{"id":6771,"date":"2016-02-03T17:46:33","date_gmt":"2016-02-03T22:46:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/?p=6771"},"modified":"2018-08-08T12:11:07","modified_gmt":"2018-08-08T16:11:07","slug":"learn-to-pitch-a-story-like-a-baseball-player-with-fastballs-curves-and-change-ups-national-conference-session-recap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/2016\/02\/03\/learn-to-pitch-a-story-like-a-baseball-player-with-fastballs-curves-and-change-ups-national-conference-session-recap\/","title":{"rendered":"Learn to Pitch a Story Like a Baseball Player: With Fastballs, Curves and Change-Ups [National Conference Session Recap]"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Trahan<\/a>
Trahan discussed with students at National Conference how to pitch your client’s story with the same precise form as a baseball pitcher throws a ball.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Event: <\/b>Perfecting the Pitch<\/span><\/p>\n

Presenter:<\/b> Dr. Joseph V. Trahan III, APR, Fellow PRSA, President and CEO, Trahan & Associates<\/span><\/p>\n

Recap:<\/b> What is the recipe for a perfect pitch? Like baseball, pitching a story has a certain art and science to it. Public relations demands practitioners who are capable of pitching a great story. For the best pitching strategy, identify the audience first. Try imagining what they look like, what they want and their preferred medium. In other words, choose the medium that will cast the largest net over each target audience. The channel must have meaning to the receiver. Look for the uniqueness in each pitch and try to identify why the audience would want to hear the story. <\/span><\/p>\n

Credibility, according to Trahan, is \u201cyour ethics, your ethos, your word. If you don\u2019t have that, you will fail.\u201d Credibility is determined by the receiver. Clearly define the purpose of the pitch so the audience can understand the goal, and then follow through to meet that goal to remain credible. Develop a strategic plan with directions to follow and clearly measurable objectives. Then, choose a unique story angle and determine what communication channel is most appropriate. Trahan said, \u201cbe prepared to use all of your fastballs, curves and changeups.\u201d Uniqueness can be found in any story, but be sure to pitch it to the right channel. <\/span><\/p>\n

What is the \u201ccurve ball\u201d that is going to catch the attention of a reporter? People have a short attention span, so tell them right away why they should listen. Use every resource to capture the reporter\u2019s attention and show him or her why a story will matter to the public. At the same time, keep each pitch to the size of a screenshot, which is equivalent to about four paragraphs. Take advantage of the digital age today and visually describe to reporters what the outcome of each story will be using visuals and hyperlinks. These resources are a great way to say more using less space. Clearly communicate a call for action that explains who, what, when and why a story matters. Pitch with a passion, and believe in it. This is the most important part of a pitch. Credibility and authenticity are founded on personal belief aligning with action. This is what sets apart a pitch from the rest.<\/span><\/p>\n

Takeaways:<\/span><\/p>\n