It's not too late to pitch for Christmas guides

Photo by Micheile Henderson

There's still plenty of time to get your/your client's product featured in Christmas gift guides. While the monthlies have already gone to press, newspapers, weekly magazines and online titles will still be running Xmas guides until the 24th (when we'll see a run of guides of what presents to buy last-min etc.).

A few things to consider before you pitch:

• Which publications does my product suit?

• Does the readership match my audience?

• Is the price point a good match for this publication? For example, your £4 bath bombs might work for Stylist but not the FT.

• Be targeted in what type of gift guide it might suit: one aimed at men, women, travellers, pets, tech lovers, kids, or the ethical shopper?

• Be specific in your email subject line. For example, Christmas gifts for travellers: Personalised vintage-style maps.

If you want more tips and a great case study of a pitch and press release that led to a business being featured in a Stylist guide, a whole chapter in my course is devoted to pitching for Christmas (and Easter/Mother's Day/Father's Day etc) and product round-ups. Click here for more info.

Why you need to research which journalists you're pitching

Photo by Charisse Kenion

When you have a story you want to sell into the press, you'll need to work out which journalists to contact.

Don't just send it to anyone. I receive so many emails and DMs on LinkedIn/Facebook/Instagram from founders and PRs who think that because I'm a journalist I'll write about them. This happens to pretty much every journalist. 📺 📻 🗞

You need to research which journalists your story might suit.

A journalist who specialises in tech? Women's issues? Education? Is your story one for the news or features desk?

Research who is writing about your/your client's competitors. Look on Google News. Buy magazines and newspapers, check out the various sections and look at the bylines to see who's writing about your industry. Pay for access to a media database.

But don't send a release off to - or contact - any journalist "just in case". Our inboxes are already bulging and it's not a great way to build relationships. It's also like contacting an electrician about a plumbing job.

If you're feeling a bit stuck on targeting and pitching journalists, my in-depth course Lessons from a Journalist: How to Secure Press Coverage covers this in more detail.

Don't Contact Journalists This Way

Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash

Hi everyone

How do you feel about WhatsApp? Personally, I have a love/hate relationship with the platform. The upshot, of course, is that it's a brilliant way to quickly chat and ping pictures to friends and family, but on the other hand who doesn't get that sinking feeling when you're added to yet another group?

I bring up WhatsApp as the other day the founder of a business I'd featured in an article WhatsApped me at 6am. Yes, that's right. 6am. I'm just very grateful (for him and me) it didn't wake me up.

The founder had originally been in touch with me over email yet he caught my number at the bottom of my signature and started WhatsApping - asking about pictures, another time asking when the article would be published. I did say to him it would be better to email but still the messages came through.

There was never any reason to bring the conversation onto another (non-work) platform. But this isn't the first time this has happened. I'll often receive WhatsApp messages from PRs when the conversation should have stayed on email. I check my emails regularly enough (probably far too much) and in none of the cases has there ever warranted an urgent need to message me.

For me, and I believe most journalists would nod their heads in agreement on this, from a PR perspective WhatsApp isn't the right platform to converse with journalists on. That is what email is there for.

So my advice is: stick to email (if that wasn't clear enough). Unless a journalist wants you to WhatsApp them, you're pals with a journalist, or you're already working with them on something urgent and it's impossible to get through to them by all other means (and you've tried their email, calling and voicemail).

I know it's not always possible, but some people try to keep their work and personal life separate and jumping into their WhatsApp messages could be overstepping boundaries.

Have a great rest of the week.

Thanks
Susie

This Is The Most Common Question Asked In My Webinars

Photo by Mattias Diesel on Unsplash

Hi everyone

I hope you're managing as well as can be.

The number one question I'm now asked on my webinars or during one of my Power Hours is, “are journalists interested in non-coronavirus stories?” We can all understand why this is a popular question. The C-word continues to dominate the media. Whether it's news of another lockdown and the impact on our mental health or on businesses, or news of the latest changes to the furlough scheme or the self-employment grant, it's still the hottest topic across the globe. Of course, people still want to consume – and editors still want – stories related to Covid-19. Whether we like it or not, it remains the biggest news item worldwide.

