4 PR mistakes to avoid in rallying for media coverage - from an assignment editor's point of view
There are four mistakes that some PR personnel can avoid before engaging editors and reporters for pitching. There are;
- Don't understand our limitations and how we work
- Don't understand our viewers and our DNA
- Promoting the event or individual - not stories
- No news value
DISCLAIMER: Before proceeding with your reading, let me express my sincerest gratitude and admiration to the media relations and the PR industry personnel. Over the years in journalism, I have learned a lot from you and has helped me a journalist as you see today. This article doesn’t and should never portray the media relations and PR personnel in totality, however, there are few incidents that I highlighted here, which are just some examples that I wish we can all learn from. This article is my personal view and should not reflect any other individuals or organisations, including the organisation that I work with.
TYPICALLY, I receive dozens of coverage invitations and interview pitching daily. As the person responsible for the construction of the coverage plan, it is my job to collect and evaluate every single invitation and pitching, whether to be accepted or turned down.
On average I can say only 30-35 per cent of the invitations are accepted. The rest of what you see on the Astro Awani is news content outside of any scheduled events.
If you are a PR or media relations executive, you may specialize in producing media invitations. But unfortunately in some scenarios, your invitation doesn’t bear fruit (in this case, from me) due to several reasons.
Here are four top examples which might explain why I turned down your invitation or pitching ideas!
1) Don't understand our limitations and how we work
Any PR or media relations execs who have my email and phone number will usually contact me directly. I am honoured to receive your Whatsapp and calls. But unfortunately, my nature of work requires me to work on shifts. Wouldn’t it be more wonderful if you could call us during our shift, so I could entertain and engage you better?
That said, try to text us and ask if we are working at that hour. Many instances where I receive calls from a PR guy during my nap time, because I have to work night shifts. Unfortunately, I can't pick up your call at that time, even though it is during your working hours.
There are also many instances where a PR officer insists on RSVPing his event, even at a time when the coverage plan is still in the making and it is still too early for us to decide what event we would want to cover.
"Can you call us back at 9 pm later?" I asked the PR girl in response to her questions about her RSVP request.
"Oh, but that's already out of my working hours," she replied.
Seriously guys, what will be the most appropriate response to this?!!
2) Failing to understand the DNA of media organization
Astro Awani, for example, is a multi-platform news organization. We are on TV, the web and social media. Our content focuses on breaking news, involving domestic affairs, politics, administrative policies, issues of people's well-being and matters surrounding it.
I was recently approached by a PR manager from a leading international PR company. I never dealt with her before. She called me on my mobile and kept asking me to give some space to her client on our channel. She told me that she watches Astro Awani often and "understands" Astro Awani always publishes stories like the one she’s suggesting. Her client, a local car distribution company, which sells luxury cars wanted to promote their new initiative - an RM5000 scholarship program for eligible students and the opportunity to do an internship.
From the context of misunderstanding our DNA, there are few flaws in her pitching.
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