As PR professionals, pitching to a journalist is part of our every day and is almost second nature. It’s key to remember when pitching to journalists that there are a few things we must avoid. In this blog, we will be sharing with you our top tips covering what to avoid when sharing a potential story, and some expert tips on nurturing a positive relationship with the media.

Journalists get a daily barrage of press releases and sorting through them can be challenging. They will spend the majority of their time filtering through emails with the aim of finding content that is actually newsworthy. That’s why it’s important that we assist their duties by sending through details that they need or want whilst making that journey for them as smooth as possible.

It’s vital as PR professionals that we recognise habits and other little things that frustrate journalists and aim to avoid them where we can.

1. Make sure your pitch is relevant!

Before sending any email through to a publication or journalist, make sure to do some research on them beforehand. Have they covered a similar topic or theme previously? Is the pitch relevant to that publication’s readership or audience? Does your pitch stand out from the others? Make sure your pitch is relevant before proceeding any further.

2. Avoid sending a pitch without detailing why it is relevant

If you want to make sure you give your pitch the best chance of being seen and featured, ensure to include an explanation of why this story is relevant to them. This can help journalists to save valuable time and will increase your chances of receiving a response to your pitch. Be it a yes or a no, a response to a pitch is great for future networking possibilities.

Remember to keep your pitch snappy and to the point. You can also explain why your pitch is perfect for the audience within the first few lines of your pitch.

3. Time that follow-up call correctly!

Most journalists will be happy to receive a call from a PR professional. But there is a time and a place for a follow up after sending a pitch email. Don’t overdo it!

There is nothing more annoying than having your head deep in a document only for your phone to start ringing, right? You lose your train of thought and can often be sidetracked elsewhere. Keeping this in mind, it’s absolutely vital that we keep these follow-up calls to a minimum. This saves time for both you and the journalist.

Personally, after pitching a release, if I haven’t had a response within the first three to four days – then I will make a follow-up call. Upon making this call, I keep in mind that the journalist is likely to be busy so will always start off the conversation with ‘I hope this is a good time for you to take my call?’. Once confirmed – now is the time to stand out. Ensure to ask the journalist how they are, get to know them a little and start building that relationship. Avoid too much time-wasting and small talk, however.

Another tip when it comes to making that call; NEVER call a journalist outside of their working hours or whilst they are on annual leave. Research their specific working hours and contact during these times. Calling outside of these times shows a lack of respect.

4. Be personable

When sending out a pitch make sure you include a name and a snappy but relevant greeting and tailor the copy to that specific publication. This shows the journalist that you know who they are, what they write about and importantly, that you know your stuff. If you stand out to them and engage with them like a colleague, they are more likely to reply to you.

5. Keep the load to a minimum

Avoid overloading a journalist with several pitches as this can be harmful to your relationship.

If you have more than one release to share at one time, select the most relevant for now and give that release enough ‘air time’ before proceeding to send on more.

Also, keep the email chasing to a minimum. Don’t keep sending your pitch so that it’s floating at the top of the journalist’s inbox. Journalists don’t have time to respond to every pitch they get individually. So, if you don’t hear back assume it’s a no.

Sometimes we may not ever hear back from a publication after pitching news or we may even get a straight ‘no’. That’s OK. Never argue with a journalist about the decision. Respect the decision and move on. There is no harm in trying again with your next story.

6. Proof, proof and proof again!

This point can not be stated loudly enough! When sending a release to a journalist make sure you have gone through your copy with a fine-tooth comb. Nothing looks more unprofessional than a release full of typos. Double-check your email before sending it to any journalist making sure their name and the company they work for are correct.

We all make mistakes from time to time. Even PR professionals will make mistakes but when a press release is filled with grammatical and factual errors, a journalist is more likely to simply delete it. Remember to proof, proof and proof again. You can never proof too many times.

7. Offer interviews/ speakers

Another vital step in ensuring a response to your pitch is to make sure there is someone that the journalist can talk to if they wish to do so. Most often than not a journalist will want to put their own spin on the story in order to make it different or unique, so having the option to collate more details is a must.

We hope you have enjoyed our top tips on what to avoid when pitching to a journalist. By following these steps you will maximise your chances of organic media placement whilst maintaining great relationships with the media.

A biography (or bio) is a great way to give potential clients, customers, or employers a quick snapshot of who you are. It’s a chance to show off your experience in the industry and share whatever it is that makes you different. In PR, biographies are essentially used for pitching purposes but can be edited slightly and used as a branding tool on other platforms such as on your website or social media pages.

A good bio should be a summary of your resume/CV, consisting of approximately four to eight sentences that read in a creative fashion. As readers are usually short on time, your biography needs to be concise and able to pack a punch.  Here are four things to include when writing a good biography:

Start with the basics

Start your biography with your name along with your current job role or profession. Think of this as the title of your biography.

List your experience

A good way to start your biography is to list the experience you have had in your industry and how it has led you to where you are today. A brief history tells readers where you’ve come from and allows you to list your biggest accomplishments.

