When to Pitch and When to Pause

Hi Media Darlings!?

Breaking news can be a double-edged sword for PR pros.?On one hand,?it presents a golden opportunity to get your client’s name in front of journalists.?On the other,?it can lead to an inbox overload for reporters if everyone is pitching at once.?So,?how do you strike the right balance??Let's dive in.

Assessing the News: Is It a Match?

Before you hit send on that pitch,?carefully assess the breaking news.?Ask yourself:

• Is there a genuine connection??Does the news directly relate to your client's industry,?expertise,?or recent announcements? A tenuous connection is unlikely to resonate.
• Is it timely??Can your client offer immediate insights or commentary? If not, consider waiting for a more opportune moment.
• Is it appropriate??Some news events are sensitive.?Consider if your pitch might be perceived as tone-deaf or opportunistic.

The Art of Timing

Timing is everything in PR.?Here are some guidelines:

• Immediate reaction:?If your client can offer unique and valuable insights within the first few hours of the breaking news,?go for it. A swift pitch can better position them as an expert at the perfect time (first mover’s advantage for the win!).
• Wait it out:?If the news is still developing or highly sensitive,?consider waiting a day or two before pitching. This allows for more thoughtful analysis and a less crowded media landscape. Like dating, being too thirsty can end in a not so happy ending.
• Long-term perspective:?For less urgent news,?focus on how the event impacts your client's industry or target audience in the long term. This can show that you’re really paying attention and not just looking to score (like dating….again).

Beyond the Breaking News

While breaking news can be tempting,?it's essential to maintain a broader perspective and not neglect other opportunities.?Consider these strategies:

• Trendsjacking:?Identify trends and topics that are gaining traction and find ways to connect your client to the conversation to generate continued conversation that won’t go away once the news dies down.
• Proactive pitching:?Develop strong,?evergreen pitches that highlight your client’s expertise and can be repurposed for various news cycles. An evergreen pitch can always pop back up when you need it most.
• Media monitoring:?Stay informed about industry trends and emerging stories to identify potential pitching opportunities. Don’t just wait for news to break. If you’re paying enough attention, you’ll always have ideas on the cuff that can be useful based on what’s already out there.

We’ve already seen quite a few examples recently where this insight is important. For example, the recent CrowdStrike incident that caused widespread system crashes on Friday. It was a stark reminder of the breaking news that can send PR people into a creative frenzy on how to get their clients involved. But the situation was undoubtedly unfortunate, and many reporters were completely turned off by PR pros who tried to capitalize on it for their own personal gain. However, the situation also highlighted the importance of rigorous testing and quality control before releasing updates, and relevant experts in the space were able to chime in and provide commentary for reporters who gave clear asks on what they were looking for from sources who were willing to jump in. Instead of just pitching everyone a newsjack pitch angle, the lesson here is to look for media who are actively sourcing for these breaking headlines. Have commentary or execs prepped and ready to go for a quick-turn ask or interview and give it to the media who actually ask for it.

The key to successful newsjacking and breaking news pitching is a balance of speed, strategy and judgment.?By carefully assessing the news,?understanding your audience,?and timing your pitches effectively,?you can maximize your chances of securing media coverage for your clients without becoming off-putting to the media on the receiving end. Remember,?quality always trumps quantity.?It's better to send a few well-crafted pitches than to overwhelm journalists with irrelevant emails.

Share your biggest challenge with breaking news pitching in the comments below.?Let's learn from each other!

For my journo friendlies, feel free to add a specific example of a recent news event and how a PR pro could have leveraged it (or did leverage it) best.

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