PR AGENCY DIARIES: WHEN WHAT YOU PITCH ISN’T PERFECT

Public relations is all about keeping your cool and handling what life (or your client) throws your way. Run out of drinks at a product launch? No problem. Someone brought a plus-one to your intimate media event and ruined your seating plan? You got this. Spokesperson got a case of jitters before a live interview? You could talk them round in your sleep!

But sometimes you’ll run into an issue that even you can’t solve.

So, how do you recognise this (incredibly rare) situation, recover from it and make sure you, and more importantly your clients, come out on top?

You can’t control the news cycle

The client brief is actually newsworthy(!), you’ve crafted a sublime media release to support it, locked in the perfect spokesperson (and put them through expert media training) and given the heads-up to a couple of key journos to be ready for that embargo lift – what could go wrong?

If 2020 proved anything it’s that we live in a crazy world - global pandemic, economic crisis, threats of WWIII, murder hornets, yet another major political party leadership change…

Sometimes the news cycle is just against you and when a big story (or several) is across every radio bulletin, breaking news banner and TV rundown you’re going to have to change tack – and fast!

Can you delay? Alter your pitch to work in with the headlines (in a non-exploitative way)? Find new targets who aren’t involved in the breaking news?

Whatever you decide, communicating with your client is key. They’re reading the same headlines you are.

Your carefully crafted pitch is simply falling flat

Sometimes no matter how expertly you’ve tailored your angle and chosen your target they just aren’t picking up what you’re putting down.

Maybe a similar story has been in the works for weeks, perhaps the agenda is bursting at the seams, or you simply caught someone on a crazy day.

Your response is crucial. Can you spin the story another way that answers ALL of the journalist’s feedback? Is it a personal no but someone else at the outlet may be keen? Can you hold the exclusive until a lighter day?

If not, know when to fold them, thank them for their time and take your story elsewhere. An expert PR needs to know when it’s time to move on before your number gets blocked and your emails get sent to spam.  However, an even better PR will be able to resurrect the client relationship by identifying a news item on the agenda that you can connect your client’s business objective on to and make hay of the situation.

Is the perfect event space/supplier/collaborator actually a lemon?

The centrepiece of your mood board and a highlight of your pitch, perhaps the very element that got your client over the line… but is it more trouble than it’s worth? 

Perhaps the perfect event space can’t power all your AV needs - before hiring three generators, ditching the DJ and debating how important lighting is anyway, perhaps it’s time to consider another location? Likewise, if your dream influencer neglected to mention that they're committed to Dry July when you’re working with alcohol PR, or your supplier's proofs and timeframes are making you nervous.

Just like your folks always said there are plenty more fish in the sea. The sooner you cut your losses, the more time you’ll have to find the actual perfect fit.

Want help crafting your communications strategy, influencer campaign or event to meet your businesses objectives?  Get in touch with us so to ensure the outlay reaps the results you crave.