Play Ball: Pitching the Media

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Play Ball Pitching the Media
Donna Lorenson and Kate McCormick Edelman Public
Relations National Association of Health
Underwriters Capitol Conference March 27, 2006
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The Media Environment

• More than a dozen national television networks
• 1,300 television stations, 8,000 cable stations
• 10,294 radio stations
• 1,700 daily newspapers, 8,000 weekly newspapers
• 12,000 magazines
• Three major wire services, plus assorted
  syndicated services
• Numerous online news services and outlets

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What the Media Want From Us

• New and different story ideas
• Data/research
• Trend information
• Thought leaders
• Spokespeople

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Understanding Story Channels
Briefings Direct Pitch Industry Events
Opportunistic Controlled
Lay foundation of understanding with key
reporters and outlets
Create innovative angles to pique interest and
generate coverage
Drive coverage through appropriate outreach
surrounding annual meetings, summits and seminars
Monitor research journals and news events to
leverage take advantage of editorial calendars
Use op-eds and other controlled media or position
pieces to keep news flowing and reinforce
leadership position
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Understanding the Media

• Media relations is not a spectator sport being
  proactive is key
• Perception is as important as reality
• Every encounter with the media is an opportunity
  to shape perceptions and deliver your message

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Reporters Are Not Always Our Friends

• Competitive (daily, weekly, monthly)
• Surface more than depth
• Short-term memory
• Frequent turnover
• Often change posts/beats
• Its a for-profit business

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Meeting in the Middle

• Your Interests
• COVERAGE!
• Positive, accurate reporting of key messages
• Avoidance of negative news
• Relationship so that future positive coverage is
  likely

• Medias Interests
• A good spokesperson
• A balanced story that contains the newsworthy
  elements
• Relevance to audience, but not salesy
• Beat the competition

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The Windup
To get the best results, research the reporters
and topics you want to pitch before you start
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Step One Set Goals

• Introduce a story?
• Announce an event?
• Establish a relationship?
• Respond to environmental shift?
• Make breaking news?
• Opportunistic pitch?

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Step Two Assess Your News

• Determine the newsworthiness of the story
• Is this headline news or sidebar material?
• Can it stand alone or should it be folded into a
  broader context or trend?
• Who does it impact and how?
• Is this a unique announcement?
• Does it involve conflict or drama?
• Does it solve an existing problem?

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Step Three Research

• Who you are pitching?
• The person?
• The medium?
• What are the key messages?
• Competitive landscape
• Overall trends in the industry
• Recent events

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Know your Topic

• Gain a sense of the larger trends
• Go to reporters with the whole story
• Give them the full spectrum of the issue
• Offer a range of people who are available for
  quotes or interviews

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Know your enemy

• Know who is on the other side of the issue
• What are they saying?
• Go to their Web site to get a sense of their
  argument and develop a counter-strategy

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Step Four Prepare for the Pitch

• Press release
• Pitch letter
• Pitch points
• Facts, statistics
• Quotes from experts
• Analogy

• Media advisory
• Key messages
• Backgrounders
• Sources for additional information

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Building a Compelling Pitch Letter

• Opportunity to interest a journalist in your
  story idea
• Persuasive, personalized and informative
• Provides contact information for follow up and an
  offer for additional information
• Types of pitch letters include grabber, didja
  know, problem/solution
• Always follow up a pitch letter with a phone call

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When Do I Pitch?

