Submitted by Sabina Hitchen on | 0 Comments
A sure sign of a PR pro is thoughtful and strategic future planning. This April we're going to give you a taste of how good it can feel to plan that way via our "What to Pitch" list.
What you'll notice here is that half of the topics we're encouraging you to prepare pitches for and then reach out to the press about are in May. Why is Sabina sharing short-lead May stories with us if we're talking about what to pitch in April?
I'm doing it because even short lead stories - especially those that are sure to have several other people pitching them - need to be acted on quickly! Early birds get worms, and there are a lot of birds out there preparing angles around these stories already, even though they're in May.
Dive into the topics below, begin creating angles and story ideas that tie into your brand and business, and start pitching! Need some extra help creating the perfect pitch? You'll find it at the end of the list!
National Small Business Week (May 4-8)
This year the country is celebrating National Small Business Week in early May. Though it's nearly a month away, if you're a small biz owner (and I'm guessing that most of you reading this are, or you know one or work with one) this is the time to find newsworthy angles of your own business story to share with your local TV news or newspapers. You can also find angles that you can pitch to the online short lead media if you're feeling really charged up PR-wise. The key here is to remember that just saying "I'm a small biz owner, let me know if you want to do a story about me" won't cut the mustard my friends.
Instead, you're going to have to pull other interesting talking points and anecdotes to share. Another way to get the attention of the media in terms of this week long celebration is to tie your business into hot topics relevant to the outlet you're pitching. This could mean finding a local angle to your story, tying it into a story the news is already buzzing about or even linking it to a celebrity that's in the news.
One last tip for you: If you're trying to book a television news story about your business ask yourself, "how can I make this as visual as possible". Whether that means inviting the crew to shoot footage at your office, having clients on camera talking about what you do or doing an in-studio demo, the more visual you can make it, the better!
Earth Day (April 22) Earth Month (April)
What began as a cluster of articles here and there has become a major holiday that is celebrated across different mediums and niches of media all month long. Fashion websites and blogs will be covering eco-fashion, some news outlets will be looking for eco-friendly products, others will be looking for brands that give back to eco-conscious charities.
Experts and services who can share valuable "get more green" tips with viewers will also be popular during this time. Like always, your job is to find a way to combine your expertise and knowledge with the earth loving celebration is as natural a way as possible. Here's a great example of Alexis Wolfer, entrepreneur, founder of TheBeautyBean.com and author of The Recipe for Radiance, doing just that with Fashionista.com last year!
Take Your Daughter to Work Day (April 23)
Not all of us have an office or daughter to work with during this annual observance, but if you do, and you're feeling media savvy and in the mood to be authentic and public about both, this could be a great press opportunity for you! In fact, even if your office is a home office, if you're planning on taking your daughter to your work space this April 23rd, be sure you tell the media.
Now don't simply tell them, "My daughter is coming to work with me, please write about it!" Instead, think about how you can turn that day into a news story. Will they be able to come and speak to you both? What will you be doing with or teaching your daughter that they can observe? What other valuable sound bites can you share with their readers, viewers and listeners? Spend a little bit of time planning this experience for both your daughter and the press, and you'll all reap the rewards!
Cinco de Mayo (Plan Ahead - it's May 5th!)
Again, we're planning ahead here folks. Cinco de Mayo is always a big hit in with the media: It's fun, it's full of food and fiestas and is a great place to mention anything from recipes you can make at home to celebrate the holiday to sharing different festivals and parties commemorating the day. Is your business doing something to mark the Battle of Puebla? Plan ahead now and alert the press. Bonus Idea: Even if you choose not to pitch a story to the press about Cinco de Mayo there's no reason you can't share what you're doing (whether it be a sale or tips) via your blog and social media feeds. Those places are also craving timely, contagious content!
Are you reading these story ideas and thinking, "I have the best idea but I'm not sure if my pitch or angle is on point." If they answer is yes, here are a couple more ways we can help you out:
- Download this podcast:
How to Write a Pitch that Gets Noticed by the Press. Bonus: It comes with a pitch example you can use as a template for your own PR outreach.
- Discuss your pitch, from angle to copywriting, in a supportive and private community of entrepreneurs and experts via the Tin Shingle Forum message boards!
Want to get inspiration from past What to Pitch columns? Access them here!
