At a recent Baltimore Public Relations Council “Morning With The BBJ” event, Editor-in-Chief Joanna Sullivan, pictured, center, and her editorial staff shared the following tips for getting coverage in the 8,800-paid-circulation business weekly, as summarized by BPRC President Gina Gerber, vice president, Abel Communications:

• Timing: Send your pitches sooner rather than later. Most sections of the paper are drafted by the end of the week, coming into Monday they’re setting viewpoint and finalizing edits for that week’s edition.

• Follow-Up: Follow-up is always appreciated! BBJ editors and reporters sometimes get up to 1,000 emails daily so there’s a chance they just missed your message. If you have timely or breaking news, don’t be afraid to check-in with them to be sure they saw your email.

• Book of Lists: Pitch with BBJ’s lists in mind, as they comprise a large section of its content and cover a wide spectrum of topics. They’re always looking for unique and innovative new ideas for lists that will grab reader’s attention, like the new list of breweries. Please share any ideas you have and be sure to explain how the list can be compiled using measurable data.

• Visuals: Regardless of the pitch you’re sending, you need a visual. So it’s always important to include an image or multiple images. Just keep in mind, all pictures are not good pictures. Make sure the image is print quality whenever possible.

• Baltimore Buzz: Positive Baltimore stories generate more interaction and engagement from BBJ’s online community. Its readers want to share Baltimore’s good news so keep that in mind when you are crafting story ideas.

Photo: BPRC Facebook page