Secret 1: It’s really, really, really hard to get a feature in a major publication
Securing a feature in a top tier publication is like hitting the jackpot in the world of public relations. Between the day-to-day work of industry journalists, who might receive thousands of pitches a day, and the seemingly constant thinning of the journalism industry, the competition is intense. The reality is, it takes time to build that credibility with national media and within your own industry, unless you have major news like funding, selling your business, an acquisition, or a serious scandal. Even with a compelling story, breaking through the noise requires more than just a good narrative. When working on a pitch, make it less about yourself – offer a unique or contrary perspective that furthers a story the reporter might already be working on. Journalists (and their editors) are constantly seeking fresh, newsworthy angles that resonate with their audience and fit into their deadlines.
But, you should always be available to the media. When a reporter is on deadline, they need reliable sources, so it’s important to make sure you’re on the lists they’re checking for those sources. You can and should be building relationships with journalists, especially the ones who cover your industry, but you obviously can’t connect with thousands or millions of journalists, but there are organizations and lists you can be on to be available to them, should they come looking.
It’s not uncommon for pitches to go unanswered or be rejected multiple times, but persistence is key. For example, a journalist that was connected to Bear Icebox told us that in the three years he covered the beat, and of the hundreds or thousands of stories he wrote in that time frame, only five of them were stories pitched by PR organizations, and two of those five were from Bear Icebox. The process is challenging and time-consuming, like 12 to 18 months without major news, but the payoff is immensely rewarding.
Secret 2: When it comes to audience…size matters less.
Size is increasingly less important – in Public Relations. Size can range in terms of data metrics, like unique monthly visitors to a website, or listeners on a podcast, or, if you’re working with influencers, the number of subscribers their channel has. The actual number matters less in a fragmented media landscape.
Basically, in the current landscape of PR, the traditional metrics of success in a campaign are shifting. Landing a placement in a major outlet is still a success, but it’s not the only success. With the rise of social media, blogs, podcasts, and niche ways to reach audiences, the targeted audience matters more than the sheer number of readers, listeners, or subscribers.
PR professionals must focus on quality over quantity. Who are they speaking to? What is the quality of their audience? How relevant is their audience to your potential customer base?
In today’s media landscape, the news cycle operates 24/7 and your audience is spread across platforms. As a result, smaller, niche outlets can sometimes offer more value than larger publications, particularly if they have a highly engaged and targeted audience.
For example, we had a client featured in industry-leading publication Fast Company, while also being featured on a smaller, legal podcast with a seemingly smaller audience. Guess which audience provided the client with 10 times more leads? It was the podcast. The audience was much more targeted and listening with intent. It’s not necessarily the size of the audience, but how you use it.
Secret 3: The paradox of PR placements
Here’s the paradox – When you get a placement in today’s media landscape, because things are so fragmented and moving constantly, the actual hit goes away almost instantly. Even a New York Times placement will not give you a significant boost for months. Getting featured in a major publication (without scandal) is a great goal, but it doesn’t guarantee long-term results such as increased sales, sustained brand recognition, or brand loyalty. There’s shelf-life to the content it provides, and it doesn’t mean you won’t see increased sales, or better brand recognition, but the immediate hit wears off faster than ever.
That might sound like doom and gloom for the PR industry, and you might even question why you or your business even need PR if major media placements aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. But here’s why you still need PR, and how we can use major media placements as part of a long-term strategy…you can ride the high for longer than ever before with the right repurposing strategy.
Here are a couple tips to ride that wave:
- Do LinkedIn/social media ads leading up to and after placements
- Create mini-videos or talks that you can share
- Create infographics that you can share on social media
- Create an “as seen on” section on your website, not just a “news” section
- Use QR codes at trade shows
Media placements are important, but they should be seen as part of your larger PR strategy that crosses multiple platforms. PR professionals need to amplify media coverage through social media, email marketing, and other channels to maximize its impact.
Secret 4: What you know is more important than who you know
In the evolving landscape of public relations, knowledge has become more powerful than connections. Yes, I have media relationships. Yes, our team has developed those. But, even friends won’t write stories for friends, because they are friends. And you shouldn’t pitch bad stories to friends. We need powerful stories. We need to uncover and unpack stories that are going to be relevant to that outlet, because in reality, a great story gets coverage regardless of media relationships.
Coverage can come from “cold-pitching” with no relationship whatsoever, and that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t develop media relationships, but both should be taking place. But, the story is king. The story has to be good, first and foremost.
