A big part of media relations is securing national coverage. It is one of the most influential ways to get your brand out to the public and forms the foundations of many PR strategies. 

Read by millions and shared by even more, every client dreams of securing regular, high-quality national coverage. However, the competition is enormous and targeting the right journalists can be tricky and time-consuming.  

Placing clients in the most renowned newspapers in the UK is all about relationship building with journalists and it’s what our talented team at Building Relations are experts in. But, if you’re going at it alone, what does a pitch need to look like? Does it need to include figures? And what makes a subject line stand out? 

Let’s delve into it.

What is national press?

To put it simply, national publications cover news stories that are of interest to those across the country. Print titles reach up to 13.6 million people per day, with online readership even higher. In property specifically, most outlets have a designated homes section with stories published on specific days. 

For example, The Times’ Bricks & Mortar supplement comes out every Friday, Metro’s property supplement is printed on a Tuesday, featuring Neighbourhood Watch and area guides; and the Daily Express comes out in print every Friday, with many others being published over the weekend. 

What success can your media relations give you?

National press is a great way to get brand exposure. From reactive comment, new developments and launches, standalone images or a recent PR campaign, there is no limit on the stories you should share with journalists. Expert comment is a perfect way to place your client as the expert in the property space and standalone images (no CGIs) are an eye-catching way to show what the client can offer. 

What are journalists looking for?

It’s not enough to know when these supplements are published, but you need to know your journalists inside and out. You need to understand when they are most likely to respond to your pitch, does it coincide with their publishing deadlines? Additionally, if they are a freelance writer, they could be working on several stories at once, so you need to be specific with your topic and which publication you’re suggesting your pitch for. 

Part and parcel of media relations is understanding who you’re pitching to and what they are interested in. Once you’ve understood this, it comes down to curating the perfect pitch. Consider these things: 

  1. A catchy subject line – on average 42% of journalists receives 11 to 100 pitches a day via email. Your story has got to stand out from the crowd – stats, places or names are things a journalist might notice. 
  2. News hook – it goes without saying but why should a journalist cover your story now? The pitch must include current hooks which will make the story relevant – this can include client comment, research or new industry news. 
  3. Are you giving them everything they need? Journalists hate having to ask for further information, so make sure you’re prepared and are giving them all of the information they could possibly need. 

For more information on how we can help support position your brand in the national titles, contact us.