With journalists?ÇÖ inboxes overflowing with pitches, PR professionals face the daunting task of securing the required press coverage. To cut through the noise, they must create compelling pitches that truly capture attention and stand out. In this article, industry experts reveal their secrets for crafting standout media pitches that resonate with journalists and secure coveted coverage.It's important to think like a journalist and put yourself in their shoes to enhance your pitch, opines Manish Sharma, Co-Founder and Director, Key Communications.?Ç£Pitches that resonate with the journalists?ÇÖ beat, are specific to the sector, and relevant to their audience are highly appreciated. Journalists share stories that appeal to a wide audience, so they should be intriguing and relevant. It's essential to strike the right balance by providing just the right amount of information: concise and clear. When structuring the pitch, use the inverted pyramid method, starting with the most significant and attention-grabbing details and then delving into more specific information. Creating curiosity among journalists with your pitch, using catchy words, and highlighting groundbreaking points can make it exclusive and reduce the chances of failure,?Ç¥ says Sharma. <img src='https://erp.adgully.me/artical_image\1a5faa1e040dba5e75078dbefb787cbe.jpeg' class='content_image'>For Sandeepa Santiago, Intrapreneur and Head of Project Management & Communications, CommsCredible, investing time to research and understand the journalist or media outlet is a crucial step to creating a powerful media pitch.?Ç£I try to familiarise myself with the previous articles and topics covered by the journalist. I customise the pitch to align with the media?ÇÖs specific interests. Additionally, I try to incorporate an interesting story hook to highlight the newsworthiness and relevance of the story angle. Including statistics and anecdotes to validate my idea, if possible, significantly improves my chances of success,?Ç¥ Santiago explains. <img src='https://erp.adgully.me/artical_image\ba88375eaad9e19035012e02536f0793.jpeg' class='content_image'>"When crafting a pitch, we focus on a brief snapshot of the larger story and its impact, which can capture the journalist?ÇÖs attention," says Shailesh Goyal, Director, Simulations Public Affairs Management Services Pvt Ltd.?Ç£It is essential to consider their target audience and what may appeal to them. For instance, the same event may need to be pitched differently to journalists covering different beats. We also realise that journalists are pressed for time, so we make it a point to keep the pitch crisp and to the point,?Ç¥ adds Goyal. <img src='https://erp.adgully.me/artical_image\9faefaff347526cda30de1bc60b6ce2e.jpeg' class='content_image'>Girisha Chauhan, Account Director at 80dB Communications Pvt Ltd, emphasizes the importance of aligning pitches with journalists?ÇÖ interests. ?Ç£To create a pitch that resonates, I research their recent articles to understand their preferred topics and angles. Identifying potential hooks like company growth, key announcements, or current industry trends is crucial. A concise, clear pitch with a timely connection to current events strengthens the story,?Ç¥ she notes. <img src='https://erp.adgully.me/artical_image\1d9351e98578d07d4a96b28e438e4aa2.jpeg' class='content_image'>Dr Navneet Anand, Founder & Director, GreyMatters Communications & Consulting, believes that good research forms the fundamental basis to ensure the pitch is rich in uniqueness and piques the interest of the journalist.?Ç£At GreyMatters, we spend significant time understanding journalists' needs. We know they are hungry for compelling narratives, and the best way to draw their attention is by proposing a pitch that is novel, fact-rich, and relevant to their specialization. For a newspaper reporter, the pitch must have a news angle; for a magazine, it should convey a trend; and for a TV reporter, a visual asset is critical,?Ç¥ says Anand. <img src='https://erp.adgully.me/artical_image\5cb45fd7a61829a84f201b0d4c14cbd8.jpeg' class='content_image'>Handling RejectionsHow do PR professionals handle rejection or a failed pitch, and what do they learn from the experience? It?ÇÖs a fact that not all pitches translate into stories, and rejection is part of the process.?Ç£Rejections are part of the game and need not cause heartbreak,?Ç¥ says Goyal. ?Ç£Often, genuinely good pitches are dismissed due to bad timing or reasons beyond our control. If a pitch doesn?