How to not get snapped at by the media

You're trying to get in touch with the media with a very important pitch.  Or maybe to check if they received your press release. Or maybe just to invite them to an event. You can get a variety of responses, including a cold thank you, a vague ok, or a even  an irritated bark followed by the phone going dead.

None of these are good for your heart and passion to continue with your work in PR, but you can spare your poor heart and/or ego the hurt, if not entirely, then at least most of the time.  Then you won't be entertaining thoughts about shifting careers too often. 

Here are some tips:

1. Know your target media. Make sure your pitch is appropriate for the editor, producer, writer, and/or columnist of the section, program, paper, blogger, network, and/pr publication you are contacting.  Oh, and get the names and positions right.
   
2. Once you have sufficient info -- background, profile, readership, viewership, personality, etc. -- you can compose a good opening statement for your call. Include a short introduction, the reason for your call, and a pitch line. The pitch line has to make them realize how much they need what you are about to share. It helps to have all these on paper or on a computer screen for you to refer to.
   
3. Make sure you call at the right time.  It's not as much when you're free to make the call, but when the time is good for the person you are calling. Investigate.  Find out what time your media contact gets to work, what time they're usually free to talk, and what time they're usually open to taking calls. 
4. Be polite and respectful, but don't grovel. They are the media, we need them, but they need us, too.  They can get info from the next person if you don't sound confident, knowledgeable, and friendly.
   
5. Keep your call as brief and straight to the point as possible. Don't ramble.  The people you're calling are busy and have deadlines to meet.  If you need to share more details, commit to sending these via email.  What's important is you make the first contact memorable.Before you put the phone down, try to get a commitment from them to at least read your email or get back to you with their feedback.  If you plan to do a follow-up, set a date and time, preferably the best time for them.