Your Post-Election PR Primer

Well it’s close to over…maybe…kind of…possibly…not really.

The votes have been cast and counting continues. That means it’s all hands on deck at most media outlets where their audiences are singularly—and obsessively--focused on each new morsel of election news.

What does that mean for those among us pitching stories?

Your targets are likely tired and overwhelmed. And election coverage will continue to dominate the news -- to varying degrees depending on what plays out. Right now, Covid-19 with record number of daily cases, can’t even break through the noise.

Pitching this week is surely a fool’s errand. But, come Monday, it’s time to go back to battle.

Here are four tactics that will help your post-election pitch hit the mark:

Make it hyper-timely and relevant: Only the timeliest and newsworthy stories will get traction. This is always true – but it’s especially so now. Make sure you have a super-strong news hook, and if you can find a way to tie it to the election or Covid-19, you improve your odds.

Make it easy: When crafting your pitch, write it in a way that a journalist would, which allows them to ‘see’ the story playing out in their newspaper or news report. Offer to be the go-between to set up interviews and have art and images at the ready. If you’re sending a more traditional press release, make sure it's written in a way that it can simply be plug-and-play for a journalist who doesn’t have time for additional reporting.

Respond immediately: Make sure you’re answering your phone and responding immediately to emails from journalists. If you leave them hanging they may quickly move to the next shiny object, never to return.

Take no-response for an answer: Pestering an overwhelmed journalist right now could cause long-term damage to your relationship – and reputation. If you are not getting a response, don’t troll an overwhelmed journalist with emails or voice messages. Follow up once or twice and, if you’re not getting an answer, it’s likely a signal that they’re not interested.

We’re in the most challenging stretch in a year marked by what has been the most difficult media landscape ever. Only the most strategic pitches will get the ink.

Make sure it’s yours.

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