ÇÖt elicit a good response, we try to figure out where we may have erred?Çöwas the subject line not good enough? Could the pitch have been explained better? We learn to take this in stride and improve next time. It?ÇÖs also important to have a backup plan, such as an alternate angle or another publication.?Ç¥Manish Sharma adds: ?Ç£Rejections can be seen as valuable feedback rather than a dead end. A failed pitch presents an opportunity for improvement and learning. By analyzing the reasons for rejections, we can redefine our approach and effectively handle failure.?Ç¥Sandeepa Santiago says that if her story pitch is rejected, she makes an effort to understand why it didn?ÇÖt resonate. "This helps me better customize my pitch in the future to align with their interests. My goal is to collaborate with the media, rather than pushing my story onto them.?Ç¥If a journalist rejects a pitch, Girisha Chauhan takes the opportunity to ask for feedback or learn why it wasn?ÇÖt a fit. "This helps me adjust future pitches. Sometimes, if relevant data isn?ÇÖt available immediately, I pause, gather more details, and circle back later. Every rejection is a learning moment to improve my approach.?Ç¥Dr Navneet Anand believes every failure is a lesson and a challenge to self-introspect to avoid repeating mistakes.Key skill-setsWhat are the most important skill sets or traits a PR professional should possess?According to Dr Navneet Anand, a PR professional must have an abiding belief in the power of knowledge. "In our intensely knowledge-driven environment, it?ÇÖs vital to be equipped with relevant information to earn respect from journalists and clients.?Ç¥As we move ahead in the digital era, Manish Sharma notes that technologies and AI are disrupting PR offerings, but a human-centric approach remains crucial. ?Ç£Communicating with empathy, practicing active listening, and paying attention to detail are key traits for effective PR,?Ç¥ he adds.Shailesh Goyal highlights qualities like a winning attitude, patience, and a strong news sense as essential for success in PR. ?Ç£Without these qualities, it?ÇÖs hard to make a mark in this profession.?Ç¥Sandeepa Santiago emphasizes that effective storytelling is the cornerstone of successful PR. ?Ç£A PR professional must communicate complex story ideas clearly and captivatingly. Research is the backbone of storytelling, enabling the development of effective communication strategies.?Ç¥Dealing with Failed PitchesWhen a story pitch fails to take off, PR pros must think creatively to secure media coverage.Sandeepa Santiago recounts a recent experience involving one of her retail FMCG clients. ?Ç£We were in discussions for a feature story, but the client was unwilling to share critical information. We pivoted, engaging in dialogue with the journalist and proposing an alternative story angle that aligned with their interests while highlighting my client?ÇÖs focus. After ensuring a unique spin, we ultimately secured a relevant story,?Ç¥ she recalls.Manish Sharma shares a similar sentiment: ?Ç£Creativity is at the core of preparing a media pitch. We research industry trends to generate ideas and take calculated risks for breakthrough results. In one instance, we crafted a compelling narrative from a client?ÇÖs social media posts on 'Gender Neutral Toilets,' which garnered widespread media coverage.?Ç¥Shailesh Goyal cites a recent example where they approached a milestone sales figure differently, presenting it as a story about job creation and its impact on the local economy, securing valuable media coverage.One time, Girisha Chauhan says she personally flew to another city to meet with editors and secure a face-to-face introduction on behalf of a client. "Establishing a personal connection, consistently following up, and offering exclusive insights helped me build relationships with key editors. I tailored my pitches to align closely with their editorial needs and interests, which eventually resulted in valuable media coverage in major publications. This creative approach of personal engagement, along with a unique angle, proved to be a game-changer."Dr Navneet Anand recounts: ?Ç£When a big hospital asked us to create media coverage around Asthma Day, we coordinated with Delhi Police to screen traffic personnel, resulting in startling findings that made for great media stories.?Ç¥Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
