Suzanne Bearne’s Post

I’ve been on the receiving end of hundreds (realistically, thousands) of story pitches during my career as a journalist. Now, I’m on the other side of the table working in public relations. Here’s some PR tips I’ve picked up over the years. They’re not listed in order of importance, nor are they exhaustive. So I’d be interested to know what you’d add! 1.      Find out what the journalist actually writes about. It seems fairly obvious, but so many PR pitches are irrelevant (and eventually annoying). If you keep it up, expect an ‘unsubscribe’. 2.      A lot of emails are never opened (I left my one reporting position with tens of thousands of unread emails – it was impossible to keep up!), so if you genuinely think you’ve got a worthwhile story that a particular reporter will be interested in, try again (and be sensible about when you pitch) but don’t be pushy. 3.      Make sure it’s new and don’t oversell what you’ve got. Not every bit of research or report is worthy of being at the top of a news story. But it might make some useful background information lower down the story. If that’s the case, pitch it accordingly. (This works well with point 1, if you know that the journalist regularly writes about the particular issue). 4.      Develop respectful relationships with journalists. I know firsthand the frustrations of dealing with press teams at some organisations – and it doesn’t need to be that way. In the end, you’ve both got a job to do so look for ways to make it work. 5.      Respect a deadline. Unfortunately, newsroom resources aren’t what they once were. So journalists’ time is stretched even thinner. It means they’re often juggling multiple stories with different deadlines. If you can’t meet their deadline for whatever reason, let them know as soon as possible. 6.      Look for ways to value add. This might be by providing a case study that can give a real-life example of what you’re talking about, or it might mean pulling together some additional data to localise a global issue. 7.      If you’re offering something as an exclusive, make sure it is. And set a clear timeframe for the story pitch to be considered, so the journalist can check with their editors whether they’ll go for it. 8.      Don’t bend embargoes for different outlets. Unfortunately, embargoes won’t suit everyone – newspapers will want an embargo to lift in the morning. TV newsrooms will want something to be fresh when their evening news bulletin comes around. If you set an embargo, stick to it. 9.      Make sure you’re ready for follow-up questions. There’s no point pitching a story if your interviewee is unavailable or unprepared to speak to journalists.   10.  And finally…. know what’s going on in the news! Keeping track of the news cycle will make you much more effective in your job. And here's a bonus pic of a serious-looking me from 10 years ago today... gosh, time flies.

Sane advice here. “Develop respectful relationships with journalists. I know firsthand the frustrations of dealing with press teams at some organisations – and it doesn’t need to be that way. In the end, you’ve both got a job to do so look for ways to make it work.”

The power of radio...and PR, and the journalist who responds A client was on a national radio station earlier today and within a few hours he had six new bookings. So gratifying to connect clients to the best audiences for them, as well as supplying journalists with the content, or people, who can connect with their audiences. These sorts of 'wins' for clients can come after many many approaches to media that disappear into the black whole of busy journalists and producers. It can be very disheartening in PR, especially when you do the research, know the audience and know that it is a good idea for that journalist to know about this topic... so when do you follow up, and when do you just move on to the next potential space? Many journalists who I have great relationships with, when they reply, say they are only too grateful for the follow up as they had missed it the first time and this is a story they are definitely interested in.....but, when you are approaching someone for the first time, how many times is it okay to email them? I like to think I get the balance right, and while I do sometimes distribute a press release to a group of media, personalised with their name, I mostly send targeted 'pitches' explaining why I thought it would be of interest to THEM, or identifying an aspect of the story or person that makes it a good fit for them. Yes, if you are a journalist and you get an email from me, chances are I have read your last three articles or tuned in to your show (and probably subscribe to that media in order to do so), checked you out on LinkedIn, and really given thought to whether this is something worth emailing you about, so it would be so nice to get a response. I know journalists are inundated with PR approaches, so I try not to take it personally when I get no response. And wow is it great to build relationships with media who know that when they get an email from you, chances are its a good lead to a great story. That is gold. Are you a journalist who ignores PR appraoches, and is it simply because you get too many emails and actually have a job to do, or do you find you get some great leads from PR? I would SO love to know.

