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Employ these tactics when pitching a story to the media

This is an excerpt from Sport Public Relations 4th Edition With HKPropel Access by G. Clayton Stoldt,Stephen W. Dittmore,Mike Ross.

The nature of big-time sport guarantees media coverage. Daily newspapers cover a Major League Baseball team whether the team is in first place or last place. Therefore, some sport PR professionals do not need to pitch story ideas to reporters, but practitioners with less prominent sport organizations do have to pitch stories on a regular basis.

The actual sales process for the PR professional is a pitch to the media that something is newsworthy enough for them to cover. The pitch is often, but not always, accompanied by some sort of tactic like a news release. PR professionals should never just send a news release without following up with a journalist, and that follow-up is the pitch.

Pitching to the media is common practice in the sport organization–media relationship, and journalists expect stories to be pitched to them. While the initial idea pitch may come via text or email, PR professionals should provide more detail about the content of the idea through a personal phone call. This pitch is also an opportunity to divulge new or updated information to the reporter. For example, if a sporting goods manufacturer is unveiling a new line of shoes at its manufacturing plant, PR staff may offer claims that the new shoes are lighter than the competition’s sneakers. After the PR staff has distributed a news release or media advisory announcing the unveiling, a PR professional might want to call reporters, remind them of the unveiling, and ask for their shoe size. When the reporters show up to cover the event, they can try on a shoe that fits properly and judge firsthand how light the shoe really is. See the sidebar Pitching a Story Effectively for additional insights.

Pitching a Story Effectively PR professionals working for less well-known sports or minor league organizations cannot automatically assume that the media will report on the professionals’ organizations. The practitioner must have some tactics in mind when pitching a story to the media. Several strategies can be effective: Know your sport inside and out. Be in a position to explain to a reporter the intricacies of the sport, including the scoring system, the rules, and judging, and seek to identify unique aspects of your sport that the reporter might find interesting. Know your athletes and coaches. Understanding the off-field interests of athletes and coaches can lead to additional publicity opportunities. Develop your own sources. Suggesting to reporters where they may turn for another perspective may lead to favorable mentions in the media or additional stories. Be certain, however, that the source will speak favorably about your organization before directing a reporter there.
More Excerpts From Sport Public Relations 4th Edition With HKPropel Access

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