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- The Colab Brief: 029 - No news? No problem.
Many prospective clients come to us with the same problem.
“We want coverage, but we never have any news.” 🙁
It’s true - having hard news does help you get the hits. But you don’t need news to get good placements.
Today, we’re diving into proactive pitch ideas for the newsless.
Read Time: 3 minutes.
Most companies go through the year having just a few large announcements.
And some companies think they have news all the time, but just because you put it in a press release does not make it news. 😬
So what should you do the other 90% of the time?
Use your imaaaaaagination. 🌈
Only kidding. Sort of.
Idea No. 1: Do a spokesperson pitch
Keep it short and sweet. Include the spokesperson’s title and bio, along with a handful of interesting and industry-relevant topics they can speak to, and why they’re pertinent to that specific reporter. Your media targets are typically working on a handful of stories at once. By bulleting out the topics your exec can speak to, it makes it quick and easy for them to determine which story they're working on and if your client could be a fit.
Idea No. 2: Rapid-response pitching
Also referred to as “newsjacking,” rapid response pitching is when you key into the trends and themes happening right now in your industry, and you offer up contrarian commentary or perspective from your client. This must go beyond the predictable. It needs to address the why, the how, and the what’s coming next. The information you offer needs to be new and unexpected. Added bonus? You have a deeper understanding of what’s happening in your industry so you can come up with more clever topics later, or at the very least sound super smart on your next call.
Idea No. 3: Client topic roundup
This one is a little less well-known, and likely will only work with your friendlies. If you have a reporter that you’ve worked with before and you know what they cover, send ‘em a roundup. This is a pitch with a topic or two from multiple clients, all relevant to that reporter. It’s similar to a spokesperson pitch, you’re just including multiple individuals instead of just one. This limits the number of pitches you have to send and gives the journalist a lot to work with without mucking up their inbox.
Idea No. 4: Turn blogs into bylines
A lot of clients have a wealth of interesting information on their blog. Spend some time reading through it and see what topics you can repurpose into an abstract to try and secure some bylines in industry publications.
Idea No. 5: Run it back
Remember that metal (IYKYK) idea you had a while back? The one you were so excited about but somehow only got crickets when you pitched it out? Take that pitch, rework it, and try it again. A lot of the time you do have a good idea, it’s just not the right time. With a little reframing, you’d be surprised at the traction a resurrected pitch can drive.
Sometimes the media landscape can feel like a vast abyss. But with a few tricks, you’re sure to land coverage even when you don’t have that super sexy announcement to put out.
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