About this article

Read time:

4 minutes

Category:

Guides and advice

From pitch to page: understanding the media before opening the doors to it

As we’ve been discussing this month on the Skout blog, a media presence can be the game changer for an organisation or spokesperson, sometimes for the right reasons and sometimes for the wrong ones. As a B2B PR agency, whose job it is to help shape our clients’ reputations, those interviews that go horribly wrong fill us with dread and we immediately think ‘were you media trained and if so, why aren’t why you putting it into action?’ Before anyone embarks on speaking to media either in a live interview situation or even to be quoted in a magazine article, it’s important to understand how the media landscape works so that you can adapt your approach to fit the varying needs of the media while at the same time, ensuring that you are able to get across what you want to say. Whether you’re giving an interview, writing an article, or commenting on a topical or business issue to a journalist, knowing how the media works can help ensure you get the most from the experience.

 

Knowing why you want to get into the media is the best place to start. Perhaps you haven’t thought about some of the ways in which the media can help your business. Right from being a start-up business, media coverage can help build awareness of your brand. And then whatever stage you’re at in your business journey, perhaps you have growth targets to meet; that’s where building on your brand presence in the media with key stakeholders and potential customers can help strengthen your reputation. And don’t underestimate the role PR can play in crisis management. If a disastrous event were to happen that puts your organisation in a negative light, you can work carefully with the media to limit damage and ultimately protect your reputation. Depending on what you aim to achieve from reaching out to the media, there are various aspects of a news outlet that you can use to your advantage.

 

A publication’s editorial mostly sits in one of two camps: news or features. News, as its name suggests should be ‘new’ and something that is likely to be of interest to your industry, your customers or the wider general public. It focuses on the ‘who, what, where, when, why.’ Negative headlines are commonplace in our media and you’re far more likely to see news stories reporting on bad news over good. Let’s take Brexit as an example: a news story informed us on the EU referendum result instantly. We knew the key facts, like the percentage that ‘leave’ won by, and it didn’t take long for subsequent media reports to focus on how it would lead to doom and gloom for our economy.

 

In contrast, a longer feature article doesn’t have to report on a recent event, but it does have to be based on a relevant issue or trend. It goes beyond the key facts and gives more detail, either through a case study or opinions from topic experts. For this reason, features are normally longer, and offer a more balanced view on a subject. Take Brexit again: it’s been almost a year since the referendum result was announced, but it’s still a relevant issue. This means there’s scope for features like ‘what Brexit means for the retail industry’ where various retail experts get to give their opinion on what it means for the industry. The feature may take various opposing views from retail experts and look at specific issues, such as what the government has been saying about trading laws and their likely impact on the retail sector. You get the key facts from the news, but a feature zooms into a specific aspect of the topic and gives you more balanced and considered information.

 

Whether it’s news, features or both you’re hoping to gain coverage from, you will need to adapt your approach according to whatever key message your putting out to the media. Getting your organisation into the media means either proactively pitching to a media outlet what you want to say or reactively piggy backing onto the news agenda. Proactively pitching involves contacting an editorial team without their request, but of course, you should only target journalists you feel might be interested. In this case it’s especially important to develop an attractive pitch that suits the feel of the publication. When your organisation makes an announcement, you need to proactively ‘sell in’ the news to get coverage. But pitching feature ideas may also involve proactive pitching – your organisation may have a take on a particular issue, and you want to pitch it to a particular media outlet as a feature story.

 

Being reactive means jumping on those opportunities and requests for information that the media puts out. PR professionals subscribe to feature request services where you can access requests from journalists who require comments, articles or news on a particular topic, and perhaps even an interview with somebody who can speak on it. This requires being quick though, as journalists have deadlines to meet and need your input within a particular timeframe. Once you’ve dealt with certain journalists on many occasions, you may find them come straight to you when they require input, though this can only happen once they trust you as an expert.

 

It’s easy to think that all journalists across a publication do the same job. In reality, there’s a complex structure that determines who does what, similar to any organisation. The editor, or the editor-in-chief is the person who looks after the publication as a whole, including the audiences it aims to target and its plans for the future. Then the publication’s news and features may be looked after by different teams. The news editor is in charge of all of the publication’s news, managing a team of reporters. Similarly, the features editor manages and commissions features to a team of writers. But there are other journalists working on the publication that may influence the article you get coverage in. For example, the features editor might interview you, but then when it gets to print, only three lines have been used or it’s not been included at all. This might be because the sub-editor, who checks the written text and format of the publication, has reduced or removed your input due to lack of page space.

