Tag: pitching

What Does Top-Tier Media Mean In PR?

Posted on by Bindi Saikia

In the PR world, when we kick-start a new engagement we may ask a client, “Where do you want to see your brand? When it comes to media, do you have a ‘wish list’?” Naturally, the initial response may be a preference for splashy stories in top-tier outlets like The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, New York Times, or Fortune. And we agree that nothing is quite as rewarding as securing that one BIG media placement. 

While those outlets are undeniably desirable for B2B PR, the definition of top-tier media Isn’t the same for all programs. The media landscape is cluttered, and it’s always changing. The migration of news to digital platforms has disrupted the news business, and new outlets are always coming on board. So, there’s not a one-size fits all approach to PR or media relations. What may be one company’s tier-three can be another brand’s tier-one. 

To execute a strong PR program and target the media outlets that will work best for your brand, assess your goals. Only then can you make meaningful recommendations on outlets that would be most influential.

Assess your audience

In B2B PR, you come across different audience segments, but the three main audience groups typically are: stakeholders, customers and reporters.

A private company or startup wanting to catch investor attention has different objectives than a public company looking to increase their customer base and market share. The audiences are fundamentally different. Industry-specific publications, whether healthcare, retail, or financial services, may lack the overall readership numbers and broad reach of a national news site, but they resonate with a given target audience and engage decision-makers that can impact an organization’s growth. For example, Street Fight covering local marketing, commerce and advertising may not generally be considered a top-tier outlet, but for our client Uberall, Street Fight is a very valuable trade and always gets the attention of audiences who count. 

Make vertical trades a MUST for PR strategy

While we cannot deny the power of a top-tier national media coverage, vertical media has proven very meaningful. Why? Vertical outlets allow more in-depth and targeted storytelling, focus on stories that may be too complex for a bigger outlet, spotlight the C-suite executive bench and drive demand-gen efforts.

Moreover, these trades are an excellent avenue for vertical-specific reporters at bigger business publications like Bloomberg or The Wall Street Journal. Top-tier beat reporters tend to follow trades in their sector to keep a pulse on the topics beyond the high-level announcements and breaking stories.

With publications like Morning Brew generating multiple vertical-specific publications (across retail, tech, HR and finance among others) and Time magazine’s dedicated business vertical, there are plenty of opportunities for brands to build their coverage pipeline. 

Newer forms of media – a game changer

As with vertical trade press, other forms of media are evolving to yield excellent outcomes. Some of the most important are newsletters and substack, a venture-backed platform allowing writers to connect with their audiences directly through their inbox. They offer new access points for earned media hits. Readers can select the topics and reporters they like, which presumably helps fuel engagement. In the middle of the pandemic, we saw a number of established reporters leaving for newsletters and creating their own ‘mini media empire’. Such platforms have created an industry not only for the writers but also a perfect opportunity for PR teams to connect their clients directly with their desired audience. 

The paywall conundrum

Let’s face it, paywalls are becoming the future. Name any top-tier pub — NYT, WSJ, Forbes, Insider and Washington Post, among others – and they’re likely to be inaccessible to readers without a monthly subscription.  Some allow non-subscribers to see a limited number of articles before directing to the payment channel, but the limits are there. 

During the pandemic, many media groups dropped paywalls for a time, but we’re now seeing paywalls re-emerge. Last year, Reuters restricted its free online content and unveiled a new subscription website. Sports Illustrated also launched its new digital premium membership. Paywall methods like this one weed out many readers that some argue represent a gateway to an engaged, loyal audience. But no matter how you feel about it, this changing business model is important to consider in determining your editorial media plan to secure coverage and maximize reach. Consider exploring and pivoting to tier-two media, as they often can be just as useful, if not better, than top-tier outlets to drive new levels of awareness for a campaign or brand.

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PR teams must work with the brand team to shape the messaging strategy to reach the right media and ultimate audiences in a timely fashion. We’re the experts here, so understand the business involved, ask questions and don’t shy away from recommending new media targets beyond the top tier. 

