Integrate that rhythm seamlessly with perfectly-timed guests and sources, and you’ll ensure incredible press coverage for your client or organization. If that sounds easy, it’s not.
Opportunities abound, however, to gauge that rhythm and work within it to ensure absolute benefits:
1. Know when to hit “send” on a pitch
Media researchers annually study the “ when” part of pitching. Anecdotal evidence supports their findings.
The media professionals with whom I spoke largely identified 7-10 a.m. Eastern Time weekdays as the time when journalists are most receptive to pitches. Fridays are out unless someone is writing or producing a weekend story. After 5 p.m. Eastern Time on any given day is a nonstarter. Sending emails or calling on weekends is ridiculous unless you have the perfect contact for a breaking story.
“When I’m back at my desk around 9:30, I start reading in and review pitches for the next day,” a veteran producer for a cable network morning show tells me. “Others who run a show at different times may read in at other times, but hitting inboxes in the morning by 10 a.m. is usually a safe bet.”
“When I was a journalist, the best time to reach out to me was midmorning,” adds Jeremy Gonsior, a former Holland Sentinel reporter who now runs a content marketing agency in Holland, Mich. “I was usually developing stories then and pitching them to my editors. As far as days of the week, Thursday was especially effective because I was preparing to write a few stories for the weekend and I needed some ideas.”
Shelley Irwin, host of “ The Morning Show” on WGVU in Grand Rapids, Mich., says that she prefers to hear pitches by 9 a.m. Eastern Time, “when I am sharpest.” She especially favors those sent by email as far out as two weeks or longer.
2. Do your homework to personalize the pitch
Irwin also emphasizes that the author of the pitch should personalize the message to attract her interest.
Personalization is important to the “how” part of public relations. It’s where experience and understanding become invaluable. It involves meaningful connections and builds trustworthiness at a professional and personal level.
Seth Leibsohn—co-host of “ The Seth & Chris Show” on KKNT 960AM in Phoenix, Ariz. and former producer of “ Bill Bennett’s Morning in America”—describes the difficulties radio hosts encounter when considering new guests.
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“Radio hosts typically go to guests they know or have had on because of certain dynamics of radio that don’t exist for television,” Leibsohn says. “The guests radio hosts want, or go to, ‘get’ how to do radio. They know they have to sound clear on the telephone, they know they need to be sensitive to wrapping up answers as music comes on leading to a hard break, they know since there are no visuals or other visual props or chyrons that the conversation itself has to be interesting and draw people in.”
Liebsohn says that speakers represented by credible public relations professionals help because they have built a record of delivering high-quality guests. A relationship that required years to build can disappear with one or two flakes.
“I can’t tell you how many publishers and others have given me really bad guests with no training and I’ve tried to politely tell them after that I am happy to help train them but they were terrible, etc., and they just couldn’t care less,” Liebsohn explains. “They cared about the numbers and the next booking.”
3. Spend time on the message
Another great way to earn the disdain of media professionals is to blast pitches to anyone with a publicly available email address or disguise a marketing email as a pitch.
Jonah Bennett, national security and politics reporter for The Daily Caller, says that he prefers the meat of the message in the first two sentences, at which point he decides whether to continue reading.
He works best with people whom he’s developed relationships with over years of trading tips and talking about much more than the content provided in a single email. Public relations folks who incorporate gimmicks to trick him into opening mail become infuriating.
“I find that people are starting to rely on clickbait email headlines when the content they’re pitching, frankly, sucks,” Bennett says. “Then I just get annoyed and immediately delete the email.”
Brian, another longtime producer with a top cable television network, stresses the importance of spending time on brief, descriptive subject lines. He considers subjects that include ICYMI (In Case You Missed It) as the worst violators.
“It almost makes it certain that I will kill the email without opening it,” Brian says. “For one, it suggests that the news is already well-known and therefore a terrible pitch, because what you are pushing should be new and exciting. ICYMI is another way of saying, ‘Here’s some old news.’”
4. Prepare for breaking news
Suppose an expert or CEO finally establishes a relationship with someone in the news media. The interview is scheduled or the article is confirmed for publication. You’re holding your breath by this time. Then the worst happens.
Breaking news.
It is the bane of every public relations pro. It disrupts the media rhythm, and all of the best-laid plans are tossed aside as bookers and reporters scramble to secure sources.
But it can work to your advantage.
Julie, a producer of several premier cable network programs, says that guests with insight into breaking news such as a terror attack, financial crisis or military engagement move to the front of the line. She appreciates those who pitch clients or themselves as news unfolds.
“Relevancy beats timing any day,” Julie says.
She isn’t unusual. As a reporter, I dropped anything I might have been working on to speed dial through a short list of sources relevant to a current breaking news story. I took quotes from the first four or five and then stopped taking calls.
I didn’t enjoy it—especially because it isn’t fair to those I called who might have spent time on a more thorough response—but that is how the business works.
Accessing coverage is a skill like any other, one that requires practice and experience. It is a matter of understanding the rules to get in the game.
@DavidYonkman is the founding principal of DYS Media, LLC. He’s a former Washington correspondent for Newsmax, PR pro and Capitol Hill communications director.(Image via)
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