
When to try for a list instead
Sometimes, you’ll have angles for a client that you know – whether consciously, or in your heart of hearts – aren’t going to be strong enough to secure a feature commission.
Equally, perhaps the reaction (or lack of) to your pitches soon confirms as much.
Examples of this kind of B-list angle might include a new tasting menu, revamped spa treatments or the addition of one or multiple escorted tours.
In such instances, it’s worth pitching for a list instead of a feature. If there’s anything unusual about the element you’re promoting, see if other hotels, companies or whomever have launched something comparable of late – if so, you could propose a round-up hooked on this apparent trend.
“Hang on,” you might think, “I don’t want to promote non-clients.” But if the reward is additional coverage for your own client, surely it’s worthwhile?
PRs often presume that, when proposing a list to a journalist, they need to provide all 10, 20, 37 or however many entries will be in said list. In fact, you need only outline a few – sufficient to whet appetites and prove that there is indeed potential in this idea, but brief enough to ensure a snappy pitch. To quote De La Soul, three is the magic number.
One final pro tip from a perennial pitcher: avoid suggesting blindingly obvious lists, such as 10 Valentine’s Day breaks or half-term holidays. Editors will have thought of those already. The trick is to alert them (directly, or via a freelancer like myself) to something that they’ve not yet considered.

What Richard Thinks…
“I like how bright, breezy and (correctly) image-led this alert about new properties by Laura Mee is”
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