• Daily newspapers Call early, deadline at 4 p.m.
• Expected news, 1-2 weeks in advance
• Special sections, 2-4 weeks
• Weekly mags 4-8 weeks ahead, but late breaking
  news can be worked in
• Long-lead mags 3-6 months ahead
• Know what other current events are happening and
  make a connection

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The Pitch
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Avoid Pitching Cold

• Talk your pitch through with a colleague or to
  yourself before you begin
• Save the reporters you really want to reach until
  you feel comfortable with your pitch and have
  found your voice

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Find Your Voice

• Although it may be helpful to write down what you
  want to say, do not read straight from a script
• Have a real conversation with the reporters
• Sounding unprepared or unsure can shut down a
  reporter

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Dont Bury Your Lead

• Get to the point
• Pitch calls should be brief and meaningful
• Try to grab their attention in the first 15
  seconds

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Avoid Setting off an Argument in the Newsroom

• Double-pitching reporters is a fast-track to
  trouble
• There are often beat crossovers, especially at
  smaller publications
• If you do pitch two reporters at the same paper
  be sure to say By the way, I gave insert name
  here, your colleague this information as well

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Keep Careful Notes of Your Pitching

• If you are pitching several reporters on a story,
  use your notes to keep track of who you called
  and what was said - this will allow you to follow
  up appropriately with each reporter
• Keeping notes can help you revise your media
  pitching strategy if a pitch is not working

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Cultivate Relationships

• If there is a particular reporter you plan to
  contact frequently, place a call or send an
  e-mail to introduce yourself
• Once you have made a connection, keep notes of
  tidbits from your conversation to ask about the
  next time you talk to them (e.g., just got a new
  dog, children are graduating, just returned from
  Europe, etc.)

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Be Persistent

• You have not made contact until you
  have talked to someone on the phone or received
  a reply e-mail from them

• Do not leave voicemails unless you have to

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Aggressive vs. Annoying

• Avoid overwhelming the reporter with
• Excessive phone calls or e-mail
• Too much information
• Let the reporter know your plans to follow up
• Ill call you tomorrow, once you have a chance
  to look at the release.

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Possible Outcomes

• Voice mail
• No, Im not interested.
• It sounds good, but
• Yes, that sounds interesting

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If you have to leave a Voicemail

• Top line the story in 10 seconds
• Leave your name and number
• Two messages are enough, wait for live person
• Wait for the human voice when the story is
  evergreen
• Keep a detailed media log

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No, Im Not Interested.

• Ask your contact a few questions
• Are you the most appropriate person to contact?
• What in particular are you interested in?
• Is there a better time to contact you?
• If the reporter is too busy to answer your
  questions, then simply say thank you and move on
  to the next call
• If after getting answers to these questions you
  still think that your story is important, re-work
  your pitch, re-visit your key messages and pitch
  again!

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It Sounds Good, But

• Reporters may need more time if they are busy or
  on deadline
• If possible, call back later
• Some reporters may want more time to develop an
  angle, follow up at a later date

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Yes, Im Interested

• Find out what information you can provide
• Keep your goals in mind
• Work closely with the reporter for win/win
  coverage
• Make sure your spokespeople are prepared
• Confirm coverage date but roll with the punches
• Monitor for coverage

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My Message was Misinterpreted

• Direct contact with the reporter
• Mention that you are attuned to his coverage and
  value working together good relationship-building
  tool
• Dont go to the reporters boss - be direct,
  polite and offer helpful information, to be
  available for further questioning and to give
  access to experts
• Call to the producer
• With broadcast stories, visual images do not
  always correspond with the right spoken word so
  there is a potential for misunderstandings
• If mistake was major, there is a chance that
  anchor will correct it on-the-air or rerun the
  segment
• Email to an online reporter
• In many cases, factual corrections are posted
  immediately

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My Message was Misinterpreted

• Letter to the editor
• Considered a diplomatic response
• In many cases, these are not printed, but if so,
  it may be weeks after error
• Serious errors/omissions
• Evaluate whether to break off contact with the
  publication
• A confrontational last resort sue for libel
• Direct communication with key stakeholders
• May help to undo the damage and inform
  appropriately, since the error has already
  published

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In Summary

• There are no guarantees
• Media are competitive
• Its a for-profit business
• Dealing with many personalities
• But, you can improve your chances for success
• Develop messages/resources for your target
• Timing is everything
• Be thorough in your preparation

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Pitch a Perfect Game
Always present yourself as

• Knowledgeable
• Assertive
• Credible
• Articulate

• Passionate
• Courteous
• Responsive

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