There is an art to pitching personalities to the press, whether the goal is for the person to be featured in a Q&A piece in Forbes, profiled by VICE, or chosen for a bylined article in Green Entrepreneur.
Have you ever heard the saying: Great coverage doesn’t happen overnight? Well, it’s true. Successful media publicity is the result of hard work. And more often than not, a public relations agency is behind it. That’s because it involves being plugged into the 24-hour news cycle, juggling media interview and event schedules, and fielding journalist questions. And it’s all a bigger undertaking than one might imagine.
Here at Durée & Company, we have been working with personalities for more than 20 years, from entrepreneurs and thought leaders to award-winning authors and board-certified plastic surgeons. We have successfully secured top-tier media coverage, speaking engagements, honors and accolades, and more.
Below, we share some of our best practices to maximize awareness of personalities in the media. We ensure their businesses are promoted and their stories are shared meaningfully and exponentially.
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Cultivating the relationship.
It’s important to carefully position personalities in the media. In order to do so, there needs to be a mutual understanding of objectives, goals and expectations. When we have a full understanding of their businesses and stories, we can navigate the editorial landscape efficiently and effectively. This means developing well-crafted PR assets and clear, concise messaging. This messaging should speak to a core business, side hustles, accolades, and beyond. Acquiring this information is the first step in PR – and the rest, as they say, will fall into line.
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Creating a strong media list, followed by a compelling pitch letter.
Once we’ve established an agenda and have the necessary PR assets, we’ll spend time sending personalized pitch letters to the proper media outlets and figures. We have to consider: How does our client fit within the current narrative? Are there any mainstream topics he/she can provide insight for? Not only is it important to understand who the client is as a person, but it’s equally vital to know the journalists we are making an effort to connect with. We are always mindful of those we are pitching and know they sometimes receive hundreds of pitches per day.
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Identifying additional non-editorial opportunities.
As public relations professionals, we have our pulse on all things editorial. However, we also identify and engage our clients in additional publicity opportunities. For instance, we have capitalized on the podcast revolution, ensuring we have a well-rounded list of those that align with the personalities we are pitching to the press. Right now, more than 1 million active podcasts provide a significant opportunity to leverage our clients as guests on key shows. There are also speaking opportunities, industry honors and awards. Indeed, the possibilities are endless.
Pitching personalities to the press is an art form, with many different layers. If you’re looking for a PR agency with the skills and savvy to help in these efforts, contact us today at 954-723-9250.
About Durée & Company, Inc.
Durée & Company, Inc. is an award-winning, full-service public relations, marketing and special events firm founded in 1999. The firm has offices in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Aspen, Colorado. Durée & Company serves the corporate, agency and nonprofit arenas for local, national and international clients. Services include public relations, social media, marketing, digital marketing, content development, advertising, special events, branding, radio promotions, affiliate marketing and more. Durée & Company clients include well-known names in yachting, business, real estate, hospitality, travel, cannabis and hemp, wellness and CBD, art and culture, fashion, nonprofit organizations, legal and professional services. Durée & Company is a member of PR Boutiques International™ (PRBI), an international network of boutique PR firms. To learn more, call 954-723-9350; g8o to dureeandcompany.com; or visit its new, specialized cannabis- and CBD-specific site at cannabismarketingpr.com. Join the social conversation and follow Durée & Company on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn at @DureeCoPR.