Some of my previous posts which deny the existence of god has given me some bad karma:p And not that many likes :( So here, is another heartfelt thank you note to my PR friends, who (shhh!!! it is a secret), do 75 per cent of my work :) Ah, the world of journalism—a glamorous realm filled with intrepid reporters chasing down leads, breaking news, and uncovering scandals, right? Well, not quite. In reality, most journalists are more likely to be found tethered to their desks, wading through a sea of press releases, social media updates, and carefully crafted pitches from the all-important Public Relations (PR) folks. Let’s face it: without PR professionals, journalists might just crumble into a pile of existential dread and unfiled stories. First off, let’s talk about the golden rule of journalism: “Always have a source.” What better source than a PR person who has their finger on the pulse of everything that’s happening in the world—at least, everything they want you to know? When a journalist is frantically typing away, they’re usually just one email away from a PR rep who can provide all the juicy tidbits and talking points they could ever want. And then there’s the sheer joy of deadlines. Imagine a world where journalists have to actually research their stories and interview people. Ugh! Who has time for that? With PR folks around, they can just pick up the phone and ask, “Hey, what’s the story today?” Voila! Instant article! It’s like having a cheat sheet for life, but without any of that pesky research. But let’s not forget the PR folks’ knack for spin. Journalists often find themselves in a sticky situation when they need to cover a not-so-flattering story. Cue the PR person, who swoops in like a superhero to craft a narrative that’s just compelling enough to make the story palatable. “Sure, it’s a scandal, but look at how many puppies we rescued this week!” A brilliant distraction, really. Without PR, journalists would have to grapple with the uncomfortable truth of their stories—what a nightmare! Let’s also acknowledge the critical role of PR in networking. Journalists without PR folks would be like lone wolves—confused, hungry, and desperately seeking social interaction. PR professionals throw events, press conferences, and parties where journalists can mingle, drink overpriced wine, and make connections. What a thrill! Who wouldn’t want to trade a solid story for a mediocre canapé? So, let’s give a round of applause to the PR professionals who keep the journalistic world spinning. Without them, journalists might just end up lost in a sea of facts, awkward interviews, and—gasp—actual work. In a world where breaking news is often just a well-timed tweet, we should all be thankful for our PR friends. After all, they are the unsung heroes of modern journalism, ensuring that reporters never have to face a blank page alone. Cheers to you, PR folks!

Off the back of a reply to a separate chat earlier, I wanted to highlight a specific point about PR right now. This is that it's never been harder to work in [earned] media relations. Before I go on, an important caveat: this is not meant to fan the flames of a tired *battle* between PR and journalism. It's not 'them' and 'us'. It involves both sides, and there are associated issues PR needs to solve to be less lazy, but the fight is hackneyed and old. I'm going to try and swerve this where possible. Onto my point. If i look back at when I started out nearly twenty years ago, we rang journalists regularly - it was the best mode to get them. This often meant locking yourself in a meeting room and calling thirty hacks to pitch, USING YOUR VOICE. (Granted, it also probably pushed Charles Arthur close to the bring daily, when ADs would ask a new AE to "pitch this idea to Charles, he loves hearing from PRs". The industry equivalent of sending an apprentice to buy stripey paint). Back to my point. You rang them to pitch and then followed up with an email. There were a lot more titles to go to, both print and online. And you met journalists regularly - individually as well as the plethora of weekly agency boondoggles (Thirsty Thursday while I was at Edelman regularly ended with near five-foot bar tab receipts). Fast forward to today and there's been such consolidation of titles that it's harder to get heard (arguably, technology saturation happens faster - a piece for another day). There are fewer journalists to pitch to, who are in turn receiving more pitches, with less time (and space) to cover their beat. Add to this that journalists don't have phone numbers - certainly not that they publish - and the primary source of pitching is email. Now, there's an important behavioural aspect of this to flag (and it touches on the boring "PRs are useless" debate I'm afraid). Pitching by email-only can foster laziness; too frequently it's something to hide behind. If you ask "would you ring that journalist with pitch X?" can all too often be answered with "probably not, but it was worth running by them". This is a strawman argument. Again, this is a longer post for another day. Finally, just like industries worldwide, many journalists are hybrid and so only in town a couple of times a week - the opportunity to diary-match for drinks is massively reduced compared to when both parties were in five days a week. So, that's why i think it's harder than ever to get quality earned media. What this then boils down to however, is that if it's harder than ever, PRs needs to pitch better than ever. As an industry, I don't think we can say we do; we can't lament the good old days, we need to adjust to the funny new ones. #mediarelations #pr #editorial #comms

Insights from a Guardian journalist on PR follow-ups. A post from a Guardian Australia journalist yesterday about PR follow-ups sparked a lot of discussion - but the real insights were buried in the comments section. Two key pieces of advice emerged: 📧 Your follow-up phrases might be working against you. In reply to a comment about automated follow ups, the journalist said “I have a filter for some of the usual phrases now too lol”. What does this mean for you? Avoid using overly generic phrases in your follow-ups: • "Just following up..." • "Just checking in..." • "I wanted to circle back..." • "Just bumping this to the top of your inbox..." • "I'm wondering if you had a chance to..." • "Touching base regarding..." • "Following up on my previous email..." • "Gentle reminder..." • "In case this got buried..." Even adding new insights or quotes won't save your email if it contains a phrase a journalist has filtered out. ⏰ Why order matters. When asked if one follow-up was okay, the journalist replied: “Depends on the context. If it's a story that has been picked up elsewhere already then we aren't going to reheat three day old news.” What does this mean for you? If you want to get featured in a top-tier publication like The Guardian, pitch to them first. This cancels out the risk of missing out on your ideal coverage because a smaller paper got there first. You can read the full post here: https://lnkd.in/enz8RVbM #PR #DigitalPR

