The Colab Brief - 108: Pitch Please 💁‍♀️ (Crafting PR Messages That Don't Suck)

Happy weekend to all who celebrate. ✨We’re going to age ourselves here, but back when we first started our PR careers, there was a website called The Bad Pitch Blog that all of us in agency-land would read religiously. 

Each week, the author would reveal the worst pitches sent by PR pros. Everything from cringeworthy, off-topic news to misspellings of names to straight marketing lingo copied/pasted from the corporate website. As young PRlings, our entire life mission was to make sure to NEVER get called out for something we’d sent. 

Today, Twitter (X, whatever) is sort-of a running feed of PR mishaps. Journalists call out PR pros, and we all shudder because, honestly, it’s tough to write a good pitch. Today, we’ll walk through a few tips to take your pitch from good to great and ensure you never land on the wrong side of a journalist. 

Read Time: 4 minutes. 

They’re the Star, You’re the Supporting Role ⭐

The journalist should be the focus of every one of your pitches. Approach the pitch like you’re helping the writer tell a good story, not like you’re trying to get your story told. If you treat them like the main focus instead of attempting to push your own marketing message, you’ll have a much higher response rate. 

What does this look like? 

• Checking in to see what they’re writing before sending them a blind pitch. 

• Asking if they’re still interested in covering XYZ topic area.

• Letting them know why you picked them to pitch.

• Customizing the note. 

Don’t Pitch It - Prove It ⚾

We’ve spoken about this before, but adding data to your pitches is the best way to validate your message. Even with a simple company announcement, adding data to show why the company is moving in that particular direction can be powerful. 

What does this look like? 

• Check to see which analyst firms have done recent research in your given area. Third-party data is the best.

• Reading articles on similar topics to see where they’ve pulled information. Those sources may be a treasure trove for your pitch. 

• If you’re promoting your own research, be sure to include demographic information (including the number of people polled) at the bottom of your pitch, if you have strong numbers. 

Bring A Friend 👯

The best way to add value to your angle is to give the reporter additional sources. It’s rare for a writer to pen an entire story based on one spokesperson’s opinion. They often interview several people when writing a piece to ensure it’s balanced. If you can help them with this, you’ll not only round out the story, but you’ll also help them get the story out faster. 

What does this look like? 

• Giving them a customer to help speak to why your angle is relevant. 

• Partnering with a third-party thought leader or analyst to give context to the story. 

• Collaborating with another company to pitch a story that benefits both organizations.

By dialing into what journalists really want to write, spicing up your pitches with legit data, and roping in more sources to back your story, you can kick your PR vibes from meh to wow. You'll not only catch the eye of the media but also build some solid relationships, ensuring your stories don't just fade into the background but make a statement. 

Until next week - 

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