How I Pitch My Clients for Back-to-School Media (with examples)
As someone who is not in school and does not have children, the back-to-school season could come and go without me noticing. But as a publicist, I am all about back-to-school as soon as summer vacation starts.
Back-to-school season inspires a huge wave of media every fall. It’s a big deal for families to go from the lazy days of summer vacation to the hectic schedule of the fall semester. School supplies need to be purchased, new routines need to be established, drop-off and pick-up schedules have to be made, someone needs to remember the password to see your kid’s grades and the list goes on.
From my perspective, these are all opportunities to get media for my clients and to do that, I need to start a few months before the school bell rings.
Now is a great time to start pitching short lead publications such as newspapers, online magazines, and TV stations with your back-to-school stories.
The clients I have the most back-to-school media success with are typically parenting experts, doctors, and other experts who can offer advice to stay organized.
If this sounds like you, here are a few angles you can use to start pitching your business for back-to-school.
Not sure how to pitch your business? Consider a DIY PR workshop to become your own publicist!
Back-to-School Life Hacks
Between soccer practice and finishing the papier-mâché volcano, school increases a parent’s to-do list just as much as the kid’s. Anything to make things easier, more efficient and organized can be a story.
If you aren’t a parenting expert and don’t have an obvious tie to the back-to-school season, you may still have something to offer. Share your life hacking product or just some advice from your experience as a busy parent yourself.
Think of what little tips and tricks you can offer parents and kids to stay on top of the school year. Here are some examples:
How to make mornings easier and get to school on time
Tricks for keeping a backpack clean all year long
The easy way to organize school supplies
School Success for Kids and Parents
Again, if you’re a parenting expert this is right up your alley, offer the media a fresh angle to help kids succeed in school.
Sometimes this can be a direct, how to get straight A’s, or it could be how to react when your kid is failing a class.
There are so many scenarios for success in school which means there are so many opportunities to add your voice and expertise. It doesn’t have to be just about getting good grades, success in sports, balancing play and homework, interpersonal success, leadership, preparing for college, and more are all measures of success depending on the kid.
And in addition to the child’s success at school, parents have their own interactions with the education ecosystem to navigate from participating in the PTA to getting along with other parents.
If you need more inspiration, another few examples may help.
Getting the most out of parent teacher meetings
How to help with homework without doing it yourself
Tips for preparing kids for their first year of college
Staying Healthy and Safe at School
I use this angle for a lot of the doctors I work with. It is well known that putting hundreds of kids in a building together is a recipe for getting sick. Lice, colds, mononucleosis, you name it.
In addition to getting sick, school sports bring the risk of sports injuries and in warmer climates, heat stroke and dehydration.
Any tips that can help parents and kids mitigate these issues is helpful and likely to get media attention if you’re an expert with good information.
For local media sources, be sure to mention that you are a local doctor in the subject of your pitch and explain in the body of the email that you have first-hand experience with the health and safety concerns in your community.
Vaccinations needed to start kindergarten
Warning signs of heat stroke in athletes
How to boost your immune system for the first day of school
Hopefully this gives you the inspiration you need to get your parenting, medical, or organizing business the media attention it deserves! Back-to-school media is a lot of fun and has ample opportunities for someone new to PR to get incredible placements. And of course, if you need more information, contact me and I’d be happy to help.