One sentence BIG IDEA:
8 Ways to find anyone’s contact information (especially editors)
Why is this relevant to marketers?
When pitching a story to a media outlet, social media influencer, or blogger, it is not always easy to find the contact information for the correct person, but it is usually possible with a little research if you know how and where to look.
1) Pay for a database.
Pros: Searchable database with thousands of contacts.
Cons: Expense $14.99-$12,000+ per year.
Examples:
https://muckrack.com
2) Search online.
Look at contact us page. If editorial contact information is not available, look to see how other contacts on the website are listed, for instance on the advertising sales page, to see what the email format is. Guess and search possible email addresses with quotation marks. Search online for editor’s name and type in quotation marks the editor’s last name only and web domain: “lastname@domain.com”. If nothing comes up with the last name, try “firstname@domain.com”.
Note: Often the web address is for a parent company, not the publication name. For instance, BNPMedia.com is the domain for multiple publications, including Food Engineering, Beverage Industry, Flexible Packaging, etc.
3) Call and ask.
Call and ask the front desk gatekeeper.
4) Check social media accounts.
Social media profiles often include contact information. If you don’t find an email address on a profile, search social media responses. Often an editor will respond publicly to someone and provide an email address for someone to send more information.
5) Guess and test.
Test possible email addresses by sending an email and seeing if it bounces back.
6) Check the media kit.
Often editorial contacts will be listed in a publication’s media kit, even if they are not listed on the website.
7) Fill out a contact us form.
If there is no email address listed, but there is a contact us form that is not directed to a specific person, fill out the form and ask a relevant question to solicit a response directly from an editor. For instance, you may reference the publication’s editorial calendar and ask a clarifying question about the specific topics an editor wants to cover. Just be careful to not waste an editor’s time.
8) Skip email and call.
Search for a publication’s phone number or editor’s direct number. If you cannot find a direct number, call the main office and type in the editor’s name in the phone tree.
Challenge for Attendees:
Contact one editor this month and pitch a story idea.
Relevant hashtags: #Marketing, #PR #mediarelations #SGMCmeeting #SGMCTip