In today’s hyperactive, fragmented media landscape, it is increasingly difficult to get the attention of reporters and editors at every kind of media outlet – from network TV morning shows and national trade publications to smaller media outlets covering the region and bloggers focused on a specific industry space.

The demands and deadlines placed on today’s journalists of every stripe have only grown.

They are expected to churn out multiple articles or pieces on a given day, blog on their own and remain active on social media.

Like many professions, they are asked to do more with less.

How do you cut through the chaos to get your organization noticed and convince a journalist to cover your story?

Consider first whether your story has all the right elements.

• The Characters: Most organizations tap CEOs, top executives or spokespeople as the key individuals to be interviewed by journalists. These people are certainly solid ambassadors for the brand, but perhaps a customer or volunteer can offer the reporter a second and equally compelling perspective. Sometimes, the ability to conduct multiple interviews will make a journalist take a second look at a story pitch.
• The Plot: When reviewing your company announcement or news, how is it relevant to the target audience of the media outlet you are pitching? What is “new” about it? Does it solve a specific problem? Does it offer a unique solution to an ongoing problem? Does it affect a large number of people? Is it a “pocketbook” issue that involves saving money? Elements such as these will vault your story over the hurdles that you face in convincing a journalist to cover your company.
• Timeliness: The news cycle is frenetic these days. What was hot this morning can be old news by this afternoon. Quite often, your story will have even more salience and get more attention from a journalist if it already correlates with something in the news agenda that has suddenly become the talk of the town.

If your company can check the box on these key elements, you then need to be transparent about what you can provide to a reporter who has shown interest.

You also need to be mindful of a reporter’s ongoing and changing needs.

Promise only what you can deliver, and understand that every journalist is facing multiple deadlines every day.

Demonstrate your reliability by cooperating with a journalist to help them develop a good story, and chances are they’ll come back to you again seeking a source or an idea.