Autumn is here and whilst we come to terms with the death of our Queen, ponder the war in Ukraine and constantly face headlines telling us about the cost-of-living crisis, things can seem a little bleak. The one thing this does prove though is the publics need for the media to keep them abreast of what is happening, breaking news and recommendations. In the world of PR this is good news as increasing brand awareness and helping brands and organisations to be seen favourably are the key to everything I do. With this in mind here is a short round up of what you should be pitching in October.
KEY AWARENESS DATES:
1st – 31st – Black History Month
1st-31st – Breast Cancer Awareness Month
3rd – 9th – National Hygiene Week
9th – 15th – Baby Loss Awareness Week
10th -16th – National Work Life Week
17th -23rd – Chocolate Week
1st – World Vegetarian Day
2nd – The London Marathon
5th – World Teacher Day
6th – National Poetry Day
10th – World Mental Health Day
29th – World Online Networking Day
31st October – Halloween
LAST MINUTE PITCHES
Black History Month, all businesses should strive to be inclusive, accepting, and diverse all year round, but Black History Month during October offers an opportunity to authentically advocate in a genuine way. This could be that you are hosting a community event, launching a product line that champions black creatives or publishing educational content. In this field sensitivity and thoughtfulness is key when pitching. If conducted effectively, you have the potential to highlight your integral brand values, whilst also making a significant difference to a worthy cause.
SHORT LEAD VS LONG LEAD
Understanding the difference between long and short lead media and how to pitch accordingly is a topic I’ve already covered. To keep it succinct, the key to differentiating between the two is in the name! ‘Short Lead’ has a turnaround of about 4-8 weeks from pitching, editing, and publishing whereas ‘Long Lead’ follows a much longer timescale of anywhere from 3 – 6 months.
SHORT LEAD FOCUSES: OCTOBER
This month yet again I suggest pitching anything festive. There are still loads of publications that are accepting last-minute submissions for their Christmas gift guides. A tip for sourcing these requests would be to use #journorequest on Twitter and if you have the budget sign up to services such as Pressplugs and Editorielle
LONG-LEAD FOCUSES: OCTOBER
Looking further ahead, my long-read recommendation for October is Valentine’s Day. Press coverage for Valentines is normally very ‘his’ and ‘her’ related pieces, so if you have products or seasonal lines that could be effectively marketed for either gender – or both alike – then get planning and drafting your pitch now.
Rebecca Slater is a PR Consultant with more than 20 years public relations experience. She is based in Staffordshire and provides support to businesses all over the country.
Find out more at www.beckandcallpr.co.uk or email sayhello@beckandcallpr.co.uk