PR101: Should we pitch it?

Newsflash: not everything is newsworthy. 

It is easy to think that big news at your company is just as big for the wider world, but that is not always the case. In reality, trying to jam the square peg of an internal, or even customer-specific, announcement into the round hole of media interest can do more harm than good. Doing so can erode relationships with media and make executives appear tone-deaf. 

To be legitimate and interesting, news needs to be noteworthy, well-sourced, and, well, new. If you are looking to generate impactful earned media coverage, take a hard look at the information you want to share and why you want to share it. Before you pitch it, ask yourself, “SHOULD we pitch it?” Consider: is it relevant, exclusive, and timely? In PR terms, let’s see why all three points are vital. 

Is your story relevant? ...and to what audience?

While the information may be at the forefront of your mind and to-do list, consider to whom the story might be told and why you hope to share it with them. Before you pitch it, think about whether or not this information is important to your peers, surrounding community, competitors, or industry as a whole. Stories shared by the media need to have a wider audience than just your individual brand’s niche following. Some company developments may not be ready for prime time, but if your story has the potential to add context, insight, or color to your industry, it is time to pitch it. Remember: reporters are writing for their audience, not yours. 

Take, for example, a ground-breaking ceremony and announcement launching a new building project. Your existing customer base and competitors, both, might be interested in the signal of your company’s growth and development plans, as well as any potential new markets you might plan to enter with the new space and capacity. Press will likely want to attend the ceremony to get a first-insight coverage opportunity. The surrounding community, as well, might be interested in the impacts to the local businesses and economy, specific contractors involved, environmental implications, location of the new building, road closures, and other expectations or benefits for the surrounding community and economy. Are you a major brand in your industry space, or do you have a significant footprint within your geographical community? This story is clearly bigger than you - pitch it!

Is your story exclusive? ...unique to your brand?

Reporters want to break news, to be associated with a first look on a topic, and to set the tone for a larger conversation. They want to share exciting stories that will have an impact - increasing their own relevancy and following. If your story has stagnated through repurposing or prior distribution through other channels, media contacts have little reason to be enticed. After all, what’s (still) in it for them?

Before you pitch it, think about what readers will get from your story. How is it fresh and exclusive to your brand? Are you sharing a new invention? Did your firm win a case that will set a precedent? Is anyone else able to share the same information? Think about the news you see on your preferred media outlets. Does your story bring the same level of interest and cache to the table? If so, pitch away. If it is something that’s been on your website for a few weeks, think again. 

Imagine you have a sudden breakthrough in recent recruitment challenges and you want to announce to the world that you have several new employees joining at once. While this might impact your customers’ improved ability to get great service, ask yourself if this challenge is unique to your company. Consider whether your industry - and others - might be experiencing similar challenges in a larger context that could diminish the scale of your success. If you’re in a reputation-based industry like a law firm, this pitch might still make plenty of sense. However, if you’re lost in the sea of companies lamenting the “Great Resignation,” keep it under your hat unless you have a cutting-edge algorithm or hot hiring secret to share.

Is your story timely? …fresh and ready for further comment?

The news waits for no one. Many reporters prioritize stories that are happening in real-time, rather than covering something that has already happened. If you think you will have a media-worthy story, make sure you are fully ready to tell it - which may mean moving quickly. Get all of your communications stakeholders on board - which might include leadership, marketing, product engineers, and trusted agency partners. Pull together a fact sheet, quotes from key players, and designate a point person to respond immediately to any media follow-up. When a reporter bites, you need to be ready to get to print as soon as possible. 

That means having a communication plan and messaging pre-drafted and finalized before the day of the announcement and the actual pitch, so contacts are met with a sense of urgency and exclusivity in their awareness. Also be aware that the media needs enough notice to plan to attend certain events for ample coverage, perhaps depending upon your industry. However, tread carefully, as too much runway gives time for a more exciting story to surface and take priority of media attention and schedules. 

Pitch it? …or post it?

It’s good to note, too, that reporters have no interest in “coming soon” or teaser content for that big idea you hope to say more about in the coming months - that’s a job for your marketing department, and distinct from the concrete details needed for your PR pitch. 

Even if you determine your news is not suitable for a wider media push, you can - and should - still share and spread your important information through your company’s own channels. If you have a spot for news and insights on your website, draft an article or news release and place it there. This still contributes meaningfully to your content repository, digital brand presence, and search engine optimization efforts. Then you can utilize your organization’s LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and other platforms to share the information with your audience, and even expand your following. Information that is relevant and resonant will likely be shared again from there helping project your brand’s big news and put it on the proverbial radar for future media coverage when your next big milestone occurs.