However, there's still plenty of room for non-Covid stories. In recent days we've had the election, Johnny Depp losing his libel battle against The Sun and ex-wife Amber Heard, and Dominic West's tryst with Lily James making the front pages. But don't worry if you don't have an A-lister or a politician at hand to help you secure press coverage. When I recently pitched an editor with a few stories, including one related to Covid 19, he stressed that they were trying to keep the feature pages corona-free. With the news section still dominated by coronavirus pieces, the paper wanted to keep readers entertained and enlightened with other things going on in the world. I get it. Even as a journalist, there have been times when I can't face reading yet another story about Covid-19 and I do wonder how much we need a daily countdown of every country's rate of infection and number of deaths. 

Against all this doom and gloom, editors want positive story ideas landing in their inbox. In the past week, I've reported on two non-Covid and hopeful stories. For the i, I wrote about the people committed to giving away a substantial amount of their income to effective charities whilst I covered the rise of bartering and sharing economy for the Guardian.

If you look hard enough, you'll see positive stories everywhere (and pitching positive stories is just one of the pieces of advice in my 17 Insider Tips On How to Pitch Journalists During Coronavirus - now just £5 from £19.99 originally). Now as the UK enters Lockdown: The Sequel, it's still as relevant as ever.

Have a great rest of the week,

Susie

What Would I Advise Someone Looking To Enter Journalism Now?

Earlier this month I received a message on Instagram from a 16-year-old who had spotted me on her college's alumni page. She wanted to know how I had made the move into journalism. Given the personal connection and recalling the lack of opportunities and career inspiration when I was 16, I responded asking if she had availability that evening as I'd give her a call. 

She confessed she was nervous. Of course, she didn't need to be. But I was once a shy 16-year-old and even years later I can still remember how nerve-wracking it was making calls when I was starting off in journalism. We spoke for about 30 minutes and during that call, I laid bare the reality of journalism today: how the industry is having a torrid time, with many magazines closing their doors, and that it's really really difficult to survive - many fantastic journalists are being forced to leave the sector, or if they're freelance, they're holding down so-called portfolio careers.

But of course, I didn't want to be overly pessimistic. I wouldn't want to push someone completely away from a career that they have a deep desire to explore. Knowing what I know today, would I have chosen a different path and not entered journalism? No. I still think it's a brilliant, interesting, and varied career, and one that I'd still have a good stab at. Yes, I'd love a career with more money and security, but the world still needs journalism (more than ever) and if you understand the almighty challenges ahead (and are ready to accept other jobs on the side like content marketing and teaching), then go for it, I say. It's not like my parents' generation where you stick to one job; you can always slide into another industry if need be. 

Over the course of the half-hour, I shared tips with her, including stepping up your tech skills (especially video) and standing out on work experience. I applauded her for using her initiative to contact me. For scouting me out online and sending a message demonstrated key skills needed for a career in journalism.

Want To Find Out About My New Launch?

Hi everyone

Some news: I've launched a Power Hour service –  a short yet informative online consultancy session.

During a Power Hour, you'll get the chance to ask any burning questions you have about approaching journalists, building relationships with the press, or any other gripping issue related to journalism or PR that you may have.

There's more information here, but feel free to email any questions you have.

And if I feel there's another journalist who is best placed to help you, I'll be able to direct you to some of the best in the business. 

Thanks
Susie

One Small Way To Build Relationships With Journalists Right Now

Hi everyone

Just a quick newsletter as I write this from the picturesque moors outside of Conwy in north Wales where I'm wild camping for the night.

I know many people are wondering how to build relationships with journalists during these strange times, given the opportunity for face-to-face contact has fallen off a cliff since start of the pandemic.

But you don't need to have had coffee after coffee or cocktail after cocktail with a journalist to consider yourselves to have a strong relationship. There are many people working in comms and founders of businesses that I have a great relationship with – and are my go-to for case studies and experts – who I have never met in person. How to achieve that features heavily in my course and webinars but I'll just give a recent example of how you can slowly get on that path.

After an article I wrote appeared in the Guardian on Saturday, one of the people I featured emailed me first thing in the morning to thank me for including him, telling me he was thrilled with being included and had shared the piece with his family. It obviously meant a lot for him to be in the paper and him sharing how it had made his day was a lovely way to start the morning, especially as the van we had hired had broken down on Junction 21 of the M1 the night before, leaving us stranded on the emergency lane for three hours. That's another story. But the expert's kind words and obvious gratitude to email me first thing on Saturday highlights how relationships can be started and nurtured even in this digital age by a simple and easy 'thank you'.

