We’ve all been there. Our company has a great story or piece of news to share, and we are asked to reach out to our contacts to get that great piece of coverage that will help move the needle for our business.
Sometimes we find the right reporter with the right story, but other times we are left wondering why no one is interested or why we’re told, “It’s not the right fit.”
I find this is especially tough in the advertising and technology industries because there are so many innovative companies that are constantly announcing new products that may one day “change the world.” In addition, it seems a high percentage of coverage on sites like Forbes, The Verge, Digiday and Fast Company is dedicated to news on the social media and technology behemoths like Google, Facebook, Twitter, Tesla and Microsoft.
So, as public relations (PR) professionals, how can we stand out from the hundreds of pitches that pile up in reporters’ inboxes each day?
Based on my own experience and conversations with the nonartificial intelligence moderators of those email inboxes -- the reporters themselves -- I’ve learned some key strategies for grabbing their attention and turning interest into coverage.
1. Know your audience.
Lucia Moses, the executive editor of Digiday, has told me that, in her opinion, the best PR people take the time to understand her coverage area and are willing to put her in touch with the right executives for more information -- and then stay out of the way.
Instead of sending out the same generic pitch to all of the reporters and editors on your contact list, take some time to determine who is the right person to help share the news. Each reporter and publication has a very specific audience and an even more specific type of story they like to cover. Based on my experience, some PR pros will reference other related coverage from that journalist or publication, but being able to identify a unique angle that fits a specific audience is a much more authentic approach than name-dropping a recent headline.
2. Customize your pitch.
The senior editor for The Verge, Casey Newton, told me he deletes most pitches without even reading them if they aren’t related to his core beat. And Moses said that there are several things that make her “groan” in regards to PR emails, including canned pitches and stories that have already been covered.
Don’t send out a blanket pitch to multiple reporters. Each story has different angles and information that make it interesting, and smart PR people will use those intricacies to hook the right reporter. Make sure the pitch is specific to the person you are pitching, and help align the potential story to the coverage area of the reporter. I have found that this approach will increase the chance of further discussion and will allow the reporter to think about the news as valuable information for their audience.
3. Don’t be too “flowery.”
The technology editor of Fast Company, Harry McCracken, told me he believes that many PR people dress up their pitches too much. They don’t need to be mini articles filled with flowery language. Instead, it’s important to give reporters the key points. If they want more information, they will ask.
In public relations, we are all guilty of trying to make our news items as positive as possible, but reporters are looking for the nuts and bolts. What are the facts? Why is it newsworthy? What is the angle? It is not up to your PR team to write the story for the reporter, but instead, arm them with the key information and connect them with the people who can add the right context.
4. Focus on meaningful, impactful stories.
Just because your company or organization is making an announcement doesn’t mean you are breaking news. Many publications want to cover news in a more thoughtful way by going beneath the surface. Moses and McCracken both taught me that, while it is easy to cover the “what,” it is a much better story -- and more valuable to an audience -- to look at the “why” and “how,” the “untold stories” of inspiring, behind-the-scenes breakthroughs and what the larger impact is.
I’ve found that tying news and announcements to larger industry trends and allowing the reporters to explore an angle with a larger impact is a great way to build mutually beneficial relationships with reporters. You are able to get attention for your news, and they are able to explore a larger story that is tied to something newsworthy.
So, next time you’re tasked with landing coverage, focus on quality over quantity. Find the right story for the right reporter. One high-quality story is much more impactful than a few that seem forced.