5 Pitch Ideas For PR Pros When There Is No News

Posted on by Sarah O'Connell

PR firms live and die by news. But there are some weeks, especially late in the summer, when the news cycle is slow and companies are in a lull between announcements. Despite this, there are ways for PR teams to get their clients in the news by basically creating it themselves.

Here are five pitch ideas for when there is no news that can work particularly well for B2B PR campaigns. 

Meet and greet!

If there was a recent senior leadership hire or promotion at your organization, it can sometimes be leveraged into news, or at least background information for later news. We do this through a meet-and-greet pitch. The executive addition doesn’t even have to be that recent and even if it was covered by the news, a meet-and-greet will often be welcome. 

In this type of pitch, we introduce the new officer and explain what their new role is at the organization, highlighting their accomplishments in past roles. The goal of this pitch is to offer executive time to reporters for introductions, background material, and to share a POV on the industry and its future.

It’s so simple, but you’d be surprised how many reporters can be interested. The informal meetups often lead to meaningful relationships where the reporter will reach out to get the exec’s opinion on certain topics down the road. 

Data points drive press

Often companies have surveys or case studies that contain great data points. Research, when well packaged and communicated, can be just the thing for a slow period. When pitching case studies, it is important to offer a spokesperson from both the customer organization and the one that offers the product or service. Each must be willing to speak with a journalist, as some journalists will want to hear from the customers directly. We work with our clients to stretch the data into something newsworthy and add their insights to garner interest from the media. 

Data points can go a long way. In some cases, it’s suitable for a quick media alert or even a press release. There are many news outlets that have columns focused on numbers and data, like eMarketer and The Drum’s “Week in Numbers.”

Use the news that’s already breaking

PR pros have been “newsjacking” for decades but it wasn’t until 2011 that David Meerman Scott penned the term. The Oxford dictionary defines it as “The practice of taking advantage of current events or news stories in such a way as to promote or advertise one’s product or brand.” 

When news breaks, reporters and analysts often look for experts to comment on the story. That’s why we in PR need to stay on top of relevant news. Luckily, there are so many ways to consume news that it’s pretty hard to miss it. You can set up Google alerts on your phones and laptops, listen to daily podcasts and sign up for newsletters in pertinent industries. The keys here are relevance and speed.

Reactive media outreach needs to happen within hours of a breaking story. The best pitches will offer insightful commentary driven by relevant expertise. If you can package it well, you may just grab interest from a reporter.  

Our Crenshaw team executed a reactive pitch about a recent data breach which resulted in our client, NCSA, being featured in the coverage about it. The team reacted quickly and garnered information and a quote from NCSA to offer to the media. The work paid off as they secured numerous stories for offering insight on the data breach. 

Capitalize on recent trends

Another way to establish relevance for an organization or expert is to take advantage of recent trends that apply to their business. This doesn’t have to be groundbreaking or even a solid announceable piece of news, but it can be a way to offer an opinion on how a company is using trends, or, conversely, how its business is actually bucking a trend in spite of conventional wisdom. 

For example, the use of newsletters has ramped up in the last year. We represent ad tech companies and media brands, and the shift to newsletters has real implications for them. There’s not a single, breaking story to react to, but rather a steady stream of developments in the category that makes it a natural trend for commentary and content.

Recently, we sent out a pitch offering our client LiveIntent, to discuss the importance of local newspapers and their email newsletters amid changes due to COVID-19. We were able to secure a Q&A feature opportunity with this pitch as well as inclusions in ad-tech newsletters. 

Thought leadership

Most PR pros work with their clients to create plans where they outline pitch angles and content topics they want to execute over the course of a couple months. These plans are helpful when the news cycle is slow. 

Having a thought-leadership pitch angle ready, complete with approved quotes from company executives will make it easier to reach out to reporters. Thought-leadership pieces should offer insight for readers from new perspectives and commentary that contributes to a larger conversation that is relevant at the time. 

A thought-leadership angle that can garner interest can include commentary on the third-party cookies saga. The phasing out of third-party cookies has shaken up digital advertising and media, and with recent pushback regarding privacy issues, there is much to talk about. Offering an opinion and thoughts on the ongoing cookie delay is going to be relevant in ad-tech for a long time. 

