How to create a good media list in Smart.pr (7 steps)

A strong media list is not a spreadsheet with email addresses, but a strategically constructed selection of relevant journalists. We explain how you can approach this professionally using our PR tool.

1. Do targeted preliminary research

Research who is writing about your topic. In Smart.pr, use the integrated News Search Engine to directly find recent articles by journalists. This way you know exactly who to approach and with what angle.

2. Work with journalist personas

Build personas based on your target groups and the associated media profiles. In Smart.pr's journalist database, you can filter journalists by theme, sector, region and medium type – useful when matching personas to real contacts.

3. Differentiate between media types

A newspaper or trade journal requires a different approach than a podcast or YouTube channel. In Smart.pr, you can easily categorize by type of medium, so that you can use the right material and tone-of-voice for each type of journalist.

4. Customize your list for each message

Fixed lists are useful, but every campaign requires customization. In our system, you can easily edit existing press lists for each mailing – without having to reassemble everything.

5. Avoid outdated or copied lists

Smart PR professionals don't build lists second-hand. In Smart.pr, you work with a daily updated database of >17,000 journalists. This way you can be sure that you are always working with current data.

6. No mass mail, but relevance

Spraying and praying seldom leads to good results. It can even be harmful to your reputation. With our system, you can refine on niche topics, make cross-selections and filter on contact history, so that you are truly relevant to each recipient.

7. Log your contact moments

See at a glance who you have approached, with what message, and whether someone from your team has already contacted that person. In our smart address book you automatically log what you have sent, who opened it, and which attachments were downloaded. Everything in one place, for your entire team.

The main advantages of a CRM and journalist database in a good PR tool are:

• You have a central place to work together – you build a network together. It often happens that different versions of the same Excel file circulate. A good tool prevents this.

• After sending your press release, the sending data and results are automatically tracked: you can see everything you have ever sent to each person, what they have opened, and which links and attachments they have clicked.

• A CRM that is completely focused on the PR task automatically displays the articles with the journalists in your address book. Save a name in Smart.pr and all articles that can be found online from this person will automatically appear. This gives you a clear picture of what the journalist writes about and which tone-of-voice is appropriate in your press approach. 

• You can easily make and share notes. For example, let your colleagues know if a journalist prefers to be called or apped, and preferably before 12 noon because this person writes after that.