The Importance Of Being Organized

Despite the changes that have occurred in PR over the last year with social media and other channels of communications, media contact remains the heart of what most PR people do.

Businesses want and need editorial coverage. They recognize that the public processes a news story about a product, service or location as an implied third party endorsement.

Yet, it's surprising how many PR folks don't use one simple approach that could help them generate more and better editorial coverage.

They don't keep track of their media interactions.

Some PR agencies and in-house PR managers have attempted to address this deficiency by contracting for computerized software programs designed to help their staff track and organize their media contacts electronically. But, like any computer program, if you aren't organized to use it, you don't regularly enter the relevant data. And, you won't have the most current information to refer to later.

The old-fashioned (and tried and true) notebook or looseleaf approaches are low cost and still popular for those agencies or businesses on a budget. Simple and easy, there's no new computer program to learn. Here's how it works: You speak with a writer and you simply take notes. Each time you have a conversation, you take notes and date them. Now you have a record – a log if you will – of every press interaction.

You can refer to this as you do follow up later (only the luckiest PR folks get a story on the first run). You'll know when you last spoke with the writer and what was said. And – heaven forbid – if you're hit by a truck on the way home one evening, your colleagues can continue your work simply by referencing your log.

Now, the written log is not as sexy as the software and, granted, the tracking software also does lots of other organizational things like sorting and identifying media. But, if you're a small agency with a few clients in just a few industries, chances are you're already aware of key media you need to know. And, strong editorial calendar research will yield you more.

The point is that organization is the key – no matter what methodology you use.

Organization will help you to be more productive as you free up that brain space and make more and more media calls. And, because pitching is often a numbers game, this will also help you to be more successful at generating coverage.

So pick a high-tech approach or take the low-tech road, but for heaven's sake, get organized.

As an organized PR person, you'll find you can be both more productive and more successful.