Guest Post Written by Elena Verlee

If you want to get PR, you need a media list. When you have your press release or story about your business, product or service, you’ll want to send it to a reporter. This is where your media list comes in.

A media list is simply a list of reporters, their contact information and the name of the magazine, newspaper or website that they write for. A good media list is customized and researched so that each reporter or magazine covers the type of product or service that you offer. In turn, your product or service is appropriate to the readers of that publication.

When planning PR, know that consultants and agencies can charge thousands of dollars to put together a media list for you, since there could be hundreds of editors and their magazines to research and target.

If you have the time and want to build your own media list, take 30 minutes a week and do some research.

• What do YOU read? List your favorite papers, magazines, websites and even TV and radio shows that may be interested in featuring your company.

• What do your customers read? If you can find just one website they are reading, chances are that website will have sponsors, partners or a resources page where you can find other media that your customers may be browsing. And so on, and so on.

• Who accepts submissions for new products? Most likely it will be a new products editor, news editor or in smaller publications, the editor-in-chief.

• Read the magazine and note if there is a columnist or reporter that is most likely to cover you for a feature story or interview.

I can bet that you have your favorite set of writers you follow and often think, my product or service would be perfect for them…if only they knew about it!

If you do this every week, by the end of the year you will have built up 52 solid contacts that may be writing about your company.

Update: 50% off sale on Mom Media List – they’ll be gone after Feb. 28, 2010

If you’re a mom entrepreneur wanting to jumpstart getting PR with no time to waste, do check out my media list for moms with hundreds of reporters. I won’t be doing an updated list for 2010, so this is your last chance to get a copy. You can download a free sample from the page if you’d like to see what it looks like.

Elena Verlee is the creator of PRinYourPajamas.com where she shares publicity and buzz-generating tips for entrepreneurs and small businesses.