Valley PR Blog

Whats your story? EV Tribune wants to know

By Charlotte Shaff on June 13th, 2007 In Professional Development

What is your story? That is what Lifestyle Editor Sam Mittelsteadt and general assignment feature reporter/columnist Michael Grady of the East Valley Tribune want to know and get across to PR folks here in the Valley. Granted, this is what we hear from the media all the time, but its always good to be reminded when we are working on pitches and developing strategies with our clients.

Below is my observations at the PRSA breakfast with the EV Tribune this morning and the thoughts and tips Sam and Mike gave to the group. Maybe there is something you are working on RIGHT NOW that doesn’t really have a story to it yet…This may help!

First of all, I had to leave a few minutes early for another appointment, so if you attended and are reading this and heard other nuggets of PR gold, let us know in the comments below.

*Stories! It seems a given when you are pitching Features writers, but really find a good story and more importantly along with that is to find some resources, examples and relevance to why its something for them to consider. Don’t focus on the product or service, neccesarily, but the story behind it and why its of interest to an East Valley Tribune reader.

*Know who you are pitching. How many of you put the writer/editor’s name in the subject line to get their attention and then pitch the exact same release you sent out to 100 others that day? Michael and Sam both agreed that it just doesn’t go over well and they can spot a generic pitch easily. Read some of their past articles and get a feel for their style. Michael said this is one of his biggest pet peeves and I am sure many reporters would agree.

*Realize your client’s product/service will most likely be put into a larger story. We all have clients with dreams of a three page spread done on them, but its not reality. Usually some part of what they do or say can be implemented into a larger concept if it is relevant, but Feature Stories are not consistently about just one thing.

*Visuals! Help the reader and the reporter see the story. Offer up ideas for visuals and photo opps and also have some photos/jpegs on hand if they can’t get a photographer out to your event or client.

*Shooting it down. Mike gave a funny example of how he looks at the hundreds of pitches that come his way through his Outlook software and the sport of Skeet Shooting: If it floats up as a new message and that first line and subject don’t get his attention, he can “shoot it down easily by hitting DELETE”. Don’t give him a chance to shoot it down without even reading it! Tell him why he should care about opening your pitch.

*Holiday Ideas. If you have a fantastic idea that relates to a holiday or local event… please, please, please don’t pitch it the week of. Many times they have already been working on a plan for weeks, even months and there is nothing more dissapointing than finding a Grade A idea pop up after they had a few Grade B ideas already implemented into a story. If your stuff is the sh*t–let them know way ahead of time and make sure your clients know this so you don’t feel pressure to pitch an idea you know is too late to be considered. It still COULD get in, but its kind of like when we buy concert tickets..if we wait till the last minute, we usually get the nosebleed seats–so pitch early for holidays! (If you are pitching a Fathers Day gift idea this week I feel really sorry for you…and if you got it placed..i want to hear how you did it!)

FEATURES THEMES DURING THE WEEK:
Monday: Senior focus
Tuesday: Family/Relationships/Pets
Wednesday: Food
Thursday: Get Out (21-35 year old info)
Friday: Families and What to do on the weekend
Saturday: Health and Home
Sunday: Arts and Life

This breakfast reconfirmed a lot of things I try to do in my pitching, while also encouraged me to take second look at what I am currently working on and find more of a story, instead of just a pitch.

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