Pitching stories or op-eds tied to planned events: awesome! Pitching stories or op-eds tied to planned events 24 hours before those events: less awesome. Give journalists time. This is also where knowing an outlet's rhythms come into play. At PR Daily, we publish all our stories in the morning. So if you send me something in the afternoon, it typically won't publish until the next morning. So you're giving audiences only a few hours to discover the content before it's obsolete. That's not helpful to your PR goals, either.
How do you feel about a several-month lead time on event press releases? (kidding/not kidding)
💯 this! I recently received a pitch from a PR that started something like "because today is xxyyzz national day....". It was already 6pm.
I totally agree with this approach. I suggest asking journalists EXACTLY how much lead time they need, on average, for different types of coverage (e.g., breaking news, trend/feature stories, op-eds, executive Q&As, etc.), and then closely follow that timing guidance. Most reporters and editors are happy to provide this valuable feedback. Years ago, I worked for a tech #PR agency with many clients in the mobile/wireless industry, most of them startups. Trade publication coverage was vital to these early-stage companies. Because of editorial staff cutbacks and increased reporting responsibilities at these outlets, these reporters were (and probably still are) overwhelmed, and oftentimes, they could not pursue stories, even if they thought they were interesting and had merit, because of low-to-nonexistent bandwidth. So I asked them about lead times, and EVERY ONE OF THEM told me how far in advance I needed to approach them. Problem solved!
Timing and proactive preparation always deliver. Love that you point out how tight timelines result in potentially missing your audience and your goals.
In the course of my work, I do a coaching with clients on How the Media Works and What the Media Expects. Super helpful.
Wise advice, which should be a no-brainer to any seasoned PR pro. Typically, you can pitch broadcast coverage day of or the day before, but any other type of outlet needs advance notice.
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Great post, Allison Carter! Understanding overall lead times AND daily/weekly publishing rhythms is just as important as knowing a reporter's beat(s). Have seen so many compelling, cogent op-eds and stories wind up unpublished due to timing missteps by the person doing the pitching.
Someone had to say it. I'm glad it was you Allison Carter!! 💯🫶
Editor in Chief at PR Daily, experienced editor, writer, content strategist
3mo(Yes, some places will be able to cover or pick up stories on a tight turnaround. For me, 24 hours notice typically isn't enough unless it's something really major. Depending on the event, I'd recommend a week to 48 hours, unless it's something that requires major planning, in which case longer)