Quality versus quantity is something most people struggle with in many aspects of their life. Do you want one really nice, expensive pair of shoes or five cheap, flat-soled shoes? See, you probably find yourself teeter-tottering between the two more often than you think. Today we are going to explore how this topic relates to PR and media coverage, so let’s start by defining the difference between the two.
Quality Media Coverage
Quality coverage is what the majority of public relations services are geared towards. This means securing earned coverage in highly credible and reputable outlets that have a large readership. This would be the Forbes, Fast Companies, The Verges, Reader’s Digests, New York Times, and TechCrunches of the world. These are the sources most often looked to for advice, insights, tips, and news.
Here’s an example scenario in which you would aim for quality coverage: if your business has launched a new product and you want to build consumer trust and recognition, then you would want to offer a sample to well-known media outlets that will test and review the product. Consumers frequently look to editorial reviews when they are contemplating purchasing a specific product, and a comprehensive and insightful review from a highly credible media outlet can be very influential in the purchasing decision.
Quantity Media Coverage
The goal of quantity coverage is typically to boost your SEO, which not all PR efforts can and will support, but is still extremely valuable. Increasing visibility and brand awareness are the two main reasons to focus on quantity.
Now, here’s a scenario in which you would aim for quantity: If your business is fairly new and entering a competitive market, then you would want to increase your brand’s name recognition in the media and on search engines amongst competitors. You might consider putting a press release out on a newswire, which is often picked up by hundreds of other outlets. Yes, it’s the same exact story, but it’s now visible to millions of people so you’ve essentially got 100+ media mentions.
So Which is Better?
Quality coverage is more esteemed than quantity, but neither is necessarily better than the other.
The answer really comes down to what your PR goals are. A question to ask yourself is, am I looking for reputable coverage or as many mentions as possible?
It’s also important to note that your answer may change over time so make sure you reevaluate and readjust your coverage goals as your business evolves.
Segal Communications can help you navigate your media coverage goals and secure your desired placements. Reach us at [email protected] to learn more about out PR services.
When developing a PR strategy for your company, it’s important to identify your spokespeople. A spokesperson is someone who speaks to the media on the company’s behalf, often a CEO or a member of the marketing and communications department. While a CEO or a director of communications are best suited to speak about the business and product itself, they might not be the best people to speak about more general, industry-related topics. Depending on the nature of your business, you might want to consider partnering with an industry expert who can provide commentary on common topics in the industry.
What is an industry expert?
An industry expert is someone with the knowledge and experience to provide accurate, trustworthy commentary on topics relating to a specific industry. Depending on the industry, they don’t necessarily need to have credentials, but they should have extensive experience in the relevant field(s) that qualifies them to give advice, make predictions, etc.
Why should I partner with an industry expert?
Partnering with an industry expert gives your brand the opportunity to expand awareness while bolstering your credibility. Having an expert that can address general topics within the industry means more opportunities to insert your brand into public conversations, especially when you don’t have any major news to announce. Partnering with an expert will also allow you to leverage their audience, which may be large or small, depending on the individual.
What qualities should I look for?
The most important thing in choosing an expert to partner with is to make sure that your brands align. Finding an expert that works on topics relevant to your brand and shares your brand values will ensure a natural and authentic partnership. If your product is a dating app, for example, you’d be better off working with a relationship coach than a marriage counselor.
You’ll also want to consider your budget. An established expert with their own following might expect a large commission. An expert who is still trying to build their own brand might decide that it’s worthwhile to partner with your brand for a small commission or exposure alone.
What should I expect from the partnership?
Before you start to work with your expert partner, you’ll want to define the terms of the partnership. What title will they go by? How many requests for commentary do you anticipate sending per week or per month? Will they be expected to write their own commentary, or is it okay for them to dictate a response that you can then draft for approval?
Given the 24/7 news cycle, you’ll also want to set expectations with regards to their availability. If you send them a request for commentary with a tight deadline, how fast can you expect them to respond?
Finally, you should not expect the expert’s commentary to reference your product every time, if at all. Being quoted in an article as your company’s resident expert is valuable in itself; pushing a product may delegitimize the commentary altogether.
