Writing stories, case studies or features to receive no coverage is nothing short of soul destroying. All those hours of work. The research. The interviews. The concentration. And then… Zilch. Pitching is a crucial part of PR, and applies to industries across the board. It’s not the same as writing a press release or a feature, and requires you to deliver the point to an editor of a publication in the shortest, sweetest way.

Whilst it can take a few failed attempts, there is no doubt that pitching – and pitching well – is hugely advantageous to your company, your reputation and ultimately, the coverage that you receive.

At Conteur we are regularly pitching and managing media relations for our clients in health and social care, hospitality and property and housing, and know how to find the hook that a journalist or publication might be looking for.

Here’s why you should use a PR agency, and the advantages that come with pitching.

Saves you time in the long run

How long does a decent press release take you? Three hours? Four? And I imagine a lot more if you don’t have the know-how. By pitching your ideas to target publications, it means that you get the green light before you write the article. No green light, no writing. You’ve just won your Wednesday morning back, well done.

You know exactly what is required

You’ve caught the editor’s interest. Brilliant. But your pitch isn’t quite what they were after! Thank God you didn’t just send the release. Your idea might be 75% of the way there, so liaising with the editor beforehand means you know where the goalposts are. You will be given feedback, ideas and deadlines to ensure you are providing the exact piece of work that the publication is looking for.

Allows you to build on relationships in the industry

A pitch can be the start of a beautiful relationship. You’re putting your name on the map, and showing that you can generate great ideas that are relevant to your target publication or journalist. If you get it right once, who knows how many more successes might follow?

Cuts through the crap

Journalists are busy people, and editors are undoubtedly up to their eyeballs in it. Publications are always on the look out for topical stories, with a quick turnaround. A pitch is concise, snappy, succinct. (Not like that sentence where I used three words to explain the same thing – do you see the point?) By getting down to business in just a few words, you’re saving a lot of people a lot of time.

Demonstrates your expertise

If you are pitching, the assumption is that you know what you’re talking about. You’ve had the audacity to pipe up, so it seems only right that you, or your interviewee, knows a thing or two about the topic at hand. This will give the story that you’re pitching the oomph that it needs, and will put you on the map if a future comment is ever needed.

Proves your story is good

If you’ve got a bite from a pitch, you know that you must be doing something right. HALLELUJAH! Your story might be the best thing that Janet at the next desk has ever read, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to fit the bill for a national publication.

Your story needs to be fresh, relative, and relevant to a wide audience. Hopefully you’ve already asked yourself why anyone cares and determined the answer before you start pitching (I can promise you that’s how we do it at Conteur…).

If you’ve got some great stories to tell, but you’re just not sure where to start, working with a PR agency to successfully secure some media coverage might just be the answer.

At Conteur we work with clients across a range of industries to help them spread their good news and manage their reputations. Pitching is an essential PR tool, and can enable your content to reach new levels.

For more information on how we can help you, please give us a bell on 01905 670 881 or email one of our PR pros at info@conteur.co.uk