📣 #005: #Journorequests & Workshop announcement

Task 5: From my 52 PR Tips challenge and reminder for Wednesday

Hiya 🌊! I’m Lucy from Hype Yourself. If you are new to this page, pop your email below to ensure you receive my posts sent every Sunday. 52 PR Tips challenge tasks are sent out every fortnight(ish) to help you with self-promotion, templates, expert tips and opportunities. Come and sit with us.

Last photo in my camera roll this week on Tuesday getting some fresh air …

Hiya,

How are you doing?

The week before last, I was quite run down with an eye infection, and then this last week, both me and two of my children were taken out with a really bad flu.

I could see the warning signals of me approaching the ‘Sick and overwhelmed’ station as I briefly popped past the emotional landmarks of questioning self-worth and overthinking corner.

These are not fun destinations to revisit, but they are a good reminder of the basics: What is the minimum I need to do versus what I have been saying yes to?

More on that later….

For today, two important things for you in this Sunday's newsletter

1: Read this week’s challenge card, a more traditional publicity one for you

AND

2: Details for all paid subscribers to register for your monthly workshop (replay available)

Let’s get going.

Lucy x

---

WELCOME TO THIS WEEKS CHALLENGE

#Journorequest: 

If Twitter if your game, follow this hashtag for FREE live requests from real journalists looking for case studies 

This week, we are going to take a look at the following:

• What exactly #journorequest means

• A few platforms you could use instead

• Quick how to (and NOT to) respond

• Examples of responses that have led to coverage

What exactly #journorequest means

The hashtag journo request originated on X (formerly Twitter) as a place for journalists to quickly find sources, case studies, and talking heads for articles.

Step one: Head to the search bar

Step two: Type in #journorequest in the toolbar

Step three: Look at the latest for a chronological list of opportunities

NB: I know a lot has been said about the platform's future, and many have left, but for now, it remains the easiest free resource with access to the press.

A few platforms you could use instead

I know that time is a huge issue for DIY PR. If you have a bit of budget to invest in inbound press responses, you could try:

Press Plugs
Formerly HARO (help a reporter out) Connectively
Response Source

Or my favourite for individuals - Lightbulb, a paid FB group by Charlotte Crisp, an entrepreneur and former journalist who directly connects media requests to entrepreneurs.

Or search for journalist request tools in your local market/region.

Quick how to (and NOT to) respond

• Make sure you respond to the brief exactly, and this isn’t about shoehorning yourself into something with a vague link

• Don’t just say, “I can do this”, OR “You can look at my work here.” They don’t have time to contact or research you; show them how you can respond quickly and succinctly. I’d even go as far as to start to draft your answers or talking points.

• Spell their name correctly.

• Don’t try to sell your business or service as the answer; you can likely get a business mention, but think more about the story.

• Don’t be boring - try to think of a combative point of view; they are looking for thought leaders, not predictive sheep

Examples of responses I’ve written that have led to my coverage

NB: I learnt how to pitch over two decades for hundreds of clients; it isn’t something I’ve only done for myself.

Request: looking for Consultants on how to keep (or lose a business reputation).”

Subject line: Response for consultants on how to keep (or lose a business reputation)”

Author image of successful press response

Finished article (I’