has been received is a waste of time for you and the journalist
- Invite journalists out see what they are about and what the medium’s about
- Introduce journalists to interesting people who are connected to the company
- If you’re not getting any coverage, ask journalists for feedback, ask what would work in future – it’s not a big mystery.
