WSVN's Deco Drive: "Local Coverage Reveals Possibilities You Never Considered"
Today marks the first edition of our new "How'd You Get That Hit" newsletter, exclusively on LinkedIn.
If you’ve ever pitched media, you know the journey from idea to pitch to coverage is not always a straight line. Far from it — coverage takes intentionality, creative thinking, and patience.
This newsletter shares our stories and tips to help pitch your next big win and create lasting media relationships.
In today’s edition:?
?? WATCH: Marely on Connecting With the "Deco Drive" Producer
?? SEE: The Pitch That Won the Producer Over
?? READ: Marely’s Thoughts on the Power of Local Coverage
Q: What’s in a “great” local news story??
Marely: It can’t just be that the company is expanding its footprint or opening another store — that won’t stand out to a reporter or producer. The local tie needs to be strong.?
A great local news story needs to answer questions like:
Your news is the hook (hopefully), but the story must go even deeper.
Q: Any advice for pitching local TV outlets??
Marely: Call newsdesks! We rarely pick up a phone and pitch anymore, but you’d be surprised by what an old-school phone call can do with local media.
When you’re calling or pitching newsdesks, timing is everything. Do it first thing in the morning, around 9 AM in your time zone. You’ll get to them before they get busy with pitch meetings and decide which stories they want to pursue. Your story will be top of mind!
Q: What’s different about pitching an on-air segment versus other mediums?
Marely: First, you should reach out to producers – editorial, booking, and segment producers! While their full responsibilities vary, these roles all tend to read pitches, book guests, and handle requests for their shows and/or segments.
Also, do research beyond just the overall channel you're pursuing. When you pitch, know if there’s a specific segment you’re targeting. Dig into what the segment is about, who the hosts are, and the type of stories they cover.
It’s similar to when you're pitching journalists in general. You’d never pitch an outlet thinking of only the overall outlet. You think about which specific journalist you should target, the stories they typically cover, and so on. You need to think about those things for an on-air segment as well.
Q: What are some benefits of local news coverage?
Marely: Local coverage increases a brand’s local awareness. It also can…?
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Q: What would you say to someone who thinks local is “too small” for them?
Marely: Local helps build a coverage history that pays off with national outlets. In fact, many times we’ve used local hits to secure national ones. And don’t forget that publications like the Los Angeles Times or the Business Journals are considered local.
I would rarely recommend that local pitching is the whole strategy. But there's value in a local presence just as much as other mediums and outlets, and it should be complementary to other pitching efforts.?
Q: In the video, your overall pitching efforts originally focused on the client’s record-breaking moment, but when you moved to “Deco Drive,” you pursued an evergreen angle. Why? Do you ever run out of angles?
Marely: Simply put, the record-breaking story wasn’t the hook for “Deco Drive.” “Deco Drive” relishes live experiences so we knew the sea trial was our best option for getting the client on air. We worked the record-breaking news into the story. It just couldn’t be the lead pitch.?
There are always ways to refresh and evolve angles to make them better. Think with this mentality: “Is there anything new I can tie to an old angle or product to make it more relevant to reporters and their audiences?”
Topics are always trending and news is always breaking; it’s all about finding that timely hook of why audiences should care.
Sure, your angle might not be interesting now. But it could be in three months when something happens in the news to make it more timely.
Q: Do you have any unconventional tips for building relationships with reporters?
Marely: I’ve made relationships with reporters by connecting first and waiting to pitch them. I’ll spark conversation around a similar interest I found. If we both like the same video games, I’ll ask their thoughts on the newest release. If they went to a rival college, I’ll talk smack about where they went and play up the “competition.”
Sometimes it doesn’t turn into placements. But that's okay because the most important thing is building a relationship by being a trusted resource. When those things are in place, coverage inevitably follows.
?? MEET OUR PITCHING EXPERT: MARELY ARIAS ??
Marely is based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and is one of our resident PR and pitching experts at Carve. She was recognized on Qwoted’s "Top 100 in PR" list in 2022 for her response speed to reporters, positive replies to her pitches, and quality conversations with the media. She's earned placements in publications such as Tech Crunch, Forbes, Yahoo Finance, Billboard, and Fast Company.
Thank you, Marely, for your insights.
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Supervisor of Media Relations at Carve Communications, Inc.
10 个月I'm so excited to be part of our first edition, thank you Carve! So happy I get to share my knowledge and insights ??
Storyteller + Marketer + Lover of Life Hacks
10 个月Love this story and breakdown! Marely is always teaching me something new ??
Never ignore the power behind a local hit!