Let us take your brand’s visibility to the next level. We’re here, ready to help your company showcase your “why” and share it with millions of people.
15 ways to inspire journalists to attend — and hopefully write about — your launch, product, or service.
It’s been a rough two years for all of us, and the world of PR is no exception. Publicists who once relied on in-person events to help introduce journalists to brands had to find alternate ways to connect. And while Zoom events were fun, in-person events are back.
As we’re actively planning the rest of the year, we’re also collectively gearing up for launches and events. Before you start planning your next big media lunch or cocktail party, have a read through some of our best tips on how to get media to attend your event.
1. Make the invitation stand out
Whether you plan on sending out an engraved note with hand calligraphy or prefer an email blast, spend some time thinking about your message. What’s your event for? What or who are you promoting? Whether you’re planning a launch of a new diet or a one-on-one with an A-lister, the invitation mood should match your event. Whether it’s punny or extremely serious, create a design to match the wording. Make sure your contact information is updated and everyone’s names are spelled correctly. Always include contact information and an option for feedback. While you’re at it, include teasers. If you plan on giving away a trip to Hawaii, make it clear, especially if attendees must be present for the drawing.
2. Don’t muddle the message
If your goal is to connect with journalists, set up a smaller event so you can have more one-on-one time. If your goal is to introduce writers to your client in person, create a series of conversation starters so that writers find a reason to engage with your client. If your goal is to launch a product, make that front and center of your invitation, event and follow-up. Offer enough cues and incentives to make it easy and inviting to write about whatever it is you’re promoting.
3. Swag matters
Speaking of winning, try to make everyone attending feel like they won something simply for showing up. Create memorable giveaways and try to be plentiful about them. Not to sound jaded, but many journalists receive a lot of useless swag. Don’t just slap your client’s logo on an unidentifiable tech accessory, try to make your giveaways (plural is always better) match your product, client messaging and writer’s beat when at all possible. And if at all possible, co-brand an advance gift. In this way, you’re already creating a positive association with the reporter and your client.
4. Plan a fun activity
The best events are on some level interactive in service of the product or client being feted. I once made dessert with a former chef for the royal family. Another time I learned how to create cocktails using a kitchen torch. Years later, I still remember the brands that went above and beyond to ensure that not only was their brand or product highlighted, but the event was so much fun that it stuck out in my mind. I still talk about the best events I’ve attended. And believe it or not, the best events have multiple attractions and activities to keep all types interested.
5. Make it easy for guests to get there
…and leave. Despite the fact that you’ve spent months planning your event, not all journalists will plan to be there for the whole thing. Be gracious if they pop in and have to go. Arrange transportation when possible, and don’t pout if they leave before the presentation. Budget for a car service through ride-share apps. Better yet, arrange the cars to make them feel even more pampered.
6. Have a great venue
While every single element matters, the venue is crucial – and so is decorating your space. While having a step and repeat feels like a no-brainer, it isn’t always appealing. If possible, bring in a designer to help you create a look that highlights your client’s aesthetic and then display the product accordingly. And as sad as it sounds, have some people around just to keep an eye on the swag bags and other items of value to make sure they don’t disappear.
7. Feel free to show off
I once attended the 20th anniversary of an online jewelry brand, and they held the event in a room filled with sparkly things, including rings with 20-carat diamonds. Even more fun, we were free to try everything on and play dress-up for a while. If your client has an incredible product, show it off in as many ways as possible. Tactile works well at an event since even shy journalists can find reasons to chat with team members.
8. Keep your room well staffed
If you’re expecting a crowd, make sure that you have enough team members there to personally greet guests and give them a walk-through when possible. And while you’re at it, have two-tiers of staffers- some with name tags or other identifiable details, and some that blend into the crowd and act as conversation starters.
9. Be a great host
We all know how stressful it can be to host an event, but if you’re the one inviting someone, don’t ignore them when they show up. After check-in, assign a few people to be unofficial greeters and lead guests in, and point you out. Or give them a VIP list not of the A-Listers, but rather of the people you really want to speak to!
