PR Tips: What to pitch in August
August, the last month of winter where usually not a lot is happening – except if you want to get featured in the media over summer. Publications set their content calendar a year in advance, take advantage of this by doing some research or if you are really stuck, here are my suggestions on some reoccurring themes I see year in and out:
Short leads: all about now
Trending colours - usually pastels leading into spring.
Springtime trends - fashion, beauty, wellness – we all want to know the next hot item or exercise, diet that will give us a head start on feeling great for summer.
Fit body, sharp mind – wellness, fitness and workplace performance go hand in hand.
Workplace engagement – how do you keep our employees motivated and engaged?
Long leads: thinking about summer
Summer listening - got a great podcast or smash hit single? Pitch it as essential summer listening.
Best local travel – flights are still grounded, if you live in a regional area, now is your time to shine. Get a story out there about what makes your town special.
Social media policy – always a favourite leading up to Christmas due to parties and employees making idiotic posts. How does it reflect on your brand, and what are your rights as an employer/employee?
It’s all in the angle
If it isn’t obvious, these aren’t a silver bullet to getting published. You will still need to come up with a cool new and exciting angle, or some value adding information to get picked up.
I also encourage to do some research around what has been published in the past to make sure that you are not being repetitive, it’s poor form to pitch to a journalist that has already covered the topic in an identical way.
If you have a product, you should have a sample product pack to send to a relevant journalist. Along with the goods that you are promoting, include all vital and important information. Make it presentable and appealing. If you have an entire line, don’t send them all, pick two or three of the most seasonally appealing products – and make sure you have them in stock.
Lastly, when a journalist does contact you, respond within four hours and be ready to have any samples or photography ready to go. The media won’t wait.
Measurable and actionable
Just about any of these themes can be applied to any business, you need to be able to back your story with some quotes, stats, or information that is interesting. At POPCOM we continually mine social media, trade and mainstream media for trending topics and opportunities for our clients to be featured. It is a moving feast but very enjoyable.
It is important to remember, PR is a long game, and pitching for media coverage is just one element in a successful plan. Before you start, I recommend that you consider what your goals are and how you will measure success. Make sure you are aligning your audience and are crystal clear on your messaging.
Happy pitching!
Need some help developing a public relations and communications plan for your organisation? We would love to help. Reach out on amanda@popcom.com.au
