Marijane Funess September 15, 2015 | 05:07:45
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A Journalist’s POV: 3 Questions From A NY PR Firm

One of the joys of working in a top PR agency is getting to know rising stars in both traditional and digital media. One of those digital media standouts is Sarah Stiefvater, Associate Editor, women’s lifestyle site, PureWow. Below, Sarah discusses some of the best ways to build and foster a good PR/journalist relationship including how to ensure ongoing dialogue and pitching with sincerity.

What would you most want PR people to know about working with PureWow? I want PR people to know that we really notice and appreciate when you’ve done your homework. PureWow is a digital publisher with a focus on women’s lifestyle content….and a super short lead time. That means that we’re probably not working on holiday gift guides six months in advance and we’re probably not going to cover a topic that’s completely out of our wheelhouse. A publicist who is familiar with PureWow and the types of things we write about (everything from affordable home upgrades to ways to wear dark florals) is always going to be at an advantage.

When was the last time a PR pro helped you with a story and what was the outcome? This morning! I was researching a story I’m writing  about sports bras. I was thinking about including a brand we’ve covered before, and remembered a recent email from that brand’s PR rep. She checks in periodically, keeping her brand on my radar and putting her at an advantage for continued coverage. I reached out to her and she immediately got back to me with relevant details, links and high-res photos–a totally seamless process. Obviously the brand has to align with our content and be a great fit for the particular story, but staying in touch is always welcome from my perspective.

What qualities make a great PR contact for you? Again, the best PR contacts have made themselves familiar with our brand. They know what we cover and pitch accordingly. Sometimes that means bringing up a recent story of ours and pitching a relevant brand or product. That’s awesome, and shows me you’ve taken the time to get to know what we’re about as a publication. A great PR contact is also passionate about the brands she or he reps. It’s so refreshing to get a convincing pitch, and feeling like the publicist really and truly believes in whatever she or he is talking about.

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