At Drofa Comms, we believe in continuous learning and staying ahead of industry trends in order to deliver the best possible services. As such, we make it a point to regularly visit significant events in PR and fintech where the living heart of these sectors beats.
Most recently, our team attended one of the “Roxhill Meets…” events in London. It featured exclusive interviews with journalists and editors from leading global media outlets. This time, the invited speaker was Holly Mead, Deputy Money Editor at The Times and The Sunday Times.
Holly shared a number of valuable insights into how PR professionals can effectively collaborate with financial journalists and pitch compelling and meaningful stories.
Here are our top media PR pitching insights from the event.
Pitching for Podcasts
The Times has a podcast called “Feel Better About Money”, which aims to simplify finance for a younger audience. If PR professionals are looking to pitch guests for this podcast, they should ensure the speakers are confident and can be engaging without relying on industry jargon.
Supporting materials, such as past appearances on radio talks or podcasts, can play a big role in selling your pitch. Episodes are planned about two weeks in advance so timing is important when proposing a guest.
Best Practices for Top Media PR Pitching
Timing and exclusivity are crucial when reaching out to the editorial department at The Times. Fridays are apparently good days for pitching, as this is when the journalists finalise story ideas for the following week.
It is better to write out clear, attention-grabbing subject lines and avoid random pitching. Instead, customise your pitch to suit a specific reporter’s interests and offer genuinely exclusive materials for better results.
Data-driven stories with supportive charts and infographics are particularly well received. If you want to pitch a case study, then it has to be rich in financial details. Strong personal stories can be compelling even without a major news hook.
Expert Commentary & News Reactions
When reacting to major financial news, speed is key. If PR professionals want to provide The Times with expert insights or unique data, they should do so within a day or two of the relevant event.
Every pitch should answer the “Why now?” question, explaining why “this” particular topic is relevant at “this” particular time. Also, The Times often prefer to go for a live Q&A session to collect the answers they want, so warn your speakers accordingly.
Conclusion
Events like Roxhill Meets are useful as they allow us to stay on top of media trends. Also, they help enhancing our approach to PR through tailored media outreach. At Drofa Comms, we are committed to applying the best possible practices to ensure our clients’ stories are heard by the right audiences.
Now that we’ve firmly entered 2025, there will be more events to visit and more insights to share. So stay in touch for future updates!
