Pitching exclusives can be difficult, especially when you are trying to keep it short, succint, and clear. Journalists always have different preferences on what entices them within these pitches, but there are a few main elements that are important to include in each of them.
To find out the most important elements, we took to Twitter to make sure we consulted with the PRos on their thoughts.
Read below to hear what these 4 PR veterans had to say:
Peter Girard is the Director of Account Services at Caster Communications and says that timeline, assets, and a strong WHY are the 3 elements that should be included in every exclusive.
The proposed timeline so everyone is on the same page on when an embargo lifts or story can go live. As many supporting assets as possible (images, video, background, charts, graphics, etc.) Above all, the reason why we believe it's "exclusive worthy" so the jurno has everything.
— Peter Girard (@CasterPete) April 21, 2023
Making sure journalists know when this product/news is going to be released and why it's important are beyond important. They need to know early (we hear about 5-7 days before is preferred) so that they can alter their schedules to accommodate this breaking news.
Isa Lavs, Freelance Digital Strategist, reaffirms that you have to have a deep understanding about what the journalist covers.
Proof that you’ve read their work, know their interests and done your research. Then tying your pitch in by either a) adding something of value to a piece they’ve already covered b) provide new data/insight deemed credible enough for you/your client to join the conversation
— Isa Lavs (@IsaLavs_) April 21, 2023
Creating an angle that ties into the way journalists craft their stories is essential to getting your story picked up and ultimately covered. Bring in thought leaders, bring in data, and propose a tie in to an interesting angle.
Rebecca Wright, Director of Media Relations at Break of Dawn, makes an interesting point about explaining why it's important to lay out why exclusives are valuable to them.
1 - Why it's exclusive for them - what's the value for THEM?
— Rebecca Wright (@wrightbecs) April 21, 2023
2 - What's exclusive about what I'm pitching: dataset, a comment, a full story
3 - Timeline: when I'll open it up to other outlets or writers
Sometimes I offer raw data from a study for review with a password as well.
Saying why your exclusive is actually exclusive is important to journalists. It makes it clear to them what the actual story is without having to guess or really craft a story around the news they recieve in pitches. If the story is there and the value is clear, journalists will have a higher inclination to cover your news (as long as it's relevant to them).
Lindsey Bradshaw, freelance PRo, states a point that many publicists forget to include with exclusives is stating when the offer for the exclusive expires.
Expiration date for the offer. Let them know that they’re top priority for the story but you need to know within a set time frame that works for your goals.
— Linds Bradshaw (@imlindsbradshaw) April 20, 2023
This helps the journalist to feel more comfortable in knowing that this story is only being pitched to them. It also aids in moving the process along and upping that publicist's chances of actually getting a yes or no response from a journalist.
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Pitching exclusives, and making sure all the appropriate information is included, can be hard to keep track of. Journalists can have several different preferences on what they'd like included. Podcasts like Coffee with a Journalist give you exclusive intel into hundreds of journalists and their top tips for PR professionals to land stories.
If you're looking for tools for guiding your outreach and follow-up strategy, tap into our arsenal of tools to make pitching the easiest part of your job. Create a profile and try it out for free today!
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