With Memorial Day behind us, summer has finally arrived, bringing a refreshing and relaxed atmosphere for everyone! While we may notice fewer significant announcements as people take a well-deserved break, this slower pace is an excellent opportunity to reflect, recharge and prepare for exciting new initiatives. Let’s fully embrace this vibrant season and make the most of our time together! Here are some ways to maximize PR pitching during the quieter summer months.

Differentiate Yourself This Summer

As fall approaches, reporters often experience an increased workload. Many short-lead reporters take advantage of the slower summer months to prepare important stories. In the summer, reporters have more time to review pitches. Publications such as daily newspapers, broadcast outlets and online platforms may not be actively seeking pitches, giving you an opportunity to distinguish yourself.

Connect the Meaningful Dots

Build meaningful connections! If your organization experiences a quieter summer, seize this wonderful opportunity to deepen your relationships with reporters. Take time to explore key journalists’ work and familiarize yourself with their areas of focus. Engage with them on social media by sharing valuable content, joining their discussions, and offering your unique perspectives. By highlighting your expertise, you can position yourself as a go-to resource for their future stories. Let’s make the most of this season and connect!

Elevate Your Online Presence

This summer is the perfect time to boost your online visibility. Build meaningful connections with reporters and direct them to your website and content channels to showcase your unique voice and expertise. Keep your content fresh with engaging blog posts and videos and maintain an active social media presence. While the summer pace may seem relaxed, it’s a fantastic chance to nurture media relationships and align your content with what reporters truly care about. Let’s make this season a rewarding opportunity for growth and connection!

Summer Is the Time to Embrace Innovation For Autumn and the Holiday Season

While it might feel early, fall and winter are just around the corner, and it’s the perfect time to connect! Many long-lead publications are gearing up for their end-of-year stories, with a 3- to 6-month lead time. This summer presents a fantastic opportunity to pitch your innovative ideas. Check out their editorial calendars in the media kits — they’re a valuable resource to align your pitches with their upcoming content!

Summertime is replete with outdoor events and reporters are covering stories in person. The summer can also be a slow time for businesses. Plus, organizations also may be in a planning period in the summertime before events intensify during the autumn/winter months.

So How Can You Make the Best Use of This Summertime Season?

This can be an optimal time to strategize pitches and story angles for the upcoming fall and holiday season. If your clients have Fall/Winter events or announcements, media pitching should start now to ensure long lead story inclusions. Here is a selection of ideas for summertime pitches that will position your clients’ events for success in autumn/winter:

• Share the event’s history and purpose.
• Include testimonials or previous pieces to illustrate the event’s community impact.
• Submit B-Roll from past events to educate the media on attendance levels and a visual of community involvement.
• Invite reporters to attend the event for on-site coverage opportunities.
• Offer exclusive interviews with speakers and notable attendees.

Other Summertime Media Opportunities

If you do not have any specific media planning to do for the fall, use the summertime to dig into what is currently trendingin the newsto promote your client’s brand. This can be done by pitching your client as an expert source to speak on a topic and be quoted in a story after news breaks. Or you can focus on your client’s brand ethics, products, or backstory and how it aligns with what is happening in the news cycle.

When pitching the media in summertime, it is also a great practice to limit email subject lines between one and five words. Further, limit the media pitch to 50–79 words. Overall, the entire body of your pitch should not exceed 149 words. Applying these best practices on your PR pitches will help you and your clients grow your media opportunities this summer!

Want to know a little secret? Summer is not, well, pleasant for me.

Don’t get me wrong! I love spending extra time with my children, the vacations, hanging with out of town visitors among other things.

Working parents have several balls in the air during the school year. When summer comes, those spherical objects spin and a multiply. Heck ~ I dream about them.

In addition to keeping my family’s schedule straight, as a small business owner, I am also managing my team’s vacation schedule and filling in the gaps where needed. Even rockers need vacations!

Here are some things for working parents to rely on during the month of August:

1. Camps – Even if it is one from 1-4 p.m., sign that boy or girl up.
2. Helpers – Full time babysitters, part time college helpers, couldn’t get through this chaos without them. I have three and only two kids. No joke.
3. Friends – Ditto. They help with the shuttle to and fro, the additional activities to keep the kiddos entertained and they are your go to for that much needed GNO.
4. Family members – Make the call. Most often than not, they want to help and spend time with your children without you around.
5. Your colleagues – Amazing how helpful they can be in a pinch if you just ask.
6. Exercise – It changes your mood and increases metabolism.
7. Mindless activity – Read a trashy novel, do the dishes, watch TV ~ I am currently obsessed with The Good Wife and watch an episode every night before I say nigh nigh. Already plowed through these this summer: Homeland, House of Cards, Revenge and Scandal. Started on episode one, season one on all of them.
8. Positive thinking – Think half full. Always. Being an optimist reduces your stress and is better for your overall health and well being.
9. Healthy eating – How do you feel after eating fast food? Nuff said.
10. Sleep – It is non-negotiable. We need seven to nine hours to be productive.
11. Music – It can have a powerful effect on mind and body far beyond its ability to promote relaxation and stress relief according to Dr. Andrew Weil.
12. To do list (Mine is a ta da list) – Hit the ground running in the mornings with focus and a list of tasks at hand. Here’s a great article to how to make yours effective.

Only a couple of weeks before school starts. You can do it!