If you’ve been following me on Instagram for a while you’ll probably know that I talk a lot and I mean a lot about sharing your stories to let people know about all the wonderful work you’re doing. But whilst many people know how to share on socials and when networking one thing I get asked a lot about is how to share your story with the media.
When to use a press release vs when to use a pitch
Press releases have their place and I use them regularly for clients, usually when there is news to share, possibly about a new product, an event, a new hire, and so on. Tailored pitches on the other hand are more specific and will be written to suit a specific publication. Pitches are often used when a client is looking to get a big feature in a publication. For example, if a company is selling say shoes you might use a press release to target all fashion media when a new line is released. The release would include lots of details about the product, images, where the shoes can be purchased, how much they cost, and so on. If the person who owned the shoe business wanted to be in a publication or a guest on a publication I’d do a tailored pitch.
How to pitch
Do your research. Has a business like yours or a story like yours been used recently?
Keep it brief. Journalists get tons of emails every day, so don’t have time to read massive emails. The pitch needs to entice them to get in touch for more info.
Consider timing. Is the publication short or long lead?
Introduce yourself. Who you are and what you do.
If there are any stats to back up your pitch, include them as a basis for the story/pitch. For example, I was recently helping somebody with a pitch around a decluttering business which we linked to stress awareness month. To highlight this we included some facts: 54% of women and 26% of men state that clutter in their homes makes them feel stressed and that overall 80% of Brits claim to feel negatively towards it.
Give some more points about what the article would cover
Sign off by letting them know that you would like to work with them and if this story isn’t a fit at the moment to let you know if there are any other stories they are working on that you could get involved with to let you know.
Do follow up your pitch after a week or so, but don’t hound the journalist. I’d suggest one follow-up email is sufficient.
Do you need help?
If pitching is something you are interested in but still feel at a bit of a loss, I’ve created the perfect package for small business owners, called the Pitch Perfect Package. The package has been specially created for small businesses and charities that are short of budget but want to get out there. The package is only available to 5 organisations and provides you with monthly PR support. It includes:
A monthly 1-2-1 call with me to discuss what’s going on in your business, potential story ideas and angles, and the opportunity to brainstorm.
After the call, I’ll go away and cultivate the guidelines for two pitches for you (one short lead and one long-lead) with an angle and stats (if relevant) for you to pitch to journalists
Whatsapp group for those signed up, to give you a chance to discuss your ideas with other small business owners
Small group as it is limited to five people
What are the benefits?
You get to pick my brains and take some of the knowledge I have gained during my 20+ years career.
An opportunity for you to dig out all your good stories and not waste time on the not-so-good.
You get to build your own relationship with journalists
You can take control of your PR by dedicating just a few hours a month to calls and sending out pitches.
A chance to share and discuss your ideas with other business owners.
Investment
You’ll get all this for just £100 per month.
If you have any questions about pitching or the Pitch Perfect Package don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Rebecca Slater is a PR Consultant with more than 20 years of 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