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While Others Are Distracted, Now’s a Great Time to Pitch
image credit: Photo 26983471 © Bjorn Hovdal | Dreamstime.com
The last two weeks of the year are one of the slowest times for journalists.
For one thing, many reporters and editors are on vacation – as are significant chunks of the public.
For another, many people/companies/organizations are busy with year-end activities or are just coasting through the final weeks on reduced schedules.
But newspapers still need to be printed and can’t have blank pages. Radio stations can’t go silent. TV stations can’t air test patterns. I suppose websites can remain static, but SEO best practices frown on that.
In other words, there’s still a need for content. And since many people aren’t thinking about trying to get their name out there, your utility should take advantage.
Believe me, many journalists are scrounging around for things to cover. I have two issues left this year and my list of story ideas is getting short – and some of the ideas on there are kind of lame.
In other words, it can’t hurt to pitch your utility. And that means nothing is off-limits.
If you have evergreen consumer releases, feel free to send them out.
Since the amount of “real” news tends to diminish, it’s not a bad idea to pitch feature ideas, such as profiles of interesting employees or programs your utility runs. Historic pieces might do well, too.
Of course, if you have real news to announce, it’s a great time to do so. And if you have something less-than-favorable to report, now’s the time to do so, especially on a Friday or right before a holiday when fewer readers/viewers/listeners are paying attention.
As always, make it as easy as possible for the journalists to complete their stories. They’re likely to be a bit frazzled because they have to cover for their absent peers, so have plenty of background material, potential interview subjects and artistic possibilities readily available.
If you manage to secure coverage, promote it to your usual levels on social media as well as your website. Remember that coverage can last beyond the initial publication/air date.
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