So, you've completed your BowerKit, and now you're ready to share your project with the world. The first thing you'll notice is that BowerBird asks you to send a direct message to each journalist, rather than clicking one button and sending out a blast – why?
The Scattergun Stopped Working
The simple answer is, the scattergun approach of sending out to a long list of emails (common to the 'old PR' strategy) has stopped working. The world we now live in means that, until BowerBird came along, editors and journalists often had inundated inboxes full of submissions that didn't match their publication. It was frustrating for them and it meant they were less likely to respond to these 'hi there' submissions.
Slow Down. Be Mindful.
Through our platform, BowerBird is actively suggesting that you slow down your submissions and be more purposeful. By sending an individual message to each journalist (and personalising it), you are more likely to review their publication carefully and assess if they are a good fit for the project. This means the journalists are more likely to respond and review your submission fully.
On the journalists' side, they then know that they are one of 10-50 journalists to receive your submission, rather than one of 1000+. You can imagine how much nicer that experience is for them.
To get the best results, it also makes sense to stagger your submissions, starting with your favourite publications first, then sending out in groups of 10-20 over weeks and months. This ensures you're getting regular features, rather than firing out to everyone and getting a 'spike' of activity all at once.
What else does BowerBird do to help?
While you're being proactive and submitting your projects using our Submission Suggestions, BowerBird is doing some pretty clever things behind the scenes. Firstly, your projects will find their way into our regular Journalist Round-ups – a regular newsletter sent to our most active journalists.
The BowerKits will also show up on Discover, where journalists can search by categories, location, and keywords.
You can also use your Journalist Views section to find journalists who have viewed your BowerKits and reach out to them.
If you need more help, send us a message through our chat box and we'll help you out!