I’m a contributing writer for “Welcome to The Boardroom,” a business-section feature of the Ballston Journal. Once a month, I submit to the business editor an article in which I discuss an aspect of branding, marketing or public relations.
A new business editor recently took charge of the feature, and I learned that he is a
big fan of major-league baseball. To surprise and delight him, I wrote an article about working with the media, using a baseball-pitching theme. (My editor called the article
“Terrific!” See if you agree by reading it at http://mediaquay.com/article/play-ball-when-pitching-to-the-media-avoid-these-rookie-mistakes.htm)
Media relations and baseball have similarities. Baseball players lob a variety of pitches to catchers at home plate. We in public relations “pitch” story ideas about our clients to reporters – our “catchers” – with the goal of scoring free publicity. Rookie baseball players make mistakes while learning to control the ball. Rookie media relations practitioners make mistakes, too, while pitching news and stories to the media.
The media mistakes I discuss in the “Play Ball!” article are commonly committed by
business people lacking a basic understanding of the media and working with reporters. How do I know this? Because, when their media-relations efforts fail, business people turn to me for advice as a “pitching coach.”
In this consulting role, I evaluate past “pitches” to determine strengths and weaknesses. Then I make recommendations to the client for improving future performance. Subsequent posts will share the backstories for the rookie “pitching” mistakes cited in my article.
Blogger Bio: Pauline Bartel, M.A., is President and Chief Creative Officer of
Bartel Communications, Inc., an award-winning corporate communications firm,
specializing in marketing, public relations and business anniversary consulting
services. The firm created “The Bartel Years™” and “The Bartel Years 200™,” rosters of business anniversary symbols to inspire two centuries of business anniversary
“sell”-abrations. Download free copies of “The Bartel Years™” and the special
report “The Top 10 Business Anniversary Ideas for SELL-abrating Your Business
Anniversary” at this link: http://www.paulinebartel.com/services/corporate-services/business-anniversary-consulting