PR TIPS & TRICKS: SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS IN A PANDEMIC

Interested in a career in PR? She Works. has teamed up with talented Public Relations Undergraduate Natasha Mills to bring you some top tips on how to reach out to journalists during a pandemic and therefore expand your knowledge, improve your CV and increase your employability within the PR industry.

Natasha recently attended a PRCA online event titled"Pitching in a Pandemic" and has written this detailed article in order to inform and inspire like-minded graduates on ways to connect and form relationships with PR professionals.

As a Public Relations undergraduate, it’s important for me to keep connected with the outside working world - pandemic or not! Engaging in online events is not only an enjoyable experience but a great way to meet expert professionals who know the ins and outs of the PR industry. “Pitching in a Pandemic” offered advice on how best to pitch stories to journalists for magazines, newspapers or online publications. I found this event thoroughly helpful and so I thought I’d share some of the advice expressed by the professionals. This may help like-minded graduates trying to figure out how to develop strong relationships and contacts with others in the field during this time of uncertainty and pure madness.

The best way to contact a journalist?

• Take a human approach and pick up the phone, it's always nice to match a voice to a name rather than looking at a computer screen.

• Phone calls from unrecognised numbers are not always a priority so don’t be disheartened. If you don't get an answer, write an email, they will reply at a time most convenient for them.

• Subject lines on emails must be attention-grabbing and snappy in order to grasp as much attention as possible.

• Just like many professionals, journalists get lots of daily emails - be patient!

• Some journalists are happy for you to contact them via their social media platforms, this is a good way to directly get in contact with them - but always remember to introduce yourself.

• Make sure to attach the correct email with the right content to avoid embarrassment - we've all been there!

• A follow-up email might be just the thing they need to remind them of your original pitch, but after the 2nd or 3rd, I think it's time to let go.

• Journalists pre-plan content WAY IN ADVANCE so make sure the content you offer is relevant and not outdated.

How to get inside a journalist's good books?

• Photographs are creative and help the reader visualise!

• Don’t overwhelm them with information, save it for the second email!

• Explain to the journalist why your story or content is relevant to them now.

• Sending product news can be an effective way to keep the journalist reminded of the story. But always make sure it is something that is relevant to the writer and not random.

What makes a good pitch?

• A fun headline that is easy for a journalist to read is always a good starting point.

• Anything irrelevant is just classed as an annoyance. It is very obvious when someone has just sent the content to a bunch of people - so do your research it will be worth it!

• Bullet point the best parts, it reduces time and makes it easier for them to grasp the concept and evaluate if it is right for them.

• Add low-resolution images to emails as they load quicker and be quick with your responses if asked for the higher resolution version.

• Good communication skills offer clarity and build relationships quicker.

Tips for building relationships:

• Be helpful and understanding, if the journalist finds their experience with you relatively stress-free, they will be more willing to work with you again in the future.

• Good communication skills offer clarity and build relationships quicker.

• Be unique and original, if the journalist won't read it then the customer definitely won't.

• Always send emails and communications with impeccable spelling and grammar. A good tip is to read the email again before you send it. Websites like Grammarly.com are also useful.

• Be quick with every response, you never know what you are up against.

Things that can grab the attention of the journalist:

• Case studies, real people and honest content are relatable and always popular.

• Nothing too obviously branded - it takes away the personal element.

• Keep up to date on news and explain how this might affect your story.

Many thanks to the PRCA for scheduling this event. Please remember that journalists are people going through just as much as you, so don’t take anything personally.