When we reach out to journalists with pitches about something other than an announcement, they take notice and particularly appreciate fresh ideas. If the content or commentary is compelling, relevant, and timely, it will grab the attention of reporters. 

6 Ways To Generate PR When You Have No News

Posted on by Richard Etchison

The PR plan has clear visibility objectives that call for earned media or branded coverage — and there’s news that will help tell the company’s story. But after the initial executive moves, product launch, or funding announcement, then what? How does a PR team keep the momentum going if things get quiet?

6 ways to build publicity when it’s quiet

Be an expert

Media need experts every day to fill out stories with quotes and commentary. Expertise is the gift that keeps on giving, particularly for large stories about complicated issues, important trends, or previously obscure developments. From the investment expert who weighs in on a stock market dip, to the child safety author who shares Halloween advice for parents, expertise makes the media world run. And as every PR professional knows, sharing a client’s expertise is a strong way to build media relationships.

Speak up on owned media

One way to be in the public (or industry) conversation is to start it — with relevant content. It’s another strong way to share expertise, of course, but content can also run on informed opinion. Any CEO who hasn’t yet weighed in about industry issues in thought pieces on a blog or LinkedIn should consider cultivating a strong point of view. An interesting bylined article or blog post can make its way around social channels and be picked up by a trade or business outlet. Guest blogging on a prominent vendor, customer, or partner’s channel is another way to expand the reach, and a good method for grabbing visibility when hard news is scarce. To gain traction, the content should be memorable: calling someone to task, advocating a new approach, or advancing a distinct point of view. For most B2B companies, it’s part of a proactive content campaign that raises brand awareness, boosts searchability, and even helps generate leads.

Be reactive

Proactive marketing of expertise is the first line of defense of course, but given the opportunity, a quick way to generate relevant news is to capitalize on breaking news stories relevant to customers. Watch for stories about competitive moves, big industry developments, financial market changes, or mergers in a given space. If an industry expert is offered for commentary within the short window of opportunity that follows relevant news, it’s a win for everyone involved. As we mentioned in a previous post, every PR team should have industry monitoring in place to identify reactive pitching opportunities. While this doesn’t always pay dividends, it’s one good option to generate publicity in news voids.

Make news with opinion or behavior surveys

Most PR plans are informed through research, even if it’s general customer information or category analysis. But an hoc data-driven story is a good option for pitching the media during lulls. Many companies have market research or category data that has nuggets of valuable, even newsworthy information in it, but no one realizes it. Often it can be mined for stories. And for those who don’t have usable research, they can create it easily through an omnibus survey or flash poll. The key is making the data tell a relevant story, gaining points as an industry authority, or promoting a common pain point or question that customers have. Nearly any issue can be turned into a data-driven story that initiates a brand new conversation — a story that your firm may be well positioned to tell.

Leverage customer success

This is a tried-and-true tactic for getting trade media visibility, of course, but it can also work outside of trade channels. An artificial-intelligence-driven analytics company may not have news to announce, and its story might not resonate beyond narrow tech blogs. But if that company is helping another business like Blue Apron or Peloton serve customers or boost revenue, the story becomes more appealing. Even if a B2B service has helped a smaller up-and-coming brand, it may still be relevant to local press, specialist media, or social discussion groups. Case studies are some of the most powerful tools a B2B company has, and they can be used and repurposed in a variety of ways to fill in those news gaps. The challenge is to get customers on board in advance; some of our clients find it useful to make testimonials part of the deal when negotiating the business agreement with new customers.

Do something good

If nothing dramatic is going on, why not make something good happen? A full-blown CSR program might be ambitious for some businesses, and a thin commitment made for PR purposes is never a good idea. But any company can create legitimate local news through a commitment to a community cause, for example. Or, it can test-drive a philanthropic campaign through pro-bono work for a not-for-profit, or a pilot to benefit an underserved consumer segment. Sometimes it’s a demonstration of corporate values. When WeWork announced it was “going meatless,” major media covered its move, in part because it was controversial, but also because it was an unusual demonstration of the company’s commitment to its own principles.
PR teams and agencies strive to drive a steady drumbeat of coverage, but tech companies of all sizes run into occasional news droughts. With a little ingenuity, the drumbeat can continue even when there’s little to sing about.

