Selling In Stories To The Media

Overview

Probably the most daunting and difficult task in PR is selling in a story to the media. However, most PR people approach the task with no strategy, leading to a low success rate. This workshop helps you successfully meet the challenge of selling in stories.

Who should attend

Account executives within PR consultancies and in-house public relations professionals who wish to increase their success rate for pitching in stories to the media.

Course objectives

By the end of this practical course you will be able to:

> Improve your success rate in pitching stories to the media

> Learn where and who to make your pitch to

> Practise making a pitch to the media

> Improve your skill in tailoring stories to match different media needs

> Use a broader base of tools to make your pitch more attractive

Course content

What Makes a Good Story to Sell In

> Common problems encountered when selling in

> Getting the angle right

> Constructing the story for maximum appeal

Developing the "Full Package"

> Photographs, interviews, statistics and research to make the angle more "saleable"

Tailoring the Story to the Medium

> Who wants what and how to approach the different media

Knowing the Media and Building the Contact List

Making the Approach

> Tactics to use in the approach

> Telephone skills and tactics

Handling Difficult Journalists

> Tactics for dealing with different journalists

> Handling the knock back

> Following up the sell in

Training Method

The course is highly interactive with role plays and exercises helping to underpin the theory and feedback provided by an experienced PR professional.