In the digital age of marketing, PR outreach has never been more important. Whether it's an attempt to secure a guest blogging position or a request for an interview with an industry leader, you can't afford to approach PR without a focused strategy or adequate preparation. In particular, you'll want to understand what is and is not appropriate.

5 Do's of PR Outreach

Let's start by analyzing the best tips and advice:

Research before pitching.
Ease into things.
Introduce yourself.
Come prepared.
Offer something in return.

4 Don'ts of PR Outreach

Additionally, you'll want to avoid making the following mistakes:

Send mass emails.
Pitch and ditch.
Spam contacts.
Fail to consider timing.

Additional Tactics and Techniques

If you've exhausted your opportunities or can't find a way to connect with industry resources, maybe one of the following advanced strategies can help:

Build buyer personas.
Try giveaways.
Send a product trial or sample.
Make a face-to-face connection.

Important Takeaways

Ultimately, it all comes down to your due diligence and patience. Relationships aren't built overnight and you can't afford to waste your time with people that don't align with your brand, business, or message. By focusing on these five do's and four don'ts, as well as the additional tactics and techniques mentioned in the latter section, you can increase your chances of successfully partnering with industry leaders and media sources.