As the Australian media landscape shrinks before our eyes, like the personalised birthday shout-out, customisation of media pitching is everything in getting your story heard and published or broadcast.

10 years ago, a media release was like a resume – it was designed to secure you an interview. Not so today…

There are simply fewer outlets, and fewer journalists with less time, so competition for attention is fierce. Not just between companies trying to get stories up, but between outlets competing with each other.

There was a time when a crowd surf approach, ‘jump into the crowd and hope someone will catch you’, got great results.

That was when national writers for state-based newspapers didn’t exist, before the news cycle was around-the-clock, when finance and tech companies were the darlings of corporate life, and when international spokespeople were bringing news from the future.

The business, consumer and media landscapes have changed and there are now very few occasions when a one-size-fits-all approach is suitable and will get traction.

Creating a winning story has a certain formula – that’s a trade secret – but first and foremost the story must talk to the outlet’s readers or viewers and be able to provide the kind of content that is typical for their outlet. In some cases that may be commentary on an issue; in other cases it may be practical tips.

A couple of important things to keep in mind:

• Scale – what portion of the outlet’s readers or viewers does it affect?
• The ‘who cares?’ factor – what makes it relevant to that outlet and why is it important for people to know or talk about it?

These things are a start, but like a memorable experience, maximising media results takes planning, personalisation and precision to get it right.

A media release is not a guaranteed ticket to coverage. Every news outlet wants something special.

Exclusives or ‘first looks’ are more common, and media aren’t just looking for a good narrative.

For the best chances of securing top tier outlets, the campaign must also be timed to perfection. Each outlet has a critical timeline and working within that is the only way to get their coverage.

Above all, don’t fall at the finish line. Sometimes the universe isn’t on board and unexpected things happen. You can have a great story that the journalist loves but they say no because there is something bigger happening in the news that day or week.

It pays to have targeted plans A, B and C, because if there’s a will, there’s a way. Keep your eye on delivering something unique to each target and you’re sure to delight.

Find out more

Please contact Belinda Toward at Apollo Communications if you would like to discuss how to maximise your media presence.