Thank you Paul Krupin of Direct Contact PR for this awesome publicity planner, spelling out all the normal calendar holidays and usual events too. This will really help journalists, bloggers, small business owners and PR seekers plan their stories, blog posts and pitches for the year.
Plan
Check out his publicity planner for yourself!

Looking to follow your favorite editor, reporter, news anchor or blogger on Twitter? Turn to MediaOnTwitter to ID the Twitter handle of your favorite reporter(s).

The purpose of MediaOnTwitter is to connect communications professionals to contacts and relevant content to help people engage with media more effectively. The site allows users to do two things:

1. Search and find media you want to connect with, sorting by beat, location, name or outlet.

2. Add media to the database to help it become even more comprehensive.

While any site visitor can, and is encouraged to, submit media, the “MediaOnTwitter” team manages and ensures the integrity and usability of the content.

Interestingly enough, MediaOnTwitter was developed by Sarah Evans, is supported by HARO founder, Peter Shankman.

I don't know about you, but I can sniff out a spam email faster than you can say spam.

Here's how a spam pitch looks to a reporter:

Dear Jennifer:

I'd like to introduce you to the latest gadget preschoolers can use to help them focus in the classroom. Blah Blah Blah about the product.

What do you think? May I send a sample?

Sincerely,
Joan

This is canned, trust me. Someone cut and pasted this same email with little effort and sent it to a bunch of reporters.

But look at this pitch:

Dear Jennifer:

I loved your last story on germs in preschools. I feel the same way - you just have to be careful. I, too, wish that schools were more vigilant with regards to hand-washing, cleansing, etc.

The reason I'm writing is because I know you write about preschool products and I'd like to introduce to a new product for the preschool aged kids.

It's a XX that does XX.

What do you think? May I send you a sample?

Thanks,
Jackie

Not canned.

This person took a lot of time to personalize their pitch and showed understanding of the reporter's interests and previous articles.

Here's how to personalize your pitch:

Check out a reporter's last story. Read it and start off your pitch commenting on something they recently wrote about.

Google the reporter. See if you can find any information about them. Maybe you'll learn they have twins and some how what you're pitching has a tie to multiple births.

Understand the reporter's beat and interest. If you do enough research, you'll come to understand what a reporter likes to write about. Reporters with an interest in a specific topic will write about that topic in every imaginable angle - and if you have a new angle for them to take, you're golden!

Read my eBook. I know, shameless plug. But did you know that I interviewed the editors at the leading baby magazines to learn more about how they liked to be pitched? Want those insider tips? You have to read my eBook, How to Get Baby Product Press to Write About You!.

You know that feeling... you get a gift from someone who you thought knew you and you suddenly realize they don't know you at all! They got you a set of pots and pans and you HATE cooking. Or they bought you The Gladiator DVD and you hate violent movies.

This is how reporters feel when you pitch them a story about a topic their publication would simply never cover!

If you want to increase your chances for pitching success, it’s oh-so important to become familiar with the outlet you are pitching.

Look at the website, magazine or TV show. Note what they're writing or talking about. Tailor your pitch accordingly.

For instance, if you have an inventive toy for toddlers, and you know that your local parenting magazine has a section called "Toys for Smart Tots," then you know exactly where to pitch your idea to, right?

Another example is with local newspapers. By reading my hometown newspaper each week, I know that the Denver Post does a "3 Questions Feature" with a local businessperson.I also know that my local business journal ONLY covers local business news (no national stuff) and that my local CBS station regularly does a segment called "Beating the Recession."

If you want to find success in PR, you need to keep up with the media you want to feature you! You need to know the sections in each magazine and the editorial focus of each. Knowing thy media is essential for success. Why else do you think I subscribe to so many magazines?!? :-)

Now that you know what an editorial calendar (or ed cal) is, now it's time to learn how to pitch one.

So you found that True Baby magazine has an upcoming feature in August on swaddle blankets. You are a manufacturer of a swaddler blanket and you want to be included in this round up. What do you do?

First, plan ahead. Remember to begin looking into this opportunity at least six months ahead of publication date.

Second, call the main offices and ask to speak with an editorial assistant or editor (or email an editorial assistant if you find one online - I use CisionPoint to help me identify reporter's names and contact info).

Third, ask the editorial assistant (or any editor you can reach) who is editing the swaddle blanket feature for the August issue. Be sure to ask for their contact information as well.

Forth, email or call the editor in charge of the feature and give them your best pitch!

Good luck!