How to Secure More PR Features for Your Clients

The number one thing you want to do for your clients is get them more PR features. 

As PR pros, we always want to try to optimize the efforts we make so that we get the best results for our clients.

But maybe you’re frustrated because you seem to be doing everything right...yet you’re still not getting the results for your clients that you expected. You’re making the effort, doing the research, crafting really great pitches — so what is going wrong?

If your current pitching strategy isn’t working, there is a way to fix it. 

What PR Features You Need To Focus On

Is this the challenge you’re facing right now? 

You spend hours researching outlets, building a solid strategy, and building a media list that’s the right fit for your clients. You’re doing the work to develop the right pitch angles and you’re sending strategically targeted pitches to those media outlets. 

You know this is the way it’s done, but it’s not working. 

What we’ve found is that the number one thing that a lot of PR pros don’t have is a really good follow-up strategy.

It’s not just a general way to follow up. 

It’s going about it the right way. In our programs, we like to call this “the art of the follow-up.” Because there really is an art to it! 

If you’re not securing enough PR features, the follow up is where you may need to focus. 

In our business, we’ve found that 80% of our pitches convert in the follow-up. So if you’re not doing it right, you’re definitely leaving opportunities on the table. It’s costing you time, money, and you’re probably getting less-than-stellar results for your clients.

Related: How to Develop Confidence in Your PR Skills

Pivot Your Follow-Up Strategy

It's so important to nail this piece of the strategy. You’re doing the work on the front end and you could be so close to landing that great PR feature that you’ve researched, but you haven’t nailed the followup. 

Maybe you’re so dead-set on a certain approach you’re taking that you don’t pivot your strategy in the follow-up. Maybe you’re digging your heels in and just thinking “What’s the problem?”

Here are a couple of things to do instead. 

Don’t Walk Away from PR Features Too Early

One thing you may be doing is ditching those great initial pitches and creating brand-new pitch angles.  

Instead, take the time to see if there’s any traction on the pitches you’ve already sent. You could be missing out on PR features for your clients that were so close to securing but you didn’t know it was within your grasp. 

If you’re just a little bit more strategic in the follow-up, you could convert those placements. You could make those connections with your editors and journalists and media contacts, giving them what they want and what they know is the right fit for their audience. You could position it the right way where they see and understand what you’re talking about. 

Don’t leave those great ideas on the table because you sent a pitch and nobody replied. You may be walking away from a great opportunity. 

How To Follow Up

You want to follow up correctly so that you can convert more pitches without having to completely redo your strategy. 

Follow up in a way where you’re pushing forward with passion, tenacity, patience, and persistence (but not harassing and annoying like a pest). 

You want to follow up in a way that’s seen as helpful. You want the media to see you as adding value and being passionate about the work you’re doing. 

This approach is magnetic.

This is what leads to more client satisfaction.

It saves you time if you follow up in the correct way. You’ll convert more pitches without having to completely redo your whole strategy. 

Rather than being annoying, you’re being a partner to them. It’s a mindset shift. It’s subtle, but that’s what has to happen. 

Keep A Record Of Your Efforts

The other thing you should do is keep track of your pitches and follow-ups:

• How many pitches did you send that are converting?
• How many convert with the original pitch?
• How may convert from the follow-up?

If a large number of your pitches aren’t converting even if you’re following up, that could be a red flag that your follow-up strategy needs work. 

Just remember that most placements convert from a strategic follow-up. Like I mentioned earlier, we see 80% conversion rates in our agency in the follow-ups.  

We know that getting good results for your clients makes them want to stay long term with you as retainer clients. 

The whole strategy is to leverage your results to attract and get more clients in your niche. 

If you’re not getting those great results, those top-tier placements, the great PR features that build a business… how would other brands see that you’re the right fit for them?

Your follow-up strategy is key to securing more PR features for your clients. Don’t leave those opportunities on the table. Remember to add value to help you convert more pitches to land features. 

If you have questions and need help with anything, join us in our Facebook group called Profitable PR Pros. It’s free and you’ll find a helpful community of PR professionals who will support you and collaborate with you.