Pitch the press like a pro - PR workshop (with lunch)

'I need to get some PR for my business but I don't know where to start.'

'It feels too scary to send a pitch to a journalist - will they even be interested in my story?'

Sound familiar?

We hear this all the time from business owners. While at the same time - as PR experts with many (many) years' experience of working in media - we can see that they DO have an amazing story that the media would love! (Everyone does.)

So, if you're nervous or unsure about putting yourself out there, we've got an idea to change that.

Let's do it together.

If you run a small business in Yorkshire, we'd love you to join us for our first in-person PR workshop.

This will be a relaxed half-day of learning practical PR skills in a friendly and supportive environment. Just eight spaces.

You'll also get a view of the river in York - and cake!

What to expect

• We'll start the morning at 10am by getting to know each other over a cuppa.

• We'll then get down to all writing an email 'pitch' together. We'll guide you through how to structure an email pitch, and what to say (and what not to say). We can also advise on the best story angles to help your business hit the headlines.

• At around midday, we'll enjoy some gorgeous food delivered by one of our fab local indie coffee shops in York. Expect lovely sandwiches and cake.

• Fully fuelled, we'll use the afternoon session to help you send your pitch to a regional journalist. And if you need a bit of encouragement, we can all press 'send' together!

• By the end of this workshop, you'll have written and sent a pitch about your business. So, you can close your latop and go home with your PR DONE.

Want to have 'get featured in the press' crossed off your to-do list?

We'd love to see you there.

What does 'pitching' journalists mean?

A pitch may sound Dragons Den scary, but it's basically just a story idea that you send to journalists.

It's different to a press release, which is usually a news announcement.

A pitch is simply a brief email with a synopsis of your idea. It's shorter, and quicker to write, than a press release. And it can be far more effective for gaining press coverage as you can tailor it to the titles you'd like to appear in. So it's a win-win. We'll guide you through how to structure an email pitch, and what to say (and what not to say). We can also advise on the best story angles to help your business hit the headlines.

Why do I need PR?

Every business needs credibility, and PR can give you this (in bucketloads!). Getting featured in the press helps you stand out, and it helps to build trust - and people like to buy from businesses they trust.

It's also a highly-effective way of reaching a whole new audience (outside your social media bubble) and telling them about what you do, which attracts new clients.

Plus, it's great for your SEO, and it gives you lots of easy content to share on your socials and in your newsletter.

And once you understand how to find story ideas - and how to to pitch them to journalists - you can use this again and again. So all it costs you is your time. If you spend 15-20 minutes a couple of times a week pitching to journalists, you can soon see amazing results.

Reviews from previous PR events:

“Linda and Jo created an atmosphere that was encouraging and collaborative, and I came away feeling more confident in sharing my own story. A really uplifting and empowering day.”

Sarah Westwood, artist and illustrator.

‘’What a refreshingly different and inspiring event."

Theresa Hargreaves, coach.

“The event was amazing. I had no idea what to expect, but I left with so many great ideas about how to use stories to drive my business forward.”

Kirsty Dixon, founder of Feel Good Menopause.

Who's running this workshop?

Two York PR experts:

• Jo Leatham has over 30-years’ experience in PR and specialises in connecting businesses with journalists.

www.https://joleatham.co.uk

pr@joleatham.co.uk

• Linda Harrison is a former regional and national newspaper journalist who specialises in helping business owners in Yorkshire to get more visible through PR.

www.lindaharrison.co.uk

linda@lindaharrison.co.uk

If you have any questions, please contact Jo or Linda.

(Images from previous PR events. Photo credits (and thanks to): Olivia Brabbs and Joanna Brierley.)