10. Present an alternative option to attending in person
Not everyone is going to feel comfortable showing up to your event and that’s fine. Create an option for people to attend via Zoom or the video conferencing software of your choice. And don’t make them feel guilty if they can’t make it. Consider sending gift cards so you can treat them to a snack while they virtually socialize at your event.
11. Plan a great menu
Whether it’s branded cocktails or doughnuts with your corporate colors, try to ensure that there are subtle branding reminders throughout. Unlike a personal or family gathering, the point here is to find a way to do business together.
12. Send out reminders
Make it easy for journalists to remember your event. Send calendar invitations and remind them a few days before your event and again that morning. Despite people’s best intentions, it’s sometimes easy to totally miss an event. Be friendly, not annoying when you send out the reminders, and try to include one previously not shared details. Maybe it’s a celebrity visit or a crazy cocktail.
13. Don’t disappoint your guests
I once attended an event since I was curious about interviewing an A-List celebrity with a new movie out. You can imagine my disappointment when they rolled out a screen with a previously recorded message.
14. Follow up in a fun way
Maybe you have pictures from a photo booth or a personalized trinket, but don’t only follow up to ask about their plans for coverage.
15. Make your client available for follow-up interviews
There’s nothing as frustrating as being pitched a story or source only to be told they’re not available for an interview.
And don’t ever do this:
Don’t CC everyone on your random media lists in the hope that someone will show up. Spend time curating your guest lists so that you’ll have an appreciative and hopefully interesting crowd.
Need help getting started? When we work together, you and your brand do more than show up. You show up with a story, a purpose, a unique reason for being – and you make an impact. At Segal Communications, we become an extension of your team – we work fast to get to know you and your brand and make sure we’re keeping you and your company relevant on social media.
An Insider Take on Maximizing Your Brand’s Holiday Pitching Efforts
When it comes to product PR, it’s no secret that holiday gift guides are the holy grail for many brands looking for revenues to move into the black before the end of the year. Getting your brand featured in a coveted Gift Guide like the ones produced by Oprah, Good Housekeeping, and The Today Show puts your product, experience, or service directly in front of your target audience, and inclusions are also suggestive of the publication’s implied endorsement, i.e., the icing on the cake that sets you apart from competitors.
Gift Guides: The Process
What industry outsiders don’t recognize outside of the end result of trending online listicles or glossy pages of a magazine is the time, preparation, strategic execution, and relationships that publicists nurture to secure that coveted spot. It’s so much more than simply meeting an editor’s deadline.
If you’re considering hiring a PR agency to get your product, service, or experience into a holiday gift guide, you’ll want to keep the following in mind.
Timing Is Everything
You’ll need to consider editorial deadlines, production timing for sample products, shipping deadlines, and the initial onboarding phase for your agency once you have selected one.
Although a seasoned agency can quickly become familiar with your brand and product, sending out samples and getting samples in editors’ hands ahead of publication is a time-sensitive and sometimes logistically complicated feat – this is especially true when it comes to perishable foods. Above all else, you need to consider your ultimate goals (i.e., print, digital, or both focuses) and work backward from those publication deadlines.
Outlet Deadlines
As soon as the holidays are over, agencies are already working on next year’s holiday outreach strategy. Print publications are long lead, with some outlets working 6-7 months in advance. The rule of thumb with these outlets is the sooner, the better! If you are interested in Oprah or similar you need to begin working on gift guides no later than April. Oprah’s team opens submissions in May and closes by the end of June if not sooner. Oprah’s print publication mirrors what they include online later that year. Historically, they don’t add last-minute additions.
There’s a bit more wiggle room for digital publications like blogs and online outlets. Expect outlets to work around two months in advance on their stories, but some blogs may have a shorter turnaround time and accept submissions up to two weeks before their deadline. Still, you will need to engage with an agency by the end of August. Online gift guides requests start piling up in September and often go live in October.