Your current role

Once you’ve managed to fit your past work experience into a couple of creative sentences, it’s time to fast forward to the present. Let readers know what your current job role is and how long you’ve been there. You do not have to follow this format. Feel free to start with your current role and work backwards if you prefer. However, it’s important to show readers what makes you special and what it is that you offer your industry that others may not.

End with some personality

Although this part is optional, ending your biography with some personality is a great way to stand out amongst the crowd. Feel free to mention a fun fact about yourself such as ‘speaks five languages, or ‘is a karate blackbelt’. Unlike resumes/CVs which are usually quite formal, you can be a little more flexible when writing your biography.

If you’re still stuck on how to write a good biography, here is an example from Jessica Morgan, founder of Carnsight Communications:

Jessica Morgan

In 2016, after 15 years of working with high-profile clients at TEQUILA\, Craik Jones and Proximity and then as Director of PR agency Pumpkin, where she worked with M&C Saatchi among other global brands, Jess founded PR consultancy, Carnsight Communications.

Passionate about the benefits well-executed PR brings to businesses big and small, Jess loves working directly with Carnsight clients and the media to create campaigns that resonate and deliver beyond expectation. 

Since setting up Carnsight, Jess and her family moved from London to the West Country where she is the proud owner of a lively cockapoo (Clifford) and a burgeoning vegetable plot.

What is a press release?

First things first, a press release is a clear, written summary of a piece of your news, aimed at journalists. It should give the reader all of the key information they need to write a story. A press release is usually accompanied by good images (more about why images matter to the media in our post).

Are press releases still useful?

There’s been talk of the death of the press release recently but, written in the right way, we still think they’re an incredibly useful tool. As a PR consultancy, it gives us the chance to sum up a story in the way that works for clients (we always seek approval before pitching one out) and journalists.

When should you write a press release?

Think about writing a press release when you have something clear and interesting to communicate. Before launching into writing a press release document, make sure you’re clear on what the news or angle actually is. Can you articulate the nub of the news in one or two lines?

Always bear your target audience in mind when writing – not just the publication but your end target. Is this relevant to them? And why?

And think about the media you’d like to get it featured in. Do they definitely feature news and not just opinion pieces or features? Have a good look at the paper, magazine, channel or site and see if they use similar stories to yours.

How should you write a press release?

You can vary the format depending on what you’re trying to communicate (for example, bringing a quote in earlier or leading with images). You can also tailor it to specific publications – for example making it more about your local area to local press. We keep the tone straightforward and clear – not too punny or boastful! But here’s a simple structure to kick you off.

Your company logo

Headline

What’s your news in a nutshell? Think snappy and eye-catching

Statistics or figures always stand out here

Date, your location

First paragraph

This is a key one. What’s the overall story in 3 – 4 sentences?

Keep it clear and simple.

We include a strong image high up in the release for interest (make sure you also include a link to a high resolution (300dpi) version of it or a selection of images).

Subsequent paragraphs

Give further detail on the story. Ensure it’s based on facts rather than superlatives – save that for the quote.

Try to make one specific point with each paragraph.

Useful questions to answer in these:

What?

Where?

Why is it relevant?

How?

Any further details?

A quote

Include a quote from you or the relevant person. What would you really like to say or highlight alongside this news? This is where you can be more effervescent and excited.

Keep it pithy, to-the-point and in your brand tone of voice.

Remember, journalists might just pick up on certain phrases so think about neat soundbites rather than long, explanatory sentences.

Contact details

Include your content details for further info – name, email, phone number?

About us

We include a “boiler plate” – this gives information about your business – like an About Us on a website. Your business elevator pitch and when was it founded, who buy, awards won etc. Also include website and social links here.

Press release points to remember

• There should always be a clear angle in the release, meaning a journalist should have a reason to cover the news.
• Remember to tailor it depending on who you’re pitching to.
• And never, ever send it out to a blanket list. No “Hey buddy” openers – always research who you’re sending it to and make sure it’s relevant. Otherwise, you’re likely to be junked.

LinkedIn is a social networking platform created for professionals to connect and build business relationships. Over 690 million users are part of the LinkedIn community ranging from those who are job hunting, recruiters, sales professionals and business owners. With all of this in mind, it comes as no surprise that LinkedIn is the perfect platform to use to promote your business. Here are four top tips for growing your LinkedIn business page.

Be creative with your posts

Being as creative as possible when creating content is incredibly important. The content of your posts should be unique but also helpful. They should provide followers with value that is unique to your business. Analyse your competitor’s pages so that you can be sure to fill in any gaps they may have missed.

Although most of the content should come from your business, feel free to switch things up and share other relevant content. You can share and tag content by other businesses, or public figures that you admire. Another important tip is to use high-quality content using eye-catching formats such as videos and photos. Remember quality over quantity.