Enjoy the rest of the week and the upcoming weekend,

Susie

Why You Shouldn't Pretend To Be A Journalist's Biggest Fan

Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash

I bet nearly every journalist has received an email saying something along the lines of “Hi [name of journalist], I'm such a big fan of your work. I loved your article on X [includes title and link to journalist's most recent article]" before going straight in for the kill: "Today we are releasing a line of new cosmetics and we'd love for you to cover it.”

Look, I can understand that some people think flattery may brighten up our inbox and I certainly agree that it's good to be a nice and kind human being. But you don't have to be a jaded and cynical journalist like myself to see right through the above. If you're such a big fan, why haven't you been in touch before? Why have you never dropped me a line to say how much you appreciated my naked yoga article (yes, I did go the full commando - for my sins) or how my piece on volunteering resonated with you? Telling us you're a "big fan" and then promptly going in for the sell tells me you're not such a big fan. If you admire a journalist so much, they might have seen you like their tweets before or comment on a post on LinkedIn. I'm not saying you need to start asking a journalist for a selfie before emailing them. Rather, just don't say it all.

I totally get that you might wish to engage with a journalist but unless you're going to impart something honest, don't say it for the sake of it in some strange attempt to win us over. It won't. 

 Enjoy the rest of the week,

Susie

ps I know most of you would never dream of doing the above.

One thing not to include in an email to a journalist

Photo by Adam Solomon on Unsplash

Hi everyone

I could probably write a Buzzfeed style listicle of what not to include in an email to a journalist (maybe that's a newsletter I'll write one day), but I wanted to hone in today on founders and PRs needlessly apologising to journalists when they're emailing them.

I'll give you a couple of examples of emails I've received recently:

“Sorry to bother you but I thought you might be interested in news that....”

“I apologise for messaging...”

Now I know journalists are inundated with emails (who isn't?) but as long as you've done your research in targeting said journalist and the publication, there is nothing to apologise for if you're simply sending over a pitch. You're just doing your job. And remember, this is what freelance journalists do for a living – they pitch into the void too.

Sorry can be like a verbal tick, especially to us Brits who seem to have a real penchant for the word. But apologising for sending a pitch won't impress a journalist, it just makes the sender look like they're lacking in confidence. Instead of apologising, just go straight into the pitch.

Of course, if you screw up (which we all do sometimes), then by all means say sorry. But otherwise, stop apologising.

Have a great rest of the week.

Thanks
Susie

Why you need to research who you're pitching to

Photo by Nick Morrison on Unsplash

When you have a story you want to sell into the press, as many of you with PR experience will know, you'll need to work out which journalists to contact.

I'm begging you not to just send it to any old journalist. I receive so many emails/messages on LinkedIn/Facebook DMs from businesses and PRs who think that because I'm a journalist I'll write about them or their client. Same applies to pretty much every journalist I've ever spoken to.

Please don't clog up our inboxes or contact a journalist "just in case" (words I'll regularly see accompanying a pitch).  It adds to our already stifling inbox and really doesn't help with building relationships with the media. It's like contacting an electrician about a plumbing job. I would never send an editor a pitch about gaming if their beat was music. And I wouldn't pitch a magazine without buying it and really looking at what they cover. 

You need to research which journalists your story might suit.

A journalist who specialises in tech? Women's issues? Education?

Research who's writing about your/your clients' competitors. Look at who is writing about your sector via Google News. Buy magazines and newspapers and browse the various sections. Look at the bylines to see who's writing about your industry. Check out media databases. If they're a generalist like me, you need to be specific and have a targeted pitch with case studies. Look at what we write on Muckrack. There you'll get a sense of the stories we like to cover.

Have a great weekend,

Susie

Journalism has a diversity issue

Photo by Joan Villalon on Unsplash

The brutal killing of George Floyd at the hands of the police has sparked widespread outrage across the globe, with thousands of people from Bristol to Rio de Janeiro protesting at the treatment of black people and expressing the need for systematic change.

During the past couple of weeks we've seen brands show solidarity by uploading a single black square with the hashtag #BlackoutTuesday across their social media platforms and aligning themselves with the #blacklives movement.

While it's fantastic to see brands utilising their platforms in such a positive way, outsiders are skeptical about companies jumping on the bandwagon and posting content that's hypocritical - showcasing a black grid after themselves falling short of stamping out racism in their own companies or failing to move away using from all-white models in their campaigns or not having a diverse board, can be seen as laughable.

