Did you know that there is a dedicated #PRfails hashtag on Twitter? Yes, you heard that right!
Mistakes are made for learning; however, it is always best to avoid them when you can with experienced professionals and online resources to guide you. While public relations can spark an adrenaline rush like no other, it is also one of the most challenging professions in the world. With the responsibility to manage the reputation of clients and their company, the work of a PR Pro can be sometimes daunting.
With news and trends being reported by the minute, PR pros can always be found scouting for new pitch ideas and press release announcements. The constant pressure to connect to the right journalist and secure a media hit can, at times, drive a PR professional to make mistakes that he/she may not even anticipate. Here are the top 5 PR mistakes to avoid when pitching to the media.
- Not Adhering to The Rule of Timeliness: Newsjacking, also known as reactive marketing, when conducted with thorough research can stem one of the most powerful campaigns or news stories. A PR pro monitors seasonality and news trends daily for newsjacking purposes, however, if not mapped carefully, this can result in a crisis. The journalists are experts in their respective beat; therefore, it is critical to verify your sources and recommendations before pitching a story idea to steer clear of any negative comments or backlash. Consult a senior executive internally or speak to the client to ensure your campaign or story idea is relevant and newsworthy.
- Reaching Out to the Wrong Media Contact: The media list is one of the most precious possessions of any PR pro. It is built after days/months of research and media calls and is at the core of what we do. As we all know, finding the right media contact can be challenging, but not impossible. In few instances, PR pros can make an error in this step resulting in them reaching out to a media contact who does not cover the industry he/she is pitching for. In most cases, journalists may respond to your email delineating the areas they cover, however, it’s best to avoid such incidences and reach out to media contacts who you are confident will be interested in your pitch.
- Not Personalizing Your Media Outreach: While most of the PR pros have excelled in the art of personalization, some still struggle to get it right, especially when executing a press release dissemination. Reaching out to multiple contacts can be a struggle for some, however, the best practice is to send personalized one-on-one emails to the media. Refrain from sharing pitches or press releases with your media contacts in cc or bcc. It is considered unprofessional and drives no immediate or long-term results. In addition to this, try not to reach out to more than one contact in the same publication with a similar story idea or press release. Stay targeted in your media outreach as much as possible and utilize PR tools at your disposal to achieve your KPIs.
- Not Knowing When to Pivot: If there is any lesson we have learnt from the pandemic, it is knowing the art of pivoting. Consumer behaviour is constantly evolving and so is the industry your client operates in. Tweaking existing pitches to adhere to the need of the publication or the journalist and talking about the industry pain point is crucial. If not, you will find yourself beating around the bush with no results. Seeking feedback from journalists on an ongoing basis assists in crafting a story pitch that suits their interests. It also helps to stay in constant communication with the media and develop a deeper media relationship.
- Lack of Strategy: Saving the best for the last, for any media outreach, it is critical to have a roll-out strategy depending on the story or press release announcement you are working on. Knowing what the objective of the outreach is can help curate a strategy that does not land you into last-minute hassles. While securing an opportunity with Tier 1 media can be the aim, it is important to know if your content is worthy for a specific publication. Having a Plan B, if Plan A does not secure desired results, can be assuring. This also helps in setting the right expectations with the clients before kick-starting a campaign.
While each PR pro has his/her own tactics when pitching to the media, following the tips stated above is an industry-approved practice. I hope this blog helps you in your day-to-day media outreach and motivates you to keep striving for excellence. Good luck pitching!
At Magnolia, we ensure that we pitch stories that are only timely, relevant, and newsworthy. Contact us to help build your PR strategy today and land you opportunities in Tier 1 and niche market publications.
By Nikky Saini, Digital PR / Communication Specialist at Magnolia Communications – a B2B demand generation full-service marketing agency headquartered in Vancouver, BC. We focus on engaging, nurturing and converting leads with PR programs, paid social ads, email marketing, and marketing technology implementation.