How can businesses enhance their PR efforts? By focusing on reputation management, crafting tailored pitches, and building strong media relationships.
Drawing from her diverse experience, in this "Ask the Expert" interview, PR Specialist Bethany Skinnard highlights the power of storytelling, aligning with current news trends, and adapting to the digital landscape. She emphasises that PR success is more than just coverage - it's about driving business growth and protecting reputation.
Let's dive in.
Are there any misconceptions people have about PR, and how do you address them?
Yes, unfortunately (as with many industries), I think this can be the case. Historically, some people viewed PR either as a ‘mickey mouse’ type of activity i.e. being of little credibility or that the profession involves little more than ‘spin’.
Addressing the former - if the credibility of PR was ever called into question by a colleague or prospective client, I would explain how reputation management (this being the raison d'être of PR - shaping and influencing public perception and maintaining a company’s positive reputation or in some cases improving said reputation) is vital for any company regardless of size or sector. If a company’s reputation is tarnished or questioned by the media, this can affect everything - employee morale, company culture, sales, performance and… ultimately the bottom line. A renowned reputation can take years to cultivate, and this can be destroyed in a flash by not carefully protecting and enhancing the company’s brand and values.
With regard to ‘spin’ - this term has been around for many years. Countless political advisers have been referred to as ‘spin doctors’. For example, Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair’s former adviser is still frequently referred to as being a ‘spin doctor’. PR ‘spin’ has again been brought into the spotlight with the rise of organisations apparently ‘greenwashing’ their environmental credentials (or lack thereof). This is why claims that an organisation makes must always be substantiated and subject to rigorous questioning by PR professionals.
How do you identify the most newsworthy angles for pitching a story?
Research here is key - which angle(s) would best resonate with the desired target audience? Again, this is where segmentation is key, you might have an impressive or insightful PR story to share, but can it be segmented and adapted for specific journalists and consequently their audience(s)?
Identify what is trending or in focus within the current news agenda. Again, research here is key. Focus on the angles that would also have shareability. Social media engagement is now how the majority of people become sighted on the news agenda.
Of course, traditional broadcast media still deservedly has its place, but shareability is now key to achieving maximum amplification of PR activity.
Journalists can receive thousands of press releases a week. This has only been heightened in recent years with the digital revolution and of course, the meteoric rise of social media.
When drafting a press release - it’s imperative that the writer considers what is different about their material. What is the news hook? Why would a journalist be interested in what you are relaying? Does your pitch align to the current news agenda or to a topical or emerging trend? Does it demonstrate substantiated results from a research study relevant to the journalist's (and their audiences) key area of interest?
An innovative and well-executed PR campaign can be revolutionary for companies aiming to achieve cut-through in crowded marketplaces.
It’s key that the journalist is not selected for the story simply because they cover that particular sector. For example, there are thousands of healthcare journalists - just because they cover a particular sector it doesn’t mean a health focused pitch will resonate with them or their audience(s). Identify their chosen specialisms(s) and target them accordingly.
I still believe in the benefits of a targeted covering email alongside such a release. Research exercises by junior members of the PR team are very useful. Research should ensure that the selected journalist covers (or is likely to be interested in covering) said subject arena. A media outlet’s forward features list should also be referred to. A journalist working on a story in future will likely appreciate timely material and also that the PR has done their research into their recent editorial and area(s) of expertise.
As with any industry, it’s also vital that PR professionals continue to focus on their own professional development especially in light of ever-evolving AI-powered PR software and the digital revolution. In the UK, many PR professionals are members of the industry’s professional body - the Chartered Industry of Public Relations (CIPR) and read titles such as PR Week.
As part of my own CPD, I listen to PR focused podcasts including BBC Radio 4’s When it Hits the Fan. The topical show is hosted by two of the most influential and experienced people in the PR industry; David Yelland (the former editor of the Sun) and Simon Lewis (former trouble-shooter for the Queen and Gordon Brown). The podcast highlights what's keeping big stories in and out of the news agenda and highlights examples of PR best practice. It also focuses on PR disasters. A recent episode cited US President-elect Donald Trump’s ‘I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT’ post (on his Truth Social platform) as being a prime example of this. A knee-jerk reaction to Taylor’s endorsement of US Vice President Kamala Harris which (pre the 2024 US election results) the show’s hosts felt could have contributed to costing Trump the election.
Again, make your PR pitch engaging and relevant to the journalist’s specialism or audience. Highlighting statistics or an interesting and insightful snippet of what your story relates to is far more likely to engage and encourage the journalist to view your material in full.