 

As a B2B PR agency, we see reduced editorial teams and diminishing trade publications on a regular basis. Journalists’ time is precious, and that’s why they’ve developed structures and processes to help them get the information they need for their articles quickly. Organisations opening the doors to a PR programme should work with PR specialists to understand how the media works, and what takes place before the magazine hits the shelves. Only by knowing this can media relations be a tool to help drive press coverage for your organisation.

 

Alex Brown enjoys being one of the Skout blog’s most regular contributors.

About this article

Read time:

4 minutes

Category:

Guides and advice

What to look out for when selecting a tech PR agency

Content with your B2B content? How to make it worker smarter and harder to achieve your marketing goals

Browse more blog posts

Posted on
byJames Bentley
If you’re in the wonderful world of tech, selecting a PR agency will be one of your big decisions. The right tech PR agency will significantly increase your brand’s reputation, market visibility and, ultimately, success. Here’s what you should be looking for: Industry experience and expertise Look for an agency with a proven track record in tech PR. They should...
Posted on
byRebecca Brown
There aren’t many B2B marketers out there who don’t spend a lot of time thinking about content and how to best use it to engage their audiences. In fact, over 70% believe content is becoming increasingly important in driving overall marketing success. But just because it’s the right thing to do, doesn’t always mean it’s done right. Audiences are being...
Posted on
byJames Bentley
Whatever stage your tech business is at, whether you are pre-revenue, or scaling up, PR has an important role to play in pushing you to the next level. As a staple part of Skout’s heritage, we have seen the tech PR landscape morph and shift over the years. But the core reasons why PR in the field is beneficial for...
Posted on
byJames Bentley
B2B market research serves many crucial purposes for companies working in the business-to-business (B2B) sector. Here we will look at some of its most common objectives. Understanding customer need B2B market research helps businesses to understand the needs, wants, preferences and pain points of other businesses. This knowledge can help with a range of things. These might include the creation...
Posted on
byIsobelle Yoxall
Podcasts have surged in popularity, boasting a staggering 464.7 million listeners globally in 2023, a number expected to climb to 504.9 million by 2024. This trend shows no signs of slowing down, as new content creators, including influencers, YouTubers, and B2C brands, are embracing podcasts. Even major corporations like Johnson & Johnson and McDonald’s have joined the podcast wave. This...
Posted on
byJames Bentley
Business-to-business (B2B) content marketing is a way for one business to reach and connect with other businesses in its target audience. Direct sales are not the focus of content marketing. Instead, it’s all about the creation of relevant and informative content that attracts and engages prospects from other businesses or organisations and converts them into loyal customers. Building trust, establishing...
Posted on
byJames Bentley
If you’re a business and you have a product or service that you know other businesses would love, it’s time to start your B2B PR journey. Your efforts should focus on building relationships, increasing brand visibility and fostering trust among these other businesses. B2B PR requires an approach that is tailored to the business landscape rather than the individual consumer...
Posted on
byJames Bentley
In the dynamic landscape of B2B marketing, understanding various strategies is crucial for marketing efforts to be successful. With the right approach, you can propel your company to new heights and forge fruitful partnerships. Here, we outline the four types of marketing that can help revolutionise your business. 1. Content B2B marketing Content marketing is the backbone of any successful...
Posted on
byJames Bentley
For businesses intending to reach and engage potential customers effectively, B2B email marketing is a cornerstone in today’s ever-evolving digital landscape. When used correctly, it can drive leads, nurture relationships and ultimately boost revenue. If you have ever wondered how to begin B2B email marketing, look no further than this step-by step guide. 1. Define your goals and target audience...
Posted on
byLee Simpson
Whether you call them Key Opinion Leaders, influencers or simply celebrities, leveraging the reach of influential people in various industries has long been part of PR strategies. The definition of what an ‘influencer’ is varies and the concept is nothing new; in our business a journalist can be an influencer, able to shape public opinion and raise awareness of new...

Send us a message

Download The B2B business relationship report

The B2B relationship renaissance – did digital kill it? The importance of relationships throughout the customer buying journey. Please complete the form below and receive a download link via email.