I hope you’re well! How many times have you started an email like this? Are you even a PR professional if you *don’t* start an email with this? Guilty over here…exclamation point and all.
While this is certainly not going to make or break your pitch (if your pitch is good), this is just one of the nuances that Michael Smart went over in a new course, brought to you by Muck Rack: Fundamentals of Media Relations.
Media relations is an essential skillset that all savvy PR pros should know. Especially today, when newsrooms are small and journalists are stretched so thin. And our current news cycle is dominated by politics and the coronavirus.
I am a Michael Smart fan girl. I’ve been in an all-day training with him and a part of his Inner Circle for the last year+. This guy knows his stuff when it comes to all things media relations. Even for more seasoned professionals, this course is a great refresher with actionable tips, and in Michael’s always fun tone. He has done the legwork and research to connect with PR pros and journalists all over the country to bring you the best information on pitching media.
The courses are quick with seven lessons that are about 20 minutes each. There’s a short quiz after each lesson and a final exam at the end. But it’s super easy (if you listened and didn’t multitask!) The lessons include understanding today’s journalists, framing your news, emailing with success (and being succinct), the art of the follow-up, and more.
I can’t stress enough that every PR pro who does some type of media pitching takes this course. It’s actionable, not time-consuming, helpful, and FREE. This course could easily be worth $1,000. Yes, there is some Muck Rack plugging, but it’s very subtle and actually helpful if you use the tool. I’ve never used the paid Muck Rack tool (I’ve just used the free option) but I would love to use it since it seems to give Cision (and the likes) a run for its money. Plus, you get a fun certificate you can proudly display on your resume and Linked.