Getting ahead of these deadlines is essential, especially if it’s an opportunity you don’t want to miss. Sometimes the best plan of action is to reach out to editorial directors in advance to get a concrete deadline if not included in a media kit or editorial calendar.
Prep Time
Yes, we already mentioned that an experienced PR agency could quickly be brought up to speed with your branding and become familiar with your product, but fleshing out a gift guide strategy is a whole different story. You should account for the amount of time your new agency will require to flesh out the best approach after completing critical research. Finding the proper outlets for your brand’s target audience, the best contacts at each outlet, and drafting the individual pitches themselves are crucial to landing a quality press hit.
Account for Samples, Press Kits, and Marketing Material Production
Most media outlets, bloggers, and influencers expect non-returnable product samples in exchange for consideration so they can feel confident recommending your brand and product. (Although some may accept products on loan for big-ticket items) Be sure that you have shelf-ready product samples available. Some outlets will ask for inventory totals before they are willing to include your item as they don’t want to feature something that gets sold out immediately. Journalists will be less impressed with non-functional or dummy models, products missing final packaging, or frequently loaned items that show wear and tear. With influencers and bloggers, it’s essential to invest in a good presentation as many will still include the “unpacking” as part of their coverage. A cardboard box with bubble wrap is going to get much less appreciation than a well-adorned gift with other “surprises and delights” included.
Additionally, media will request high-res images and photos of your products that they can add to coverage with a simple click. You should have product shots and lifestyle images ready to go. Journalists’ time is precious. Ensure your agency can skip the back-and-forth by providing an all-in-one, streamlined pitch. Plus, they’ll be more inclined to include in coverage if the agency does the cumbersome heavy lifting.
When considering the appropriate time to bring on a PR agency to pitch for gift guides, consider production timelines for samples and whether or not you will need assistance from your agency in compiling marketing materials and assets.
Affiliate Program Enrollment
It’s not the case for all digital opportunities, but affiliated gift guides have quickly become the status quo. 81% of advertisers and 84% of publishers in the US are currently leveraging affiliate marketing to earn revenue. Some online gift guide submissions may even require a specific (prime-powered) affiliate link to be featured. While this allows the outlet to make money per click, rather than relying on more advertising on their website, it makes it increasingly harder to be featured in online gift guides.
If you’re considering enrolling in an affiliate program to overcome this challenge (and potential barrier), make sure to account for the time it takes to select a program, register, and be approved ahead of your holiday campaign. Need a quick crash course on affiliate marketing? Check out our blog post here.
All Wrapped Up (in a bow, naturally)
Once you’ve considered all of the time constraints and worked backward from your intended holiday publication date, you can pinpoint the ideal time to hire a PR agency. While this seems like a hefty to-do list, once hired and onboarded, your agency will take it from there – tapping into their burgeoning contact list and getting your product in front of target audiences right on time for gifting.
Ready to get started with your customized PR program? When we work together, your brand does more than show up. It shows up with a story, a purpose, a unique reason for being – and it makes an impact.
As a professional journalist, I spend a good portion of my work week reading pitches from hopeful publicists. While some of the pitches I receive are on-target and incredibly useful, the majority, sadly, are not. And so instead of being able to work on a story or find a useful source, I waste far too much time wading through off-topic or wholly incomprehensible pitches.
While many publicists learn key techniques during their studies or internships, there are some basics that aren’t included. The so-called soft skills that involve building and maintaining relationships instead of randomly peppering people with pitches in the hopes that one will be on target.
Here’s the thing, really great publicists understand how to connect their clients with the right journalists. They also understand that creating an ongoing relationship with the right reporter could prove more valuable than a single PR hit. And really great publicists also connect with journalists to understand both their likes and pet peeves.
In no particular order, here are some tips on how to better work with reporters while pitching or relationship building. We’ll be adding more advice in upcoming posts as well.
1. Make your message matter.
You have a limited number of words – and the writer you’re contacting has a limited amount of patience. While it can seem abrupt to get to the point immediately, try not to use so much flowery language and exposition, that the journalists you’re pitching stop reading mid-greeting. Be polite. Be friendly, and get to the point before they tune out.
