Paradox Public Relations Shares 7 Tips on Mastering Media Messaging with Jack Gillespie

Jack Gillespie joined Paradox Public Relations as an Account Executive in November of 2023; he holds a degree in political science and English literature from Ohio State University. He’s expanded on Paradox’s success with blockchain clients (having secured placements for forensics company Elementus in multiple media outlets including the Wall Street Journal) by securing stories for Crystal Intelligence in outlets like Newsweek.

Here’s what Jack practices to increase PR coverage for his clients:

1. Don’t be afraid to flatter

When reaching out to individual reporters, take some time to read and reference their  recent work. This helps show that you’ve put consideration in your outreach and makes the reporter feel as though you’ve taken a personal interest (instead of them just being another name in a database).

1. Cast a wide net and don’t count anyone out

You may not always be able to find reporters covering specifically what you’re looking for; look for people in similar fields and make a case for your client. Don’t psych yourself out of reaching out to someone new; it’s almost always better to take the extra time to reach out than not. Sometimes, the hits come from the most unexpected places!

1. The story isn’t always obvious

What seems clear to you may not always be clear to a reporter. Get creative and specific in your pitches. Be sure to suggest headlines, questions, topics to cover, etc. Making the job as easy as possible for your outreach targets is key; they often don’t know what they want to cover until you suggest it!

1. Be personable

Media professionals, like anyone else, respond better to courtesy and charisma. Maximize your personable traits. If you’re good at complimenting, be complementary. If you’re polite, be polite. If you’re kind, be kind. Be yourself (without crossing professional boundaries and getting the job done, of course).

1. Social media is your friend

Be sure to keep up with what’s going on in the world related to your clients. Social media is a terrific resource here. Search around and see what everyday people are talking about; this helps you understand what interest people have in a given topic and gives you a better idea of what reporters and media consumers find interesting.

1. Be timely

The news runs fast these days. You don’t want to be pitching news or stories that happened more than a week ago (unless the story is still ongoing). This helps ensure your pitches are fresh and pertinent while lending a sense of urgency.