Grow your LinkedIn page with hashtags

Hashtags are a useful tool in the LinkedIn world. Like many other social media platforms, LinkedIn users can search for a certain topic using the hashtag feature. A good tip for small businesses is to use less popular hashtags to avoid your content being lost amongst all the content from bigger players.

Encourage engagement

Engagement is important when using LinkedIn to grow your business. Invite your connections to support your page and make sure to join and interact in relevant LinkedIn groups. It is vital to put time aside to interact with comments and encourage audience engagement. Engagement should be personalised to the comment or user and avoid sounding like an automated message.  Another way to encourage engagement is to have employees tag the business page from their personal ones and to have them re-share articles from their accounts within the first hour of them going live – this also helps boost exposure.

Be consistent but flexible

It’s important to use consistent branding that aligns with your other social media accounts when using LinkedIn to grow your business. Your consistent presence on different social media platforms helps you stand out and keeps you on peoples’ minds. Re-directing traffic from your more popular platforms can also help. For example, adding a LinkedIn icon link to the signature section of you and your employee’s business emails means clients you’ve connected with over email can be directed to your LinkedIn page.

Be more flexible with the content you share on LinkedIn. Different content will do better on different platforms. Analyse feedback (likes, shares and comments) you receive and go from there. It’s important to tailor content based on feedback from the audience of the platform you are using.

A powerful tool enabling your business to get closer to your customers and build your brand whilst boosting sales, sending a newsletter can be a great idea. But how do you ensure you stand out and reach the right audience successfully?

Here at Carnsight Communications, we love creating newsletters and wanted to share with you our top tips for making yours stand out in a sea of competitors.

Whether you are just about to create your first ever newsletter or if you’ve started but haven’t seen the desired results, we’re here to help you.

Newsletter Tip 1 – Use the data to understand your readers’ wants and needs

Make sure you analyse and use the data you have on readers’ interaction with your emails. By delving deeper into this data, you can understand more about the audience’s wants and needs. It’s important to take note of the data (such as which links and content readers are clicking on most) and then shape future content around this.

Sending personalised emails is also key. There are tools that can be used to add readers’ names into the newsletters, for example. No one wants to feel like they’re just part of a generic mailing list. For product businesses, you can also use tools that can send product recommendations to a customer based on their previous purchases. There are a range of options and by sending newsletters that feel personalised to the reader, engagement levels will undoubtedly increase.

Newsletter Tip 2 – Social Media is on your side – use it to your advantage!

Social media allows you to reach an even wider audience and is a great way to impress and entice your readers through sneak peeks of news and visuals. Maximise your newsletter content on social media and remember to encourage people to sign up to receive it regularly, in a variety of different ways.

Newsletter Tip 3 – Use catchy subject lines

The first thing a reader will see upon receiving your newsletter will be the subject line – so ensure to make this catchy and appealing to the reader. If your subject lines are uninteresting or don’t change month to month (or week to week) then the reader is unlikely to read the newsletter in full which will affect your engagement stats. Make your subject lines eye-catching and fun!

To help you create a catchy subject line:

• Keep your subject line punchy and to the point – try not to use more than 10 words
• Test out a few different subject lines through A/B testing to allow you to analyse which ones your audience is engaging with more
• Avoid salesy or spammy terms and instead use specific terms
• Use something that pulls on the readers’ heart strings or evokes a fear of missing out

Newsletter Tip 4 – Branding is important – use your visuals wisely!

Your brand is a key part of separating you from your competitors and it’s so important that you follow your brand guidelines to the letter when sending out newsletters. Make sure you create a newsletter that’s visually appealing and include elements that are consistent with your brand such as your company logo, fonts and correct colours.

Newsletter Tip 5 – Analysis and optimisation

Newsletter trends can change frequently – it’s essential to stay on top of what is working well and what isn’t. Testing is also key here. Ensure you are staying up to date with the content your reader wants to see, or you may find yourself missing out on engagement opportunities.

There are so many different tests you can run such as changing template layouts, formats and subject lines, as above. The list is endless but ensure you always analyse which versions are performing best and implement these changes upon creating your next newsletter. You can never test too much so remember to test frequently and apply these changes to stay relevant and engaging!

Newsletter Tip 6 – Analyse your competitors

Be aware of your top competitors and remember to sign up to receive their email newsletters. You are then able to take a look at their content. Use these for inspiration only – it’s never a good idea to copy someone else’s style or ideas, but be aware of what’s going out. Remember to be authentic.

Newsletter Tip 7 – Ensure you have access to the right marketing tool

When sending out newsletters, it is likely you will be using a marketing tool. Often these tools can help give us a great insight into what our audience is engaging with and can provide us with actionable pointers on how to improve our content or click-through rates.

There are so many different tools on the market but choosing the right one for you and your business is essential. So, how do you know what to look for? We recommend you look for a tool that combines practicality with value for money, whilst offering a good amount of features for reporting etc. We currently use Constant Contact for one of our clients, for example. Why not take a look at the top 24 tools for your business here?