As the senior account supervisor, media relations for Martin Levy Public Relations (www.martinlevypr.com) running our San Diego office, I spend 99% percent of my day doing some form of press/analyst/blogger outreach.

To that end, we don't have the luxury of working with Microsoft, Google, Coca-Cola, etc. who get press coverage every day. I'm not saying that media relations professionals who work with these companies have it easy, but let's be honest -- if they call an editor with breaking news they barely have to get past the "CEO of XYZ corporation is interested in speaking with you about the acquisition of ABC company for 20 billion dollars" to schedule a briefing that leads to prime coverage.

We are fortunate at Martin Levy Public Relations (www.martinlevypr.com) that we get to work with innovative companies that are doing some very new and exciting things. Unfortunately, from an editor’s perspective they are not yet name brands, and as the saying goes, “prove it to me.”

So for all the rest of us not working for Coke, Pepsi and Tiger(!), that means it takes a little extree (to paraphrase Dizzy Dean), a bit more diligence and a bit more smarts to be successful.

With that in mind here are 5 tips for better media relations:

1. Build great press/blogger/analyst lists - Seems elementary Watson but you can’t just enter search terms on your Cision or Vocus media database, spit out a list, and then send mass emails. If you approach media relations this way you lose credibility because they just got spammed. Then next time, when you may even have a good story, well you’re the media relations “pro” that last time sent a bogus pitch! So spend the time and look at printed magazines at the store, visit them online and see for yourself who's writing what. Get smart on their hot buttons so when you pitch 'em you can separate yourself from the rest of the pack.

2. Know the product - This does not mean knowing the features and benefits that anyone can read off of a web site. Lazy PR folk do it that way. Instead, be specific by showing how you know how company XYZ used product ABC to streamline operations that led to an overall increase in productivity and saw ROI increase by 45%. Speak to your client’s customers so you can discuss and hear first-hand why this product is a "breakthrough." Also what are analysts saying about it the product or market? What are they saying about competitors? Real world knowledge about the product or service in question can go a long way toward helping you intelligently interact with the media.

3. Know the competition - Knowing who your client competes with by going to those sites and auditing them can really provide the proper insight and perspective on how they stack up against the rest of the industry and your client. Put together a competitive dossier. Use that content to make you and your client smarter. And this just in: check the press/news section at competitor sites - do you have those folks on your press list?

4. Know the pitch - This is part and parcel to the previous three tips. By fully grasping the product, "knowing" who your targets are and what separates your client from the competition, you’ll have a fighting chance of crafting a pitch that journalists may actually find compelling. Most times, no matter how good an emailed pitch is, you still have to call the editor/analyst/blogger. Be prepared -- having a story with "components" makes more sense then "did you get my release?"

5. Adjust or Die! - OK, so now you have a great press list, you are an industry expert; you know all the players and you have a spot-on pitch. You've gotten some stand-off-the-page press and your client is happy. So what's next? Don't remain stagnant. Regularly check and see what industry pundits are writing about. Do topical Google News searches. As products change so do the trends - a story pitched two months ago may no longer be relevant. What is the new angle, what is the fresh spin? New competition with a different mousetrap? Has an editor's beat changed? Has an analyst firm initiated coverage? I think by now you get the point -- don't just be smart, stay smart. Working with editors/analysts/bloggers is an ongoing process.

Following these tips will not only improve your media relations success, but also professionally it means you are truly engaged in what your clients do and how they do it; and you’ve put a stake in the ground that tells all the bloggers, journalists and analysts you work with that you are someone who knows their stuff, is reliable and has credible information, and is worth working with -- again and again and again.