Ed Willmott

Reaching the right people at the right time with a targeted message is key, and I believe a media campaign can be the perfect way to increase brand awareness, engage audiences and build great relationships.

Whether it’s announcing the latest company news, launching a brand new product or revealing an innovative programme, keeping front of mind and reaching out to customers is all down to great media coverage.

People often ask me the secret to publicity and PR – how to take a press release and encourage top news outlets to feature the content.

The answer is simple – the perfect PR phone pitch.

Long gone are the days of emailing a press release to hundreds of reporters in a vague effort to achieve a few small news stories. Instead, you need a surefire way to get your news noticed and your company remembered.

To give you a helping hand, I’ve put together my top tips to making the perfect PR pitch:

Cut the small talk

It’s no surprise that the typical reporter receives hundreds of PR phone calls every day. Unfortunately there’s a limit on how many times they can discuss the weather without collapsing into boredom – so keep your call concise and clear.

If you can, be sure to get the key facts across in the first 15 seconds – most importantly the who, what, where, when, why and how.

If a journalist is interested in your story, they’ll have made a decision almost straightaway. Follow this up with a well-written press release and you’re on the right track to great media coverage.

Keep it simple

Although you may be an expert on your company, product or service, don’t expect a journalist to share the same specialist knowledge.

Just as you would write a press release, keep your pitch simple. A long speech about the latest technology or technical specifications is more likely to confuse and deter, rather than engage and entice.

Stick to the basics and focus on the benefits so that you engage with reporters, increasing the chance of seeing your news printed.

Believe in your story

There’s nothing worse than talking to a salesperson who doesn’t have any passion for their product, and it’s the same with PR – if you don’t believe in your story, neither will an editor.

However, if you show interest, enthusiasm and can demonstrate how relevant your story or idea is for readers, you’re more likely to find yourself featured in the press.

Timing

With more and more publications moving to a weekly, quarterly or annual print basis, it’s becoming ever more important to pick the perfect time to pitch.

Research the publications you want to target and know their deadlines. If the outlet goes to print on a Thursday, pitching a front-page splash on Wednesday afternoon is unlikely to be worth your while.

Planning is key, so don’t leave it to the last minute.

Don’t fall at the last hurdle

Even if you have the perfect pitch, a sloppy email or press release can be the difference between a lead story and missing out on being featured.

Grammar, spelling and syntax are essential. Proof your release, take time to send a follow-up email and make sure the publication has everything needed for a story to go to print.

Why not let me know if these tips have been helpful – drop me a line, find me on Facebook or tweet me at @edwillmott.

With news over the last few weeks of business bankruptcy and budget reductions across Lincolnshire, cutbacks and closures are becoming routine.

From Blockbuster and HMV, to the City Council and Armed Forces, job cuts and calling in the administrators seems a stark warning that the UK is slipping back into recession.

But with marketing and PR often the first budgets to be slashed, is there anything you can do to keep ahead of the competition, retain margins and move with the times – not only on a tight budget, but also in an age of increasing consumer demand and switching loyalty.

Luckily for marketeers, there is! By making simple changes to your marketing approach and going back to basics, you can future-proof your business and retain corporate profits.

Communications isn’t just about publicising your products and creating consumer hype, it’s also about listening and responding to your customers, keeping them engaged with your brand and building trustworthy relationships.

By working with your customers, listening to their opinions and creating new and improved ways to satisfy their needs, you can excel from your competition, even in such difficult economic times.

Listening, however, is something that many businesses fail to recognise, becoming stuck in their ways and behind the times. The news of Blockbuster slipping into administration, for example, is testament to the importance of keeping track of consumer habits and maintaining an innovative approach to business.

Fortunately, being receptive to your customers doesn’t have to be a time consuming or costly task. In fact, there are a number of inexpensive marketing tools that are perfect for engaging and responding.

Social media, for example, is a great way of speaking directly to your audiences, responding to their requests, customising your offering to satisfy their demands and building brand ambassadors.

From Facebook and Twitter, to YouTube and blogging, the Internet is a perfect tool to engage with customers, and with 85% of the UK active online, it can often be more effective than traditional media.

These free online channels can provide first-hand responses to customer questions, keep you ahead of the latest trends and help to further direct your marketing strategy.

The most successful companies invest significant time in direct communication channels, and, as such, maintain financial stability in tough times.

Along with social media, direct response advertising and information sessions can really help to engage with consumers, keeping them keen, interested and an advocate of your business.

So, before cutting costs or jobs, review your marketing approach and respond to the changing needs and requirements of the market. Work with your customers to drive innovation forward and ensure you communicate constantly, rather than keeping consumers in the dark.

Failure often comes from a business becoming obsolete, so my advice is to listen, respond and move with the times.

I’d love to hear your views on innovation and responsive marketing, so why not leave a comment or follow me on Twitter.