2. Don’t make them figure out what you’re saying.
I can’t tell you how many pitches I receive that make absolutely no sense to me. Don’t assume that the journalist you’re pitching has any understanding of your client’s mission or messaging. In fact, assume that they’ve never heard of your client before. Try to offer a bit of background, or at the very least clarify what it is that you’re pitching.
3. Keep relevant information easy to find.
Oh, joy! Your pitch is on target and timely and the writer you’re pitching really wants to find out more about the company you mentioned. Only you forgot to include a link to their website and left out the CEO’s name and otherwise neglected to include the critical information that allows a reporter to do a bit of a deeper dive into your client.
4. Personalize or individualize your pitch.
While you’re busy and likely feeling pressure from your client or boss, that shouldn’t come across in your pitch. Take the time to include the reporter’s first name and spell it correctly. There are few things that cause me to tune out immediately like an email that begins: Dear [WRITER].
5. Skip the hearts and flowers.
Unless you know each other well and have professed our undying friendship, don’t start with an affectionate greeting or end with anything too personal. And while you’re at it, skip the x’s and o’s on pitches to total strangers.
6. Create a fantastic subject line.
Challenge yourself to pique the interest of the journalist in question. Try to set your pitch apart from the get-go by creating a subject line that’s almost irresistible. I receive hundreds of unsolicited pitches daily, when doing a quick scan through my inbox I inevitably read the emails that sound interesting.
7. Create a relationship, not a one off.
When pitching a reporter, understand that as well researched as your pitch is, it might not be relevant. But the next one might. By creating an ongoing relationship with a writer you sometimes bypass the crowd and they might come to you first for sources or pay more attention to your pitches the next time around.
8. Feedback is your friend.
For some reason many publicists bristle when being told their pitch is off-topic or irrelevant. If a writer is taking time to respond, it’s possible that something about your pitch did catch their interest. Pay attention to their feedback and fine-tune your next pitch.
9. Don’t underestimate freelancers.
Back in the day, publicists would prioritize pitches so staffers at print magazines were their first choice. While things have changed drastically— especially with the growth of digital journalism — some publicists still haven’t quite figured out how to work with freelancers. Depending on how many outlets the freelancer in question contributes to, you could be pitching a dozen publications instead of just one.
10. Do your homework.
It is not a journalist’s job to educate you on who they write for and what they write about. It also is a huge turnoff to be pitched a topic they haven’t written about in years. Look up their profile on Muckrack or a similar site to have an idea of what their recent stories are about and who they’re writing for before pitching. Or check out their social media profiles to see if they’re posting recent stories which will give you a bit more intel as well.
11. Don’t keep asking when a story will run.
Writers spend a good portion of their day, well, writing. In addition to that, they network with editors and other writers, research their stories, edit their stories, find sources, interview sources, promote their work on social media and more. If a reporter tells you that they don’t know when a story will run, trust them on it. Sending follow-up emails won’t magically make a run date appear. It will annoy them though.
12. Don’t pout if your client isn’t featured.
At the end of the day, there’s always an editorial hierarchy. A reporter might love your client’s quote and then have it edited out of the final version. Trying to make a writer feel guilty about it won’t cause them to sneak your client back in, it’ll probably make them avoid you in the future.
At Segal Communications we understand that while we work for our clients, journalists are our partners in the process.
Whether you’re a business vet or you just signed the dotted line for your first LLC, you already know the importance of promotion. Creating buzz for your business is one of the most exciting (yet often daunting) parts of the game. It takes a keen understanding of the shifting media landscape and a watchful eye on communication trends.
For those who live by the motto “work smarter, not harder,” a go-to route is to hire a PR agency or consultant. After all, they’re the ones who can help attract your future clients and customers. While these experts can add value and build momentum at nearly any stage of your business growth, there are essential factors to consider before diving into this meaningful working relationship. To ensure that you maximize your ROI and see better results in less time, we’ve mapped out ten things to keep in mind before beginning a PR program.
Putting in the legwork before you execute a PR campaign will only help to serve in its success.
