There is still a persistent belief in PR: the larger your press list, the greater your chance of publicity. More emails, more reach, more results. Right?
Not quite (as we have already made clear in this earlier blog). Behind every email address is a journalist with an overflowing inbox, tight deadlines, and very limited patience for irrelevant pitches. Those who think only in numbers forget that PR is essentially about relationships. And you don't build relationships by sending indiscriminately.
More contacts don't mean more attention
On average, a journalist receives dozens to sometimes more than a hundred emails a day. Subject line, sender, relevance: within seconds, it is determined whether a message is opened or promptly deleted.
When companies massively use purchased media lists, something predictable happens. That same journalist receives even more generic messages from senders they do not know. The result? Less attention per email, quicker deletion, growing irritation. Because if you're just that tenth irrelevant pitch of the day, your name will be remembered (not in a good way).
Relationships are not a shortcut
Truly: many companies still think they’re set by purchasing a media list somewhere on the internet. Gathering contact details isn't the hardest part of PR. Finding the right match is.
That’s why we at Presscloud specify exactly what journalists write about, which topics they find interesting, and how best to pitch them. Additionally, with the Presscloud Press Lists tool, we offer the ultimate solution for efficiently finding relevant journalists that align with your (press release). Trust us on this: a targeted approach, based on substantive alignment, significantly increases the chances of getting noticed.
Quality over quantity
There's something else at play. When you do it all yourself, purchase a media list, and start sending large quantities of irrelevant emails, it can also have technical consequences. High bounce rates and low engagement ratios affect the reputation of your email address. Before a journalist even assesses your pitch substantively, your message might already be less effectively delivered.
So, instead of buying lists "off the shelf," it's smarter to invest in tools with a carefully built and maintained database (starting with a P and ending with resscloud). A system where emails properly arrive, at the right audience, and where you can see which pitches are opened. That’s precisely where the difference lies between broadcasting and strategic communication.
So, be kind to journalists. Send less, but better. Think less in volume and more in value. Ultimately, this not only leads to stronger media relationships but also better results for your PR strategy. And trust us: journalists notice the difference.
