What does a good press distribution list look like? Reach out to journalists with these few steps

First of all, we should distinguish between the database and the distribution list. The database is where all journalist contacts are stored. Excel or a platform like Prezly can be used for this. If you want to build up a database, the first step is to look for suitable media for your start-up, company, or customer. If a medium is potentially relevant, the next step is to search for journalists. ZEIT online alone has almost 100 editors, some of whom are probably not really relevant to your topics. Nevertheless, it is worthwhile to enter data generously here and only leave out completely irrelevant people. This way you start an extensive database that can still be kept track of. 

But what data should be collected in the first place? The guideline for your database should be: The more, the better. Name, email address, and telephone should be clear, but the job description, media type, address, and even social media sites are also useful and important details. In the end, it is even more important to tag the contact in order to quickly find journalists for each topic. Once a basis for the database has been created, it should be constantly expanded and kept up to date. Jobs are also changed in the editorial landscape and the PR Departments & -Agencies who are always up to date have a direct advantage. 

Once a topic has made it to the press release stage and is ready to be sent out, it’s time for the distribution list. The work invested in the database now really pays off: You can draw on the full resources and select exactly the right media. The first question to ask is: Which media are relevant to my topic? Here, a rough selection is made, and, for example, in the case of a food start-up, food magazines and start-up media are prioritized in the mailing list. Important: Yes, major media have a high reach, but also a large demand and lots of topics. The chance to get into a major media is usually only there for really relevant themes. So: Depending on the content of your press release, tend to approach smaller media.

Once the rough distribution list is in place, it's time for the fine-tuning. The appropriate media are in, but should the mail really go to all journalists? It is worthwhile to look carefully and pick out the 2-4 most suitable ones, depending on the medium. Yeah, this is not the most exciting work, but it is worth it in the end. If you research articles with topics, that are similar to your theme you’ll find journalists that are probably interested in your press release and you’ll increase your chances of success. In contrast to the database, the following applies here: Less is often more. If you value quality over quantity, you are less likely to get lost among hundreds of emails and have invested hours in vain. If you constantly bombard your contacts with irrelevant mails, you risk being blocked. Of course, this is not only awkward but also really annoying when the next press release would have been perfect for the contact who was scared away. 

1. Build up an extensive database of journalists

2. Include extensive information on the contacts and tag them well

3. When creating the distribution list, target suitable media and editors specifically

4. Depending on the topic, it is better to approach small media

5. Quality is usually more important than quantity when it comes to distribution lists