PRs, Don’t Pitch Media On Twitter—Build Relationships

Posted on by Chris Harihar

In tech PR, Twitter is as valuable an asset as Cision or Vocus. It’s a strong tool for staying up-to-date on what reporters are writing about and interested in. What it’s not? A tool for explicit/direct PR pitches.

Despite articles that say otherwise, when was the last time you saw a colleague or company successfully pitch media on Twitter or social, in general? You probably can’t recall a single example. It’s that rare. In fact, it’s safe to say that the mishaps—which are often very public—are much more frequent and common.

So, for PR, how can Twitter actually help?

We can use it to build relationships with media and master the “soft sell.” Instead of pitching,  demonstrate that you know a reporter’s beat and are interested in their writing. This helps when you open Outlook or pick up the phone for your actual pitch efforts. They’ll be familiar with you.

But how does one build relationships on Twitter? Here are 3 tips that I live by.

Show you’re paying attention.  This one is simple enough—retweet a reporter’s articles/tweets and favorite their content regularly. This will put you on their radar and make them familiar with you.

Don’t just RT; start a conversation.  Whenever you tweet an article, be sure to include the author’s handle (if you don’t know it, find it), as well as a POV on their piece. If you agree with it, let them know. If you disagree, ask questions. There’s no better way to show that you know a reporter’s beat. You’ll also learn a lot about the writer’s POV for future pitches.

Share information. Another way to show you’re following a given reporter is to share information that’s relevant to their beat or personal passion. This should be totally distinct from a client pitch unless it’s a truly great fit.

Don’t focus only on the rockstars.  It’s great to engage with a journalist or blogger with 100K followers, but don’t ignore those who are less known. Their feeds tend to be less cluttered, and there’s often a greater chance for a real dialogue.

Not everything has to be business.  I find that the most memorable tweets are often the funniest/oddest. That’s why sometimes being silly or quirky is your best bet. In fact, my most meaningful interactions with reporters have come from somewhat bold tweets with an odd remark or funny GIF. This works if you give it some thought and think through the idea. If they respond, great. If they don’t, no harm done.

PR Tips For Talking To Top Tech Bloggers

Posted on by Cliff Maroney

As an account person at a New York PR agency focused on tech accounts, I spend most of my day trying to reach some of the world’s most savvy tech bloggers and influencers. Bloggers are important in nearly every sector, but those who cover technology are particularly crucial to launching a new product or service, or to building a personal brand for a company executive. Some have deep technical subject knowledge, and all offer strong opinions about their category or product area.

These bloggers can also be some of the toughest cookies in our business. Here are a few tech PR tips I’ve picked up along the way that may help you crack the tech media code.

Do think in context

When pitching tech, it’s easy to be overly focused on your client’s announcement. News is always important, but instead of relying on it as your sole pitch, consider offering context. Provide links to pertinent headlines about similar topics and trends, or offer someone from your client’s end to discuss the trend beyond their news. Media are busy, so regardless of whether you are doing a hard B2B PR push, or just trying for some digital brand PR maintenance, keep your pitches to the point, but set the scene for offering insights, trend data, or forecasts.

Don’t get bloated by buzzwords

Nowhere are buzzwords more prevalent than in tech, and often PR people think loading up their pitch with jargon will give it a “hip” edge. It doesn’t; if you don’t believe me, check out this witheringly critical post of a buzzword-filled PR pitch by David Pogue. Instead, craft your pitch in a way that’s catchy and relevant, and get to the point in the first sentence of your verbal or email approach.

Do offer exclusives

Don’t be afraid to offer an “exclusive” – a first crack at a newsworthy story— to get the conversation started in advance of a company announcement. By responsibly teasing exclusives and off-the-record conversations prior to your news, you establish your client as a go-to source for future coverage. In addition, it gives you ample to time to get all the details ironed out prior to the story’s publication date. Skillful use of the media exclusive is also a great way to build relationships among influential bloggers and journalists.