TOPIC: Should PR agencies ask Auto Journalists for "deliverables"? Dear Auto PR agency executives, while some of you are the Jason Bournes of the PR world, who go about their business with absolute perfection, while also knowing when to "work around" a protocol, some of you act like you were away making Instagram reels when God was putting CSMs (Common Sense Modules) into the human brain. Therefore, this post will enable you to use discretion, which in turn will help you do your job properly, a part of which is to understand the difference between journalism and marketing. Now, in the context of the topic at hand, there are really just two major scenarios: 1) A journo/YouTuber/influencer approaches you/agency for a review unit: Ideally, their first approach itself would include an email or a text that has all the information necessary for you to evaluate whether you should be entertaining that request or not. But, here, you may still ask them for "deliverables", their 10th std marksheet, why there's a gap on their CV, their house papers or rent agreement, their ex-gf's/bf's number, etc., IF your client requires you to fill all that information in your "sheet." 2) Your client / Corp. Comm. asks you to align a media unit to a particular journo/YouTuber/influencer: Here, it's understood that your client / corp comm already knows the person. Therefore, "dates" (not the edible variety or the romantically motivated meetings, but the ones on the Gregorian calendar), would be the only thing you need to discuss with him/her. However, if you insist that, no, you have to blindly follow the protocol and ask for the "deliverables" as well, then, please, before calling/texting/emailing, just do a bit of homework to find out if the person you're approaching is an Instragram reels / YT shorts diva, a generic YouTuber, or a hardcore reviewer whose reviews are taken seriously by not only your client's current and potential customers but their tech and R&D teams as well. If he falls in the last category, which is apparently the PR agencies' least favourite category, please do not ask for "deliverables". If you still won't eat your lunch before filling in your sheet, then just ask something on the lines of, "although Mr./Ms. (enter the Comms name) would already know, could you please share with me as well the kind of story you are planning? Would this be a review, a comparison, or a travelogue?" In all probability, the answer would be, "A REVIEW". Also, treat them the same way you treat a Hormazd or an SVP. For example, I would extend the same respect to a young PR executive handling a new startup, which I would give to a Comms. Head of a major automobile manufacturer. You may feel free to verify the claim by reaching out to each and every Comms Head in my list, and also to the "newbies" including yourself. Thanks for reading. Hope this would help you (you know who you are) and everyone else, who's struggling with the basics like you, too. 🙏

I woke up today to three newspapers on my driveway (I'd subscribe for more home/hard-copy newspaper deliveries, but my husband and the environment would likely take issue with that). Two of the three papers had front page stories that my team at Kitchen Table Marketing + PR placed. It's a banner day (pun intended) but it's not a common one in my line of work. If a PR pro guarantees they can get your story on the front page of the paper, don't believe them. Go and seek counsel from a PR pro that tells you the truth -- that media coverage is never guaranteed. Ever. Even if you have a great story to tell. Even if the timing is just right with cultural/news cycle tailwinds at your back. Even if your story deserves to be heard. Even if your story would change the world for the better. That's the hard truth of PR, and it's sometimes painful to share this with clients who -- understandably and deservedly -- believe their story is newsworthy. What does it take to get your story told in media channels? Here's a quick rundown: 1. A PR rep who thinks like a journalist -- who knows what elements are MUST-HAVES for a solid story, who understands the demands on today's journalists, who will be available at any time to support the reporter/editor in gathering information, setting up interviews, fact-checking, you name it. 2. A client who is willing and ready to share the details that make the story a story -- accurate statistics, deep-dive information, photos, videos, their deeply personal story...and who will make themselves available whenever and wherever they need to in order to get the story done. 3. Relationships -- your PR pro needs to have proven, solid and authentic relationships with the media and the ability to forge these relationships for you in new media channels and markets. Hint -- you're looking for someone who is smart, strategic, honest, a great people person/connector, responsive and dedicated to their work. 4. Luck -- may the media gods be with you (and us PR pros) on this one. Even if you check all of the boxes above, a story can be wonderful and still not get air time. You could even have done all the work and have the story ready to run, only to have it get cut for breaking news. 5. Supporting your local (and national) news organizations -- If you don't subscribe to media outlets, if you don't support journalists on social media or Substack by sharing their stories (and tagging them), then our media ecosystem will cease to exist. And it's going to be impossible to get your story placed because there will be NO PLACE TO TELL IT. As if that personal appeal weren't enough, our democracy will die without journalism to look into the dark corners, the cracks, and the gaps. So, if you do nothing else today, subscribe to a local paper/online site, pay for a Substack subscription, share a media story and tag the reporter and outlet. And let me know you did it!

