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Keep a media contact list that stays useful

Build one tidy sheet of journalists and outlets with beats, past coverage and notes, so you pitch the right person every time.

PR and comms specialistIntermediate40 minAI assistantGoogle SheetsGmail

When to use it

Set up once, then update after each pitch

Gather what you already have
Export contacts from old spreadsheets, email signatures and past press release lists into one rough document. Use only work contact details journalists have shared publicly or with you.
Tidy it into one structure
Paste the rough list into your AI assistant with this prompt and copy the result into Google Sheets.
Prompt to copyHere is a messy list of media contacts: [paste]. Turn it into a table with columns: name, outlet, role, beat or topics, work email, preferred contact method, region, last contacted, last story they covered for us, notes. Merge duplicates, standardise outlet names, and leave cells blank rather than guessing. After the table, list any rows that look incomplete or out of date so I can check them.
Add a log of every pitch
Add a second tab for pitches with date, contact, story pitched and result. Update it after each send.
Shortlist for each new story
When you have news, paste a summary of it and the sheet's beat column into the AI and ask which ten contacts fit best and why.
Prune every quarter
Remove contacts who've moved on or asked not to be contacted, and update roles you've seen change.

Respect people's wishes: if someone asks to be removed, delete them, and handle the list in line with data protection rules.
Never buy contact lists or collect details from places people haven't chosen to share them.