In a digital world saturated with information and expertise, the challenges of PR professionals have reached new heights. PR or digital PR, the landscape is ever-evolving, meaning the art of capturing the attention of journalists and audiences alike has become more intricate than ever before.
Gone are the days when a well-crafted press release could guarantee a spot in the headlines.
Following increased journalist redundancies, emerging technologies and the rise in digital agencies, standing out from the crowd is becoming challenging.
With this in mind, our Account Manager, Kayleigh, has embarked on a journey to uncover just what journalists are looking for as we approach 2024 in a recent interview.
Kicking off the #BehindtheByline series, we spoke to Rachael Hesno, an industry journalist at Prolific North, currently specialising in the tech, digital, broadcast and creative sectors up North. Here is some of her work:
– “I’ve faced sexism”: Founders open up about their battles raising investment in the North
– How Bodyform and Tena owner Essity is using advertising to break taboos from its Manchester HQ
What makes a subject line stand out to you – Is there anything that you gravitate towards in particular?
“My preference is a subject line that gets to the point. No fluff! This is because we cover lots of sectors in the North (anywhere from tech to brands), and it helps us sift through what’s newsworthy to us… and what’s not. On the news desk, a typical subject line that would stand out would be along the lines of “x agency has client win with x brand” or “x tech company expands into Leeds” (as examples). Clear and concise subject lines are winners!”, says Rachael.
“My role includes doing in-depth interviews, deep dive industry features, overseeing regular features and commissioning opinion pieces. If there’s a succinct subject line that summarises what the press release, pitch or idea is about in a few words, I’ll always open it. I also like to receive recommendations to interview a particular industry figure, if relevant to the sectors we cover, or new statistics/comments to go with a reactive news story unfolding always stand out. I often cover reactive news, so ‘x figure comments on x issue’ would stand out as a subject line.”
What puts you off an email pitch?
“Where do I start? There are so many PRs that get it right with their press releases, but there’s a handful who either a) have no idea what we do or b) don’t realise (the clue is in our name!) that we only cover the North of England. You just need to visit our (new!) website to see all the categories we cover to get an idea.
“A bad email pitch is when the newsworthy bits are buried deep, and the subject line is misleading. If we have to skim read 300 words to find out what the news is and it’s right at the end or weaved in ‘creatively’, you’ve probably lost our attention already.
“I often get wild or completely irrelevant press releases along the lines of ‘the nation’s favourite fruit’ or ‘how Jane Doe from New York is now a bobsleigh champion’. To add salt to the wound, these emails always start off with how much of an avid Prolific North reader they are (!),” says Rachael.
She adds, “Tailoring press releases to each publication should be a given. Templated, mass-pitch emails are a no-go. Do your research about the journalist you’re reaching out to and the publication. If you’re unsure if it’s a relevant story, just ask!
“Also, emailing about a company announcement such as a senior hire, when the individual joined six plus months ago, or chasing us about a news story that has been around for months. It isn’t newsworthy anymore, and we’ll always check LinkedIn/other news outlets to find out. Images should always be attached and hi-res where possible; logos never look great on stories.”
Rachael goes on to recommend: “Don’t be pushy. If you’ve pitched something, it might be a great idea but we’ll need time to discuss it if it’s for a meatier piece. Demanding feedback for why we’ve not used a press release is a big pet peeve. We’d love to give feedback, but we can’t reply to hundreds of emails a day, or we’d never get anything done! Also, when PRs find my personal email address to chase an email, they’ve sent it to my work one. Please don’t do this!”
What are the most common mistakes you see in an email pitch and press release?
“A press release with no facts or anything newsworthy. Journalists (especially on the news desk) are pressed for time. Plus, subject lines that just say ‘press release’; it feels lazy,” says Rachael.
What is the typical format you’d like to see in a press release?
“It might sound obvious, but as we are a regional industry publication, we need to know what the Northern angle is. Is the company based in the North, or is there a regional link?”
“At the end of a press release, it’s always handy when there’s an ‘about’ section with a brief paragraph or two about the company – locations, staff, clients etc. – that we can slot into the piece or news story for background,” adds Rachael.
Is there a preferred time of day, or day of the week, you like to receive a pitch?
“I always check my emails (day and night) as I am chronically online. I’m fine with pitches on the weekends but I won’t usually respond until Monday,” Rachael advises.
What is your opinion on being asked to add a link to an article after publication? Similarly, what would your reasoning be for not including a link in the first place?
“We have an editorial policy against adding in backlinks. We only link to companies if they have a prolific profile with us (it’s a great section on our website where a company can advertise what they do with their mission statement, team, work, company website, socials etc), or if it’s a link to helpline support/study we’ve heavily referenced in a news piece/feature,” says Rachael.
How often and how soon would you prefer a PR to follow up with you?
Rachael advises, “If it’s an urgent press release or timely, a gentle nudge or follow up reminder by email or phone call is fine as I receive hundreds of emails a day. In other instances, just an email. If you follow up too many times (or call when it’s not an urgent press release) it can become frustrating for the journalist”.
Do you prefer images as attachments or, for example, within a DropBox link?
“As attachments (where possible). No one likes a WeTransfer link that expires in 2 days!”, Rachael recommends.
Do you prefer pitches not to be angled at awareness days, or do you favour this?
Rachael explains, “Personally, this is fine. We often do pieces on awareness/special days so it depends on what the day is (for instance, mental health awareness days where we can do deep dives into certain sectors we cover).
Would it make a difference to you if a PR introduced themselves in the first instance and shared what kind of clients they work with before pitching anything specific?
“There are LOTS of great PRs in the North who’ve made an effort to intro themselves, explained what they do/clients they work with, and we’ve built up good relationships with them as a result. We cover PR as a sector, so this definitely helps!
“When I’m looking for comments for certain pieces or looking to interview an industry head, I have a go-to approach list of trusted PRs who I know are speedy and can deliver (and the majority are those who have introduced themselves). For more niche pieces or if I’m looking for wider perspectives, I use journo requests via Twitter/LinkedIn, so it’s always worth engaging with journalists on these social platforms”, says Rachael.
She adds, “We often get email requests for intro lunches/coffees/drinks, which is always lovely, but sadly we just don’t get the time to meet people as often as we’d like! We host plenty of industry events (and attend lots, too!), and I’m friendly, so if you ever see me out and about, please do say hi – I don’t bite!”
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If you’re looking for a PR agency to help elevate your business in key publications and audiences, find out more about our services and book a free 30-minute introductory call with our Managing Director Katrina here.