In this tight economy, companies have to be smarter than ever about how they spend their promotional dollars.
At the same time, print and broadcast journalists facing staff cutbacks, a never-ending news cycle and deadlines need efficient ways to connect with experts and sources on the topics they cover.
Savvy companies, entrepreneurs, authors, speakers and experts are discovering free online PR tools that can connect them with journalists. They know there is no better publicity for building credibility and name recognition than being quoted or featured in a newspaper or magazine article or broadcast segment.
Several good query services exist to connect journalists with sources and experts on the topics they cover. Some of these services charge a monthly or yearly fee for businesses, authors, speakers or other entrepreneurs to be part of their network. Others cost nothing, but don't always deliver results.
As the developer of PressKit247, a technological tool for creating online media materials, I saw a need for journalists to be able to quickly connect with experts and sources. So I created PitchRate.com (http://www.PitchRate.com).
PitchRate is made to serve the needs of broadcast and print journalists. The system allows reporters, editors and producers to remain completely anonymous, so they don’t have to worry about their emails being shared with thousands of people and the potential for SPAM. Journalists can also turn off a request when they get the responses they need.
PitchRate’s most unique feature is its ability to rate the usefulness of source pitches using a five-star system. We rate the pitches so journalists can get to the most qualified pitches first.
How does it work? Participating journalists rate the information they get from each source. The system calculates the rating based on key words, previous journalist ratings and how well a source’s expertise matches a particular field.
This is important because credibility is what journalists are seeking most when they use a query service. Among reporters who responded to a recent poll on the topic, more than 81 percent ranked source credibility as their top need.
In five months, PitchRate has grown to include more than 15,000 sources, and that number is growing rapidly. What kind of information are journalists seeking? You name it.
When you go to the site, you will see pitches scrolling across a "ticker" at the top of the screen. Some recent ones include "Mood is Contagious?," "Looking for Women Under 35 On The Move," "Seeking To Feature Domestic Services In Online Resource," and, on a lighter note, "Fun Fall Getaways."
PitchRate is a product of Blue Kangaroo Inc., a technology company I founded with my partners Will Stankiewicz and Michelle Tennant in 2006. We created PitchRate to better serve the needs of journalists while providing valuable publicity for sources, all at no cost.
When journalists can connect easily with sources who are prepared and ready to assist them with valuable information and opinions, everyone wins.
About the Author:
L. Drew Gerber is CEO of Blue Kangaroo, Inc. and creator of www.PitchRate.com, a free publicity tool that connects journalists with the highest rated media experts. Gerber's business practices and staffing innovations have been revered by PR Week, Good Morning America and the Christian Science Monitor. His companies handle international PR campaigns and his staff develops online press kits for authors, speakers and companies with PressKit 24/7, a technology he developed (www.PressKit247.com). Contact L. Drew Gerber at: Drew.PitchRate@gmail.com or call him at 828-749-3548.
