Michael J. Media

YOUR MONTHLY DIY PR TIP FROM MIKE FARLEY

MID-JULY 2007

Corresponding With Class

Over the last few years, e-mail has become the preferred method of reaching out to journalists, radio and TV programmers, and other music industry professionals. In fact, many of them have voice mails that say "please e-mail me." That doesn't mean it's easier to reach them or that they will always respond to you, but it does mean that your chances of connecting with these folks if you are a DIY artist has risen dramatically. But to increase those chances even more, it's important to keep a few things in mind:

1. Keep your messages short--I'm a publicist and I receive about 300 e-mails per day. I also send out at least that many. Some industry types receive up to 1000 e-mails per day, so keep that in mind when reaching out to them. Long, drawn out e-mails will likely be ignored or deleted, so keep your message very short and to the point. One or at most two sentences should suffice, especially if you include a link to your website.

2. Do not expect a response--I've been told that if a journalist does not respond to my pitches after 2-3 e-mails, that they are not interested in writing about my artist. Keep this in mind and do not pester anyone unnecessarily. If they do respond, more power to you.

3. Obtain approval prior to sending large files such as mp3's or photos. Large files can wind up in spam folders or won't be opened for fear of a virus. E-mail is great and quick for sending these items, but it's best to make sure someone know they are coming first.

4. Use the "bcc" field If you are sending a mass e-mail such as a press release or media alert, so that everyone receiving the e-mail cannot see everyone else's e-mail address. Not doing so pisses people off to no end, especially industry types that are too busy to deal with the ensuing banter between everyone who was cc'd.

5. Traditional e-mail is best. While it's easy and convenient for you to reach out to industry folks via networking sites such as MySpace and LinkedIn, it's much more time-consuming for recipients to have to log in and respond to you than it is to respond to a regular e-mail message. It's also easier for them to store your e-mail and have your contact info accessible through a standard e-mail.

I hope this information is helpful, and feel free to write back with any comments or ideas of your own. Good luck!

Mike Farley

Michael J. Media Group

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Thank you!