Kerala Chief Minister recently courted a major controversy because of a PR blunder. The controversy was triggered by a statement reportedly made by the chief minister about gold smuggling and hawala seizure in Malappuram district in an interview published in a leading English Newspaper. Though the chief minister's office later denied the statement, enough damage was already done. The chief minister's press secretary sent a letter to the newspaper on the issue and claimed that no such comment was made. Following it, the newspaper clarified that the gold smuggling was mentioned in a press statement issued by a PR agency on behalf of the chief minister.  But the whole incident raises certain questions. 1) If the interview (answers) was prepared by the PR agency, why didn't they submit it for approval? I worked as a PR professional for more than seven years, and during that period I used to get approval from the client before going to the press. If the agency has not secured approval, then it's a major blunder made by the PR agency. 2) If the interview was submitted for approval and the Chief Minister's PR wing approved it, the PR wing of CM has erred. 3) The newspaper with a great legacy has also made a major mistake. When journalists of the newspaper saw the statement, (which even a trainee journalist can assume would trigger major controversy), they should have reached out to the CM's office directly. I am sure that the newspaper with a left inclination certainly will have the contact to reach out to the CM's office. While working for The Times of India, we used to cross-check controversial statements made by politicians before publishing the same. As per my experience, journalists working with the newspaper were always against press releases sent by PR agencies. Even if there is important and useful information for the public in the press release, they won't publish it simply because it was sent by a PR agency. I wonder what happened to the newspaper. In the era of social media, people in power and responsible positions should be very careful while making statements. A poor PR strategy can spoil all the good things done by them. I feel that journalists should understand that PR professionals are doing their job and should not consider them as inferior people. While working as a journalist I used to consider press releases sent by the PR professionals, and if it had news I used to file the same. After switching to PR, I realized what happens on the PR side. Clients will make all the tall claims and insist on publishing the same on the front page. Initially, it was a bit difficult for me. Later, I learned how to handle such situations diplomatically. PR professionals have to convince their clients that the media will publish news or telecast it if the press statement has something interesting for the public. The clients should also understand that PR is not an alternative to advertising. #pr #prblunder #keralachiefminister

Love this from Michael Smart.... he speaks truth... MichaelSMARTPR Secret, real reasons PR pros “did not respond to a request for comment” “When they won’t even say ‘no comment.’” That’s the headline of the thoroughly reported article in the Columbia Journalism Review that tries to figure out why there’s been a drastic increase in the number of “did not respond to a request for comment” situations in recent years. The journalists quoted seem sincerely bewildered – one says, “It’s the job of spokespeople to tell the best story about the companies they represent. And here they are actively laying down the sword and not engaging in the battle.” It’s funny to me when journalists tell us what good PR entails . . . because they don’t tolerate well the inverse. Proof: The only person quoted in the story who actually does media relations “asked not to be named so as not to affect business relationships.” The article offers all the reasons PR people should be responsive, most of which I agree with. But despite the author’s best efforts, he didn’t find anyone who would be real about the cases – in the minority, but obviously increasing in frequency – when not responding is justified. So I’ll add my two cents to this convo. Here are just a few of the responses PR pros write in their heads, but never send:  The last time I hustled and tracked down my spokesperson on vacation to talk with you, you didn’t quote them. I can’t risk that kind of hit to my internal reputation again, and I don’t know how to say that without sounding vengeful, so I’ll just ghost you.    We would look like total tools if we talked publicly about that issue (seems like that would be obvious to you), and I don’t trust you enough to keep that off the record if I explained it to you, so I’ll just ignore your request.    It’s clear you’ve been researching this story for weeks and you just gave me less than an hour to respond to a volume of questions. If I play along, it validates your ambush tactic. And if I reply and tell you that, you’ll quote me in a way that makes me look defensive and omits your unfair approach.    This is the third time you’ve asked for really specific data that takes me hours to assemble. In between your other requests I’ve emailed you great story ideas that you’ve never even acknowledged. It’s 6 p.m. on a Friday – I’ll pretend I didn’t see your email in time.  # # # Communication is a two way street... you need a coach to help you learn which street will send you in the right direction for your company or you and your company will be made to look foolish. Learn more at www.debsofield.com