While attending the 2013 PRSA International Conference in Philadelphia last month, I sat in on a session led by pitching expert Michael Smart. During his session, “New Secrets of Media Relations Success,” Michael explored a variety of strategies that have helped PR practitioners land coverage on Good Morning America, The Today Show and CBS This Morning – all relatively difficult platforms to reach. Of all the sessions I attended at the conference, Michael’s left me most inspired. Pitching has, at one point or another in my career, left me feeling frustrated and defeated. But after Michael’s session I felt re-invigorated. I was ready to come home and apply his methods and strategies to my own work. Most important, his session reminded me that pitching is a process. There is no science to media pitching, but there are secrets. Here are a few secrets and strategies from Michael’s session. Facing Reality Before diving into how he’s assisted with attaining top-tier consumer coverage, Michael addressed some issues facing PR folks today. Overall, it’s harder than ever to reach media influencers. With traditional media outlets under economic siege, reporters are wearing more hats, covering general topics rather than specific beats. In addition, reporters [...]
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