This can be a complex area. A common frustration (especially amongst PR professionals operating on a self-employed basis) is that clients or prospective clients (with no real understanding of PR) often ask how much coverage they will receive when requesting quotes or briefing a PR. I have also heard of instances of PR professionals being asked to commit to terms whereby a payment based on coverage arrangement be adopted - this is a huge red flag and belittles a profession, which can (when well-executed) be a critical component of a company’s success or failure.
A company who hasn’t previously undertaken PR is highly unlikely to find themselves in the headlines straight away - regardless of how talented or well-connected their PR professional is. Relationships with journalists take time to foster and cement.
There is also the key issue of the news agenda at the time. Yes, of course one can strategically plan the timings of PR activity, but there is no certainty of guaranteed coverage. For example, many examples of this have occurred when an insightful and engaging story has been distributed to the media and then a widespread tragedy or political event occurs - thus hijacking the media agenda and leaving little room for coverage of a story that might well have been a leading story on another occasion.
It is the PR teams (whether agency-side or in-house) that are the relationship builders, they have the ability to instill trust in the media, the skills and expertise to craft compelling, innovative and engaging content and to remain sighted on their key contacts’ editorial calendar. Therefore it is imperative that the business places considerable importance on the critical PR function. Increasingly, the lead PR person now has a presence within companies’ Senior Leadership Teams and often reports directly to the Board and liaises with investors.
Yes - amplification is key. Editorial coverage can be adapted and repurposed for many uses. Elements of the coverage can be used for blogs (which would also aid SEO), social media posts can link to the coverage and pose topical questions inviting further commentary. Press cuttings can also be used in internal communications updates, Board reports and for investor relations purposes.
Yes, absolutely - measuring sentiment is also key. As media monitoring databases are becoming increasingly sophisticated, tracking sentiment in a more reliable manner is now possible. However sentiment analysis still requires the all important human touch to ensure that the context is correct. UP’s unique #AlwaysAddHuman approach to AI comes into play again!
What sparked your passion for PR, and how did you get started in the industry?
I have always enjoyed writing. As such, I chose to do my University degree in Public Relations and Management Studies. During this time, I undertook an optional summer work placement at a corporate PR agency in London and really enjoyed the fast paced experience. I saw first-hand just how proud the dedicated team were of the extensive amount of coverage that they had generated for their high profile clients and I learnt some invaluable skills from the agency’s well-regarded MD. I also had work experience at a Bollywood PR agency where my main role was to monitor the guest list at a red carpet film premiere where I had to utter the dreaded line ‘if your name’s not down, you are not coming in’... to rather furious journalists!
After graduating and moving to London, I actually started my career at advertising and marketing agencies working on the accounts of FTSE listed companies through to start-ups. Consequently, I worked with many talented copywriters on creative briefs involving all forms of content from conceptual copy through to long-form content for brochures and R&As.
On occasion, clients requested further copy edits, but their budget prohibited using more of the copywriters’ services. So, I often stepped into the breach to help refine the copy - feedback was fortunately positive and often mistaken for the work of a professional copywriter despite the subject matters often being complex.
My first official PR position actually saw me take the role of in-house PR Manager (this despite having no tangible PR experience - bar my internships). I believed that my communications skills were transferable (and the Hiring Manager fortunately thought the same). I have always loved storytelling and sharing content and this PR role gave me ample opportunity to do both.
The position involved promoting the company’s interiors related offerings to regional, national and international media. One day I’d be profiling products for glossy interiors bibles, such as World of Interiors and Elle Decor and the next I would be writing about our contract products for the Health and Safety Journal.
It was imperative that I learned from the experts across all areas of the business - from the artisans making our handmade products through to our export managers specifying products for luxury yachts and 5 star hotels.
Within a few months of joining, I had travelled across Europe and the USA and gained the company considerable editorial coverage. I had also arranged a collaboration with a national TV channel for the company’s product to appear in a prime-time drama and for the celebrity cast to appear in promotional shots alongside our products.
And finally, are there any trends or shifts in how media outlets decide which stories to cover?
This would likely depend on the outlet in question, but again providing that the information is topical and / or aligned to their areas of interest or specialism, coverage is more likely. However what is key is that the PR professional has forged mutually beneficial connections with journalists. I remain a fan of actually picking up the phone to follow up on key PR activity and to ensure that the journalist has everything they need should they decide to cover said story.
A well written press release from a source that they deem to be reliable and credible is far more likely to result in coverage than a mass emailed generic approach. Equally, the digital revolution has meant that stories are likely to be shared thus amplifying the reach of your press release and in turn, your company’s brand awareness.
Using quality imagery is also key. Strong images often encourage the media to use your story - especially if it helps bring your content to life and ‘tells the story’. On occasion, the image is the story - the content is merely complementary. All imagery should be clearly captioned and ideally available in a range of sizes and formats.
Learn more about UP’s work and how our team can help protect and enhance your company’s reputation below.