Public Relations Pitfalls

What are some of the common pitfalls to avoid in public relations? Poorly written material, too much content, lack of enthusiasm for the pitch, over-hyping, poor research, noisy background during phone conversations and bad timing.   

Written material that is poorly worded, contains spelling errors and is poorly structured will ensure that your press release will end up in the trash. Watch the length. Too much content leads to irrelevant information that needs to be waded through before the reporter can determine what the point is. If you want to grab the reader’s attention, you must be write your pitch concisely. Cover all the relevant points and follow up with information about the event or activity. Use simple, clear language and avoid jargon.

Enthusiasm for your pitch is essential, however, you must ensure that you don’t overdo it.  Remember to smile when you pitch, don’t use too many superlatives or you won’t sound credible. Use facts to support your statements, don’t exaggerate and avoid generalisations. You want to boost the reputation of your brand, generate leads and then convert those leads. To achieve these goals you must protect the brand, promote it through fact sheets and use strong writing skills.   

Poor research will result in a number of issues, including sending your press release to multiple reporters in the same office or targeting the wrong reporter in multiple offices! Do your homework. When emailing, only email one reporter at a time. Know which reporter covers your topic, follow them on social media, create a relationship with them. If you use Twitter, consider following them and use Direct Message so your communications remain private.

Poor research can lead to a lack of purpose, for example, sending out press releases too frequently which don’t provide important updates. Have a plan, know what you wish to communicate and why. If you don’t plan you risk an important announcement being ignored by the press. And don’t forget to check your competitors’ PR efforts. The reporter you are pitching to may have recently written a story on your competitor, take time to research their angle to ensure that your story pitch has a different angle.

Make sure you call from a quiet location with a reliable line, pitching from a mobile phone could be problematic in areas with poor coverage. If you are unable to contact the reporter, consider calling back, rather than leaving a voice mail, which most likely will result in your call being ignored. Be prepared to close the deal by following up. You want to be heard, so be ready with additional information if a reporter has additional questions.

Avoid bad timing by considering lead time for magazines, newspapers, and other media. Consider reading the papers and online publications to keep up with what is going on in the world. This ensures you can avoid poorly timed media releases and could give you a way to relate your event to those recently mentioned in the news.   

Interested to learn more? Toastmasters International is a worldwide non-profit educational organisation that empowers individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders. Contact Picnic Point Toastmasters at Club Picnic Point – 124 Lambeth Street, Picnic Point, NSW 2213.  We meet on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month at 7pm and look forward to helping you attain your communication and leadership goals.