Here at Sunny Bird PR, we like to think we’re the experts in communicating to journalists; whether that’s a well thought out targeted email, or a straight to the point two minute phone call, we pride ourselves on getting great coverage for our clients. And what have we learnt from our years of experience in the industry, I hear you ask? It’s all in the pitch.
So, when Covid-19 hit we had to adapt to the new norm with journalists working from home, no longer could we jump on the phones and build a connection and meeting journalists are also a no-go at the moment with many still working from home.
As a result, we had to make sure our email pitches were even more on point than usual as this was the only way we could get in touch. At the start of lockdown, that dominated the media but now, it’s still being talked about, but journalists are looking for positive stories to share. If you have a story that could be seen as negative, try and add a happy ending, include that in your pitch, put a smile on the journalist’s face, and you could be on to a winner!
We’ve done some research and found some quotes from the journalists themselves who have given some advice and tips on pitching to them in this new ‘normal’ post lockdown.
Jane Hamilton – Journalist and Editor at The Sun
Jane wrote an article on what you should be doing to be sensitive to the situation but also to be successful during the pandemic:
“Should I still pitch at all? Yes, please do! Life goes on. Life WILL go back to normal (ish). In the meantime, most media outlets are looking for a balance of stories and need positives and heart-warming tales to combat the Covid-19 gloom.”
Read the full article here-
Angelica Malin, Editor-in-Chief at About Time Magazine
Angelica hosts #SheStartedIt podcast, here she gives lots of insight into the industry as well as discussing all things female empowerment. She says*:
“Be personal. There has never been more of a need to be personal in your pitches. Generic press releases won’t land well and tailoring the first line of the pitch to the journalist is key. So spend time familiarising yourself with each journalist’s latest updates on social media and research the main topics that they cover.”
You may be thinking ‘but surely we’re getting back to normal and I can go back to what I was doing?’, unfortunately not. Journalists are still working from home (believe us, we’ve tried calling!) and will be for the foreseeable. They are often only contactable by email only, and you really don’t want to annoy a journalist by calling their mobile unexpectedly! So, for now, the email pitch is the best way to get yourself featured, so make sure it’s perfect!
If you’d like some help with your pitches and how to contact journalists, get in touch with the Sunny Bird PR team – hello@sunnybirdpr.com
*https://www.wavemakernorth.co.uk/how-to-pr-during-covid-19-according-to-journalists/