Tips to Get More Press

In this 24-hour news cycle, getting press can be challenging. TV and digital media move fast and are increasingly predisposed to covering controversy. While getting your issue, organization, or candidate on the news isn’t a life-or-death issue, it’s still important and can often lead to a big boost in awareness, brand-building, and much more.

As it gets harder to secure earned media, there are some things you can do to improve the likelihood of news coverage.

Use a newshook

A newshook is a story, pitch, or idea that aligns with the current news cycle (making it easier to attract audience interest) and can be used as a breakout story or another way to talk about the issue.

If the market just plummeted and that’s what all the outlets are covering, use a tailored pitch that highlights how your candidate can speak to this issue. Perhaps highlight the work they have done during a financial crisis and the insight they can provide.

A few more examples: If your candidate is a doctor, focus on health care events. If you work for an environmental organization, natural disasters, climate summits, or climate legislation are all things that could be used to pitch.

Think about your particular angle and work to align it or fit this angle into the news cycle. Don’t force it, but watch and read the news to see which experts or guests are featured on shows or quoted in news pieces and find where you fit into that. Use that angle to pitch the reporter or assignment desk.

Pitching will likely take many tries before you achieve success. If you are in a smaller news market and your pitch is especially strong, you might be able to land placement in one to three tries. But in larger markets, it will take much more effort. Reporters and assignment desk editors are busy. They need multiple reminders and they need the information wrapped up nicely for them so the story is clear. Over time, you will get better at writing and pitching, but it’s important to start and to keep trying, even if you are met with no response. Time and consistency are key and make sure to follow up several times.

Pitch more and offer expertise

Examine news coverage to see which experts are being quoted or what guests are being booked and use this information to create your specific pitch. It should tell the reporter or editor why your angle is unique – why your potential guest can tell them something they haven’t heard before or provide a new level of expertise. Find what your lane or angle is that gives you this edge and then start pitching.

It will take time to break through, but if you email and call consistently, your name and pitch might start to break through or at least sound familiar. Calling and emailing with little to no response from your target is normal. It often feels like you are shouting into a void, but it’s part of the process.

Once you send a pitch, follow up by phone. If you can get your target on the line, make a strong case to them about what makes your candidate or organization different. Provide them with a new or under-represented angle that sets you apart from the rest.

Adjust your pitch and try again

Pitching is all in the follow up so make sure you stay committed. Depending on the urgency of your pitch, you can follow up for days or even weeks, but make sure your pitch isn’t outdated. You may need to adjust it based on the news or based on what your target has been covering. Or perhaps you’ve just figured out a way to strengthen the pitch. Either way, you should be constantly adjusting your pitch.

Sometimes, you’re pitching the wrong person. Any feedback is good feedback – maybe the target tells you they aren’t the right reporter – ask them who is or if they could pass you along to the right person. Maybe they tell you they are too busy – set a reminder to follow up with them in a few weeks and check their coverage to follow up with a specific angle that aligns with what they’ve recently been covering or posting about – knowing who you are pitching is especially important.

Create your own news content

Pitching is crucial to getting the news coverage you’re looking for, but it is time-consuming and it can take a while to build up the interest and name recognition. In the meantime, it’s best to create your own news content, too.

At a time when outlets are strapped for staff, it makes a lot of sense to start creating your own content. That means creating videos, interactive social media content, podcasts, blogs and articles, and much more. Create content that will be of interest, that highlights the work you are doing, and then disseminate it across your channels. This includes social media, email, websites, and more. Distribute it in a similar way to a news outlet would.

A growing number of organizations have their own media and communications team to capture content. Make sure you have a strong content calendar and distribution strategy to make the most of the content you are creating.

Conclusion

It’s very challenging to secure earned media coverage today, but these three tips will increase the likelihood of your success. Make sure to use a newshook in your pitch, outline what sets your pitch or guest apart, keep following up, and create your own content and you’ll start to see results.