1. Determine your high-level goals
As any wise business owner knows, defining specific goals and timeframes around sales, expansion, staffing, etc., is crucial. You should ensure that your PR strategy is specifically tailored to assist in achieving those goals. Especially when you’re outsourcing, sharing your larger goals allows those experts to steer the ship in the right direction and allocate resources appropriately.
2. Define (or refine) your brand identity
This is something that a PR firm can typically assist with from a consulting standpoint. However, it’s essential to engage with branding specialists and designers to ensure your brand identity is beautifully reflected through cohesive design and messaging. With fierce competition and increasingly shortened attention spans, if your brand and image don’t project relevance, authenticity, and a clear identity, media and stakeholders will brush it aside no matter how well-crafted your pitch.
3. Evaluate your distribution
Whether offering a product or service, analyze your existing distribution and growth potential to assess the size and scope of PR required. While demand, of course, drives supply, sometimes it doesn’t make sense to over-promote (or target those top national outlets) if you know you lack the infrastructure to keep up with the resulting orders. A PR program should be designed to drive awareness and sales in a way that best serves your capacity and can be scaled up in line with your business.
4. Gather press-worthy images
While it may seem overly basic and self-explanatory, you’d be shocked to see how often companies execute PR with subpar image assets, even in 2022. These aesthetic tools not only reflect your brand identity and value but can be a ‘make it or break it’ deciding factor when a journalist determines which brand will land the coveted lead spot in an article or round-up.
5. Get social
If you had to choose between having only a website or a social media presence, quite often we’d
recommend the latter (of course, depending on your audience). Not only does it establish a sense of relevance, but it’s perhaps the most organic method to building an audience from scratch, establishing a direct channel of communication, and driving launches and announcements in tandem with traditional media relations. It’s also the first place most potential customers check to vet a new brand.
6. Build a sharp website
Needless to say, this has got to be on point, and you’ll want consistency in style and messaging between the
site and social channels. PR can help you land that feature story or top-tier placement, but if those calls to action lead to a lackluster website or uninspired social feed, you can kiss that potential sale goodbye.
7. Get clear about your audience
This goes back to the importance of defining your brand identity, and you should have a clear idea in your mind about the demographic and psychographic profiles of your target consumers. PR programs should be highly tailored, and the more specific the audience, the more tailored a campaign can be crafted to truly resonate. This can definitely be a conversation with a PR team to perhaps refine or expand the definition of your audience, but it’s important to have a strong existing sense from the jump.
8. Designate a spokesperson
While a PR rep handles 90% of the legwork here, most businesses should also have an internal ‘face’ of the company, who can be trained and leveraged for interview opportunities, press conferences, and other media or public-facing events. Oftentimes this will fall on the CEO, in-house communications director, or perhaps a paid industry spokesperson or celebrity. A PR agency can help determine the best option, but it’s smart to have someone who is ready and willing from the start.
9. Map out your company news
Even if timing isn’t exactly confirmed, it’s important to forecast future events and timeframes in terms of product launches, fundraising, expansion, new hires, etc. The further in advance you have an idea of these developments, the more strategic a PR program can be. Timing is everything, and your team can advise on which announcements will make the greatest impact, and when.
Timing is everything, and your PR team can advise on which announcements will make the greatest impact, and when.
10. Learn to keep an open mind
PR professionals are natural storytellers and diligent planners, which are valuable traits for the job. While they understand that your business is your baby and will do everything in their power to control the narrative, even the best-laid plans will change on a dime. There are many moving parts and uncontrollable factors when dealing with the media, and this is when critical problem-solving skills come into play. You’ll absolutely lose your mind if you don’t learn to trust the process and change direction now and again. Sometimes the new solution ends up even better than the original plan!
Ready to get started with your customized PR program? When we work together, your brand does more than show up. It shows up with a story, a purpose, a unique reason for being – and it makes an impact.
4 Sure-Fire Ways to Make Your Pitches Irresistible
Journalists receive hundreds of pitches daily from publicists eager to tell them about clients, launches, or things they deem newsy. Those pitches can run the gamut from oddly inappropriate, to blessedly on-target, to a whole lot of WTF did I just read?
