Pitching & Twitter Workshop

In the upcoming weeks PRowl Public Relations will be conducting media relations for our clients the Rebecca Davis Dance Company and Casa Papel as well as managing social media sites daily. As students, it is important that we make sure all members are comfortable completing their tasks and are gaining knowledge and experience by being in PRowl. Instead of holding our normal general staff meeting yesterday we decided to hold a workshop. Account executives Tristin Fabro and Brianna Fisher each tackled a topic: Pitching the media and managing Twitter.

Highlights from Tristin's discussion on pitching the media:

Do's:

• Do your homework and research the outlet you are pitching to; know who covers what beat as well as the writing style of that reporter.
• Make sure you are using an updated media list.
• Spell and grammar check once, twice and a third time! Along these lines, make sure you include the reporter's correct name - Kirsten looks similar to Kristen but is definitely not the same.
• ALWAYS include your contact information, including your mobile number. You want to be easily accessible in case a media outlet has any questions regarding your story.
• Follow-up the next day with a phone call but do not be overly pushy. Never just ask "Did you get my press release?" Also, after introducing yourself always make sure they're not on deadline and you're interrupting them. This shows that you have an understanding of their job and are respectful of their time constraints.
• If you are mass-pitching (which is not always recommended), use "BCC." Do you really want the media outlet to know that you pitched 50 other people the same story?
• If you're pitching or following-up with print & TV media, the best time to contact them is around 10 a.m.

Don'ts:

• Never make up any information regarding your pitch. If you are not sure of something, be honest and tell them that. Find out when their deadline is and get back to them with the information they are requesting.
• Don't be annoying, but don't give up. If you leave a message the first time you follow-up, you can continue to call but do not leave a message every time. They got the message and are most likely working on something else.

Highlights from Brianna's discussion regarding managing Twitter:

Getting started:

• All posts must be 140 characters or less.
• Be professional - networking on Twitter can really pay off.
• Try not to tweet selfishly. Use Twitter to learn new, interesting things and share that knowledge with others.
• Proofread tweets before hitting send! Even though the forum is more casual, it is still a reflection on you.
• If you're ever stuck, "Google it!" Tons of "Tweeps" blog about Twitter tips

How to build a network:

• Follow people of interest.
• Search for something you're interested in and then follow the people who are tweeting about it.
• Follow people who your favorite Tweeps are following.
• Always be polite, professional and respectful.
• Tweet often (at least daily).
• Tweet relevant, useful information - this helps you become a resource for other Tweeps and builds your follower base.
• Retweet relevant tweets often.

These are just some highlights from the workshop we had, which included an open discussion and a Q&A between members. Do you have any other pitching or Twitter tips? As students we are constantly searching for more information to build our skill set. We'd love to hear your insight!

Find our clients on Twitter: @CasaPapel and @RDDanceCo