As the summer comes to an end, back-to-school is top of mind for many, including the media. With that being said, it’s the perfect opportunity for your company to take advantage of this timely topic.  

Even if you’ve pitched story ideas to the media before, there are specific strategies you can incorporate into your back-to-school pitch that will increase your chances of getting valuable media coverage. 

Below, we’ve provided you with key steps that’ll help enhance the success rate of your next news pitch. 

Refine your angle

Back-to-school media coverage is often targeted towards children, whether that be promoting school supplies or classroom-ready outfits. However, the messaging around back-to-school is applicable to more than just students. 

From business owners to teachers, this time of year inspires new beginnings and is the perfect opportunity for everyone to set goals for the new season to come. In regards to pitches, you have to be aware of the audience you want to target. When you’re pitching the media, it’s key to get the message and audience right to increase your chances of getting media coverage. That means you have to answer the questions that the audience may have about what you offer. For example, if you have a kids’ clothing boutique then offer a story to a local TV news channel on how to stretch your dollar when buying clothes for the upcoming school year.

Pitch the right media contacts

As explained above, being aware of your audience is important. Similarly, contacting the correct news media is just as crucial. There may be many journalists and media outlets you’re going to want to reach out to, but not all of them will be a good fit for your news. Instead, try choosing media contacts that have covered your topic before. They’ll be familiar with the ideas you’re trying to pitch, and if you approach them with a fresh take on a back-to-school topic, you’ll have a better chance of getting news coverage

Stand out

During this time of year, news outlets will get a variety of pitches. However, many of these pitches contain the same topics, whether that be new fashion trends or go-to study tips. 

That’s why it pays to think outside the box. With so many pitch submissions, local news outlets are looking for fresh and unique ideas that’ll give their audience something new to learn about . For example, with the pandemic still affecting how school districts take action with protocols, think of ways to incorporate this into your pitch. 

Be timely 

Because back-to-school season has such a short window, nailing down the perfect time to send your pitch will work in your favor. 

Back-to-school time can range anywhere from the beginning of August to mid-September. Therefore, pitching a few weeks before this time, from July to September, would be considered the ideal time to get your story to news outlets. However, consider that even though you pitched your story in a timely manner, your email could take days or weeks to be viewed. Make sure it stands out and give it the allotted time it needs for it to be published at the perfect time. 

About Michelle Vernaza: Michelle is a Business Development Associate Intern for Swyft, which is a tech PR firm in Austin and Houston and a top digital marketing and PR agency in Denver since its founding in 2011. Swyft also has a small satellite office where it offers tech PR in San Francisco. Swyft has been listed as one of the top tech PR agencies in Texas for two years running by the B2B services review site, Clutch.co.