So, what makes a journalist take the time to read your pitch, much less decide the information is worth sharing with their readers? For one thing, a really great pitch never leaves you guessing. From the subject line to the introduction to the description, all elements shared should fit perfectly together- which come to think of it is a lot like classic Fisher-Price toys.
While there’s nothing juvenile about the PR and journalist relationship, sometimes it helps to go back to the basics.
If you’re trying to make your own pitches stand out from the scrum, consider adding a bit of Fisher-Price inspiration to your approach.
Make it easy to understand.
Fisher-Price toys may have been developed by developmental specialists and engineers, but every single colorful element seems effortless. More than that, they make sense, fit seamlessly with each other and offer a bit of fun in the process before hitting the payoff. And that offers a lot of inspiration for publicists hoping to up their own game.
Before sharing your latest pitches, check for clarity with someone who knows nothing about your product or client. Your pitch shouldn’t be like the New York Times crossword puzzle, taking endless minutes to solve, it has to naturally flow from one piece to the next.
PR pro tips: Reread your pitch from the journalist’s point of view before hitting send.
There is nothing worse than receiving a pitch and having no idea of what you’re being pitched. As a publicist, you may have a clear idea of what you think you’re saying, but it might not make sense to anyone outside of your agency. By making your pitch easy to understand and navigate, you increase your chances of your entire pitch being read. And while you’re at it, you probably still need to cut things down to make it clear and bite-sized.
Don’t make the reader have to plow through endless information for a payoff. And don’t make it so confusing that they give up in the middle. Let your reader know who your client is, why this pitch is relevant or timely.
Unlike a Fisher-Price toy, a PR pitch shouldn’t feel like a guessing game.
Make it timely.
Part of the genius of Fisher-Price is the way every toy is geared to a specific age group. Not sure if this is the game for your tot? Read the label and you’ll immediately know if it’s a good fit.
PR pro tips: Make your pitch newsy and timely whenever possible. Just because you’re working with a new client does not mean that it’s relevant or interesting to a journalist. If you can’t find an angle that works exclusively with their beat, find one that works with current events. But since the news cycle moves so quickly, you’ll have to be prepared to hit send quickly to stay relevant.
Do the heavy lifting behind the scenes.
One of the reasons for Fisher-Price’s great success is that they track the many moving parts behind the science of fun. Sure, they create products to dovetail with a baby’s growth and development, but there’s always a deep thought process behind what seems incredibly simple. They also laser focus on who they’re targeting and why and literally build ease of use into the process.
A huge challenge for journalists is keeping editors happy by writing stories that are clickable and organically shareable. As a publicist, you can help by crafting your pitch in a way that shows you’ve not only researched the writer’s outlets or potential angles, but also the way their content is shared or consumed.
PR pro tips:
There’s a fine line between seeming to write the article for a journalist (don’t do that) and offering bite-sized blocks of information, comparisons, or data points illustrating why your pitch matters. Remember, before you can connect with a writer’s outlet, you have to connect with them first. And in case anyone needs reminding, PR stands for public relations.
Creating and maintaining relationships with journalists is a huge part of the job, and providing consistently good leads often makes you a partner in their process.
Don’t build in too many moving parts.
Part of the genius of Fisher-Price toys is that they somehow know just how many block pieces to include before the puzzle is solved. More than that, they create experiences that override frustration for a feeling of satisfaction.
Along those lines, if you fill a pitch with so much useless information that a journalist has to dig around to find basic facts, they’ll simply skip to the next pitch. And they might just avoid your future pitches. Always give a writer the easiest possible way to cover your news.
PR pro tips: Before you spend that extra time pasting images into a PDF, ask yourself if that’s helpful to the journalist your pitching? Instead, offer a quick clickable link with a small image and then offer a high resolution image if requested. In other words, always provide journalists with the easiest possible way for them to cover your news. Segal Communications founder Sarah Segal said she and the team “always put the text of a press release into the body of the email and never as an attachment so that reporters can easily search it and don’t have to open anything.”
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