The Art of Creating a Perfect PR Pitch
Perfecting a PR pitch that will grab the media's attention is an art form. This article explores everything a PR agency like ours can help with - things you may have yet to consider.
From the pre-pitch research we undertake for clients to how we craft the email to what action is taken afterwards, we know our methods work. At Sandford, we have long-standing relationships with key figures in the industry who rely on our tailored PR pitches to keep them informed and up to date with all the latest information and imagery for their publication and specific purposes.
Following best practices will ensure a higher success rate of editorial coverage and, more importantly, help us continue to build and maintain authentic relationships with media contacts for our clients.
Honesty is the Best Policy
As an integral part of our client’s internal marketing teams, we provide them with honesty and realistic expectations for their projects, products, ideas, and events. If we believe a media pitch needs improvement, we engage in a discussion to explore new angles or alternative approaches to the launch or idea that the client wants us to promote. This commitment to honesty ensures that our clients can trust us to always have their best interests at heart.
We’ll never continue the process unless we think the story has legs. This is where an agency should be trusted to give you direct and impartial feedback - a weak story makes the brand and the PR look bad. We know better than feeding in incomplete ideas!
Spend Time on Research
Our expertise is rooted in our in-depth knowledge of the sector, each publication, and the journalists who are the perfect fit for various story angles. However, before embarking on each new approach, we meticulously consider the list of journalists, their niches within the sector, and their personal interests. This dedication to research ensures that our pitches are always targeted and effective.
Understanding the audience breakdown of each key title and the demographics they are targeting is crucial in media pitching. This understanding allows us to tailor our approach, adapt to each audience type, and make slight adjustments to language and content. Such tailored pitches significantly increase our chances of being considered by journalists.
As PR professionals, we must wear two hats - that of a marketer and a journalist. We pitch our ideas as though we’re writing the finished article, ensuring our pitches are compelling and newsworthy.
Most in-house editorial teams have only a handful of full-time staff and manage over 500 daily emails. We make sure ours land in the inboxes of exactly the right people. It’s a waste of our time and the journalists' time if we’re not being considered in our outreach.
Be Clear and Concise
Journalists do not have time to read a five paragraph email. We recently discussed how crafting a compelling narrative to distinguish your brand from competitors in the industry can help build a strong brand image - the same applies to writing a media pitch. We narrow down the content to ensure it conveys the key messaging and how this is relevant to the recipient, their publication and its audience, but in a succinct manner.
Even after years in the industry, we revert to the basics and aim to cover the who, what, where, why, and when within each pitch. Is it a news story pitch, the offer of a product to loan, an exclusive building or house story, an invitation to a preview event, or an opportunity to interview a brand spokesperson?
Bullet points and a snappy subject line are a journalist’s best friends. They allow them to skim emails looking for crucial information. Someone interested will always ask if they want to learn more.
Personalisation
Investing time in research and tailoring each email to the recipient is a powerful way to build relationships. Journalists are more likely to read on if emails are personalised, referencing their past work and explaining why our pitch is relevant to them. This approach significantly enhances the relationships we build in the industry, making our press contacts more receptive to our ideas and invitations.
Value Proposition
Some journalists have specific working methods or boxes to tick while creating their features, from nuances in the tone of voice to only using specific image styles. Perhaps we’re working with a brand that wants us to target a media title known for slightly satirical features on new launches or openings, or we’re approaching a journalist who always includes stats and multiple examples to add depth, or maybe we want to target a publication who has to test any item before featuring - this is all intel an agency would have. We’ve done the hard work, keeping our fingers on the pulse to ensure we know how to position your product or services, and tailoring emails and media lists to ensure success.
This is another instance where an agency can provide honest feedback. Some brands really want to see their product included in specific high-end media, but we know from years of working with the editorial teams at each publication what gets cut through, what their criteria include, and when to reconsider the target media. Not everything is destined for the news pages of The World of Interiors or The AJ.
Brand Assets
In our industry, we know an image speaks a thousand words, and we wrote an article earlier this year on why it is so important for brands to invest in high-quality photography. Press are busier than ever, so we rely on engaging visuals to capture the attention of the media. Once again, we tailor this - some press only want product imagery, some want beautiful case study shots, and some want to organise their own product or location photography, so they only need quick snapshots.
Although interest in additional content, whether interview opportunities or video, is rising, only certain media will be interested. Our knowledge of the sector and continuous research into new media titles and their journalists make a difference in our client’s success.
Follow-up Strategy
There is frequent debate within the broader industry on what the policy is on following up on media pitches and ensuring your email is seen without coming across as annoying or over-zealous. Persistence is vital, particularly for brands in their infancy, but we’ve concluded that following up more than twice after the initial email is bordering on rude!
We’ve all been in situations where a gentle reminder is more than welcome, particularly during busy periods when things do slip through the net. We’ve had great successes from follow-ups that have led to really impressive coverage or the exact right person attending a client event.
Measuring Success
Come the end of the campaign, we will sit down with clients to assess the successes and any learnings that we can take forward. Some clients will want to set specific KPIs in terms of the number of features secured, specific titles included, or median domain authority of digital media - this is where our honesty plays its part up front to ensure we’re aligned.
Conclusion
There are plenty of PRs and marketing experts out there, all trying to get their media pitches read by the same journalists. We know how to make our emails stand out from the crowd, or there is little value in sending them at all!
Choosing to work with an agency like ours, with its extensive network and established relationships in the industry, is a decision that will undoubtedly make your journey to brand awareness and growth a smoother ride. Our deep understanding of preferences, work patterns, and the insights we’ve gleaned from past campaigns all work in your favour. We start with honesty, shaping your expectations and your pitch, to give you the competitive edge needed to make a mark in this bustling sector.
And if this all feels too overwhelming, start with our free PR Guide which has a summary of considerations. Get in touch to discuss your requirements.