Think about PR for a non-profit organization. The best media placements are about the people they are helping – the single-mom who got housing, not the organization itself, which just acts as the guide. Think about that in terms of B2B or consumer-facing content, your clients are the hero, you are the sage that guides them to their moment.
If you’re considering this, and your story isn’t newsworthy, or timely, or frankly, all that interesting, the story isn’t going to get picked up. The good news is stories can be revised, we can update the message. PR professionals should know how to craft a pitch that resonates, understanding the publication’s audience, and providing relevant data or expert commentary.
While having a robust network can open doors, it’s the depth of understanding and expertise that truly drive success. PR professionals must stay up-to-date on industry trends, media landscapes, and audience behaviors to craft compelling stories and strategies. This knowledge-driven approach not only increases the chances of media coverage but also builds credibility and trust with journalists.
Ultimately, the story is more important than the contacts that you have, but having no contacts will give you far less opportunities. It’s a game of balance.
Secret 5: PR people can’t phone in favors with journalists (even if we got ‘em on speed dial)
The myth that PR professionals can easily secure media coverage through personal favors is far from reality. Think about any other industry, if your friend is a stylist, would you call them at their job to do your hair “as a favor,” or would you call your doctor friend to write a prescription for you? These things can get murky really quickly, so why would you expect your PR agency to cash in favors for coverage? Even if they could, even with established relationships, journalists prioritize stories that are relevant, newsworthy, and well-crafted. The integrity of their work depends on maintaining credibility, which means they can’t just publish a story because a PR person asked them to do it.
Both journalists and PR professionals need to benefit from coverage. For the PR professional, the exposure could turn into increased sales, or increased unique monthly visitors to their clients site. For journalists, there’s the story – directly in their inbox – but a working relationship with public relationships professionals also provides them with access to experts and data they might not have previously had, which enhances their reporting.
That’s why its important to use your resources wisely. At Bear Icebox, we know when to push and when to retreat. That is why you’re hiring us. We speak the language of an evolving industry and get them. We went to school with them. We used to work with them.
Secret 6: PR people have a code of ethics they can voluntarily follow
Ethics play a crucial role in public relations, and that doesn’t exclude our team at Bear Icebox. We adhere to ethical standards from organizations like the Public Relations Society of America. PRSA unveiled a third version of the Barcelona Principles, a global set of measurement guidelines for PR professionals, in 2020. Here are the updated seven standards:
- Setting goals is an absolute prerequisite to communications planning, measurement, and evaluation.
- Measurement and evaluation should identify outputs, outcomes, and potential impact.
- Outcomes and impact should be identified for stakeholders, society, and the organization.
- Communication measurement and evaluation should include both qualitative and quantitative analysis.
- AVEs are not the value of communication.
- Holistic communication measurement and evaluation should include all relevant online and offline channels.
- Communication measurement and evaluation are rooted in integrity and transparency to drive learning and insights.
By adhering to these standards, we can build trust and credibility with our clients, journalists, and the public.
Following a code of ethics also helps agencies navigate complex situations, such as managing crises or handling sensitive information. It provides a framework for making ethical decisions that align with both professional standards and the broader public interest. Ultimately, a commitment to ethical practices not only enhances the reputation of individual PR professionals but it also elevates the entire industry.
Secret 7: AI has a long way to go before it can take over your PR campaigns…but it can surely help them
Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing many industries, and public relations is no exception. But, let’s be clear, it’s not taking our jobs. In worst case scenarios, agencies might be ignoring AI, or waiting to see how it plays out. But, many agencies, including ours, are experimenting with tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity.ai and others to determine how AI can help us be better PR practitioners.The reality is these tools are great at research, great at bouncing off ideas. But here’s where AI still is stuck: It doesn’t know how to connect with a client like a human and get deep into the essence of what makes a great story. It’s not going to advocate for your brand and know how/when/why to position it in front of the right audiences.
But, there are things that AI can do to help enhance our work as a PR agency. For example, it can assist with tasks such as analysis, budget creation, and valuable insights. This allows our team to focus on other tasks that require more creativity and that human touch that AI lacks.
It’s that human touch remains irreplaceable in PR. Crafting compelling narratives, building relationships with journalists, and understanding the nuances of human behavior are areas where AI falls short. The best PR campaigns leverage AI as a tool to enhance human creativity and expertise, rather than replace it. By combining the strengths of AI with the skills of experienced PR professionals, organizations can achieve more impactful and efficient public relations outcomes. And it should absolutely be a red flag if an agency isn’t exploring AI on your behalf.