But you only need to look at the presenters on TV or quickly scan the faces of columnists in the UK papers to see there's a diversity problem in journalism too. Visit a newspaper newsroom and you'll be confronted by a sea of white, middle class, and often privately educated journalists.

Around 94% of journalists are white – higher than the proportion of the UK workforce as a whole, according to the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). Further figures are eye opening: black journalism students are less likely to be working as a journalist than white journalism students (8% compared with 26%).

The NCTJ puts the lack of diversity in the media down to several reasons - employers are mainly taking on a graduate-only workforce, therefore choosing a subset who are less diverse; students from minority groups not wanting to enter journalism and employers have selective bias.

There's various diversity schemes and funds in place such as the NCTJ Diversity Fund but more needs to be done to publicise journalism as an attractive career across all parts of society. And I say this as someone who is working class and seen more people from my school year go to prison than work in the media.

There's more that we can all do, myself included. Personally when I'm writing articles I look for a diverse range of case studies and specify this when I'm pushing out requests on ResponseSource or speaking to press officers and PRs. Having a representative bank of case studies is something I mention in my talks. Is there someone else in the organisation that you can put forward to speak to the press? 

Also, ask if you/your company are best placed to put out a particular view. Is it really time to push out an email asking if a journalist wants to speak to a white HR director at a company with an all-white board to express their views about how companies can be more representative?

Lots to consider and work on.

Have a great week,
Susie

Why I'm Not Going To Be Covering Your Press Release

Every day my inbox is teeming with press releases. News of a new launch. A new product. A merger. A new campaign. Some of the news I might have written in my old life as a reporter, whereas the title might indicate, my job was to cover news in my industry. During that time, strong interesting stories pinging in my inbox were gratefully received.

But not now. Today, like many freelancers, I write features. So those press releases dropping in my inbox are often a waste of time for everyone. As well as most not concerning the sectors I write about (that's another newsletter), the simple fact is I don't write news stories so I'm not going to be reporting on your press release. I no longer sit on a news desk writing about new launches so the hard truth is that unless you're able to come up with a solid feature idea (something I talk about a lot in my webinars and online course) related to the press release, it can be just a waste of an email.

Also, it's worth pointing out that if the news is going to get picked up, it will be covered by an in-house journalist so if we pitched the idea to an editor – it's already out there. And they're not going to pay us to write up a news release. As much as I wish during these challenging times.

Why We All Need To Be More Sensitive During These Torrid Times

Photo by AbsolutVision on Unsplash

Journalism was already taking a battering pre-Coronavirus and now, with fewer companies advertising and people not venturing to the shops as frequently, we're seeing the industry face an even graver threat to its future. 

Last week Buzzfeed announced it was shelving its UK and US operations, Conde Nast revealed it was reducing its headcount by 100 while the Guardian said it was closing its dating arm, Guardian Soulmates (although this is largely influenced by changes in the dating market). While there's no doubt some publications focused on cooking, gardening and home are enjoying a rise in sales, overall it's a torrid time for the industry. Here in the UK quite early on we saw City AM close its print edition temporarily and the London Evening Standard reduce its distribution.

Against this backdrop, it's worth remembering that many journalists may have been furloughed, lost their jobs or seen their workload shoot through the roof as they take on their ex colleagues' work.

Many freelance journalists have lost work as a result of the pandemic. Personally a regular Guardian slot of my mine has gone (but will hopefully return) whilst across freelance journalist Facebook groups my peers are quite rightly concerned about the future as commissions drastically fall.

Although there are still plenty of opportunities for PRs and founders, for many freelancers, there are less places to pitch to. It's just something worth noting when you're pitching. It's a point made in my ebook as some journalists complained about getting chased needlessly at the peak of the coronavirus. Recently someone emailed me three times in a week regarding a pitch for a product I wouldn't usually cover. 

There can be upshots to waiting. A piece I pitched the Metro in April was responded to – and commissioned – without prompt, two weeks later.

Oh, and some good news, for those who haven't seen it already. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and newspaper group DMGT have joined forces to give away £3m worth of advertising space.

If you're looking for ways to improve your press coverage, I'm running two webinars this month. If you can't make it, the webinars will still be sent to your inbox afterwards for you to view for the next three months. 

Have a great week,

Susie