As someone who grew up shy and still has a strong aversion to “cold calling,” I was heartened to see the results of a recent Muck Rack poll of journalists regarding their preferred methods of contact. The good news?

Less than 2 percent of journalists prefer to receive pitches on the phone!

The even better news (IMO) – 92 percent prefer email.

The survey also explored some additional issues that should be of interest to anyone attempting to gain media exposure for themselves, their companies or their products and services:

• Lack of personalization is the most likely reason a journalist would immediately reject a pitch
• Nearly 80% of journalists find Twitter to be the most valuable social network

Muck Rack also explored the time of day that journalists most prefer to be pitched:

Ensuring that you are reaching out to media contacts in the ways that they most value is a key way to help boost the odds that you will see your name in the news. Key takeaways: send personalized pitches, via email, from 9-11:00 a.m. their time — and explore ways that you might use Twitter to connect with the journalists you’re hoping to build relationships with.

Recommended Reading:

The Everything Guide to Customer Engagement