Do keep it honest

Mistakes happen. And while it is frowned upon to continuously reach out in order to micro-manage a reporter’s coverage, following up with corrections is a must. No one likes to learn they got it wrong. Reach out in a friendly way with correct information (e.g. company background, titles, company claims, product information, etc.). Journalists are generally quite receptive and will appreciate the follow-up as they don’t want to spread misinformation. Consider pairing these requests with a “thank you for the great coverage…” in order to leave no question about the friendly nature of your request.

Think about the long term

Be considerate of tech bloggers or any journalists. Send them what they need, when they need it, and if you don’t have the answer they seek, do your best to get back to them with it. The right coverage is about more than just a pitch, and acting in collaboration with your contact is a great way to not only build bridges but also spawn more positive attention.

PR (Never) Takes a Holiday!

Posted on by Iman Sandimanie

While most people are ready to kick off the 4th of July holiday early, smart PR folks have been thinking of ways to take advantage of the time period on behalf of their clients. They know that a long holiday weekend means a slow news cycle and media who may be distracted or in a rush to get out. Times like these can provide a golden opportunity for getting your clients in the news…if you’re smart and think strategically. Worried about your clients’ news being met by a barrage of out of office replies? Here are some tips on getting your news out during a short holiday week.

Do Your Holiday Homework

Think about what day the holiday falls on and be sure to get your pitch out before the mass exodus. This year, July 4th falls on a Thursday, which means pretty much everyone will begin to check out as early as Tuesday afternoon. Get your pitches out by Monday and send a quick follow-up on Tuesday morning to give reporters time to look at your story. Use the rest of the time to make calls to top-tier press to “close” some stories ahead of the holiday weekend.

No Expiration Date

Reporters are looking for content to fill in news gaps over the holiday, so this is an opportunity for your story to make a splash. Pitch news that doesn’t have a time stamp attached to it. Reporters appreciate evergreen stories, like surveys, because they’re ideal for slow news cycles. After pitching a client’s survey in March, my colleague is still getting emails from media interested in the story three months later.

Own That Holiday!

This is also a good time to make the holiday work for you. Take advantage of this window of opportunity by planning ahead and thinking creatively. Provide reporters with timely content like tips on outdoor decor, or recipes for a 4th of July barbecue, or riffing on the ” independence” theme which can be translated to almost any client product or service and easily be plugged into a story. Make sure your client news owns the holiday. Your efforts will be appreciated and you’ll be building critical relationships for future pitching and PR.

Be Prepared

Now that you’ve pitched early enough, be prepared to work with the media; don’t disconnect from your work email just yet. Know that part of making this strategy work means working bits and pieces over the holiday weekend. Once you’ve got a “bite” – go with it! Take pride in the extra effort expended to get a great placement. This also means preparing your client. Spokespeople need to be available for interviews, and members of the PR team need to be around to facilitate as well. Remember to work quickly and efficiently, and don’t forget to be patient and friendly with bloggers and media. It’s a great time to “bond” and you can be sure that they want to finish up and enjoy the holiday weekend too!
What are your tips for pitching during a short holiday week?

The Seven Deadly PR Pitching Sins

Posted on by Marijane Funess

Top PR agencies know what to do, and what not to do, when pitching media. Yet, it’s easy to cut corners under time pressure. Here’s a quick list of the “Seven Deadly Pitching Sins” for PR professionals. Feel free to add your own.

1. Being boring.  A boring or irrelevant pitch will be deleted faster than a pop star’s divorce. If it doesn’t resonate, don’t bother.

2. Spamming.  The “spray and pray” strategy is not only ineffective, it can get you blacklisted.

3. Being unprepared. You only have one shot, so make sure your pitch is bulletproof and think through all logical questions.

4. Being too commercial.  Tell a story, don’t pitch a product.

5. Sloppiness.  Typos, ungrammatical sentences, obvious ‘form’ emails all send a bad message and undermine your pitch.

6. Giving up too easily.  Resourcefulness is key in publicity placement. If a pitch isn’t working, don’t give up; change it and try again.

7. Blind pitching.  Make sure you’re up-to-date on media beats, recent stories, and, if possible, reporter preferences. Never pitch blind.