For PR professionals, crafting a terrific pitch that will get picked up by the media is a rewarding expertise that you just need to duplicate time and again.
Attending to that time of repeated media protection can take time, intentionality and a little bit of thick pores and skin when coping with hurried reporters in search of their newest large scoop.
Nonetheless, regardless of the glee that comes with earned media placement, there are occasions when “no’s” — and even no responses — to pitches are extra commonplace than the occasional coveted “sure.”
We mentioned pitching to the media and the strategies used to make a compelling narrative come to life with Lauren Keane, affiliate vp of Comms at Southern New Hampshire College.
Humanizing a narrative
All the time begin with human-centered media relations efforts. Keane mentioned that 80 to 90 p.c of SNHU’s media relations is outreach highlighting their noteworthy college students.
“Our college students have the most effective tales – SNHU is only a piece of their story,” Keane mentioned. “And I feel now greater than ever journalists need to focus their tales on the human components. Main with their tales.”
Some methods that SNHU makes use of to “harness the ability of scholar tales” for earned media placement is to develop an inside story pipeline first.
That began with the college making a story-sharing hub, which result in college students, workers and others sharing profound tales inside that “personify SNHU’s mission.”
“We normally see no less than 500 submissions per 12 months and they’re all curated in a single spot that we are able to search, which helped us yield greater than 500 media hits in recent times,” Keane added. “This helps us join college students with reporters a lot quicker and will increase our possibilities of being included in a narrative.”
Pitch in your phrases
One other easy however helpful pitching hack is to not be afraid to pitch the media when you may have a narrative – even when it goes in opposition to typical knowledge.
“I really feel like all of us discovered to by no means pitch tales on weekends, holidays, or after hours, however bear in mind – the information cycle is 24 hours and you probably have the precise story on the proper time, you possibly can set your self aside,” Keane mentioned.
That tip labored out properly for SNHU this previous December when 89-year-old graduate Joan Donovan was given her diploma in Florida after she was unable to make the ceremony in particular person. Keane’s mom captured the particular and newsworthy second on video, which was picked up by “Good Morning America” and different information retailers throughout the nation.
“She was simply overjoyed with the college being keen to rejoice her in a particular method when she wasn’t capable of come to our graduation ceremonies right here in Manchester,” Keane mentioned. “That’s a part of our model’s story of delivering diplomas to individuals throughout the nation who hadn’t been capable of journey to Manchester to stroll throughout the stage however nonetheless, very a lot deserved their shining second.”
Give the media what they want the primary time
It may be daunting generally making an attempt to guess what a reporter wants to put in writing their story at instances with out inundating them with an excessive amount of data.
Keane says that much less isn’t extra on this case – slightly, the extra the merrier when pitching to a journalist.
“I feel the most effective recommendation that I ever acquired in my profession as a media relations skilled is to all the time be a useful resource to journalists,” Keane mentioned. “I all the time ask myself or ask my group earlier than sending a pitch to a reporter: ‘Is that this the precise story for that reporter? Are we offering every thing on this?’”
Keane says that offering the mandatory particulars and past (like robust visuals in a media package deal) is the ticket so the reporter doesn’t must e-mail again requesting extra data.
“Simply giving all of them of their items that they should inform the story,” Keane mentioned.
Keane will converse at PR Each day’s Media Relations Convention June 5-6 in Washington, D.C. the place data on elevating your media relations technique and studying in regards to the altering media panorama might be scorching matters.
“Our group has actually had the flexibility to attempt a variety of new issues at SNHU in terms of media relations,” Keane mentioned. “I’m excited to share a few of our learnings with different individuals within the trade who might need had hassle reaching the press in an genuine option to their manufacturers. And I’m excited to study from my friends within the trade as properly.”
