With so much attention being paid to social media and PR 2.0 these days, a great deal has changed for PR practitioners. Yet it’s important to take a minute, go back to basics and get a refresher on the things that still lay the groundwork for any successful PR campaign.
Knowing how to effectively pitch your ideas to the media is still one of the most important skills to have in PR, because it can help make a real impact. Regardless of the type of medium, media folks are looking for the right kind of content. Content is still king! 
Here are seven tips to remember when pitching media:
1. Be relevant - zero-in on how your idea will impact the reporter’s audiences and on what scale. This is more important than ever these days, as opportunities for news placement are getting more competitive.
2. A-ha! factor - offer a surprise in the form of data, facts or figures that are unsuspecting or attention-grabbing. With so much competition in the news today, not to mention all of the choices your audience has in how they get their news, you must stand out or you will be left out.
3. Be exclusive - avoid pre-packaged stories when possible. Reporters need to beat their competition (just like you do) and tend to look for stories that are unique and that no one else has yet.
4. Point to trends - present the big picture. Even if you don’t have breaking news, reporters look for overall trends or emerging issues. Take time to provide anecdotes and statistics that support claims that you’re at the forefront of wider developments or how your company or product is connected to larger arising trends.
5. Time is of the essence - ensure that your pitch is timely. If your topic or story has been covered before, you need a fresh angle. Also, remember that reporters live and die by deadlines, so being efficient and available are crucial. Make sure that your spokespeople are available immediately for interviews.
6. Get visual - editors look for stories that offer opportunities for interesting photos, videos or graphics. This has become even more important with the growing visual sophistication of today’s consumers. As we like to say, everyone “reads” pictures.
7. Know what’s making headlines - journalists are constantly evaluating whether breaking news will bump other stories – and you should do the same. If big news is breaking or is set to break, hold your idea. Or, if possible, find a way to tie your idea into the breaking news. The more you know about what is competing for attention, before contacting the media, the better!
By focusing on these basics – researching, preparing, honing your angle and understanding your target media and reporters — and using the new media tools and technologies to help you sell your story, you’ll boost your success rate. And remember, in media pitching, to use a baseball analogy, you’ve got to keep swinging if you want to hit a home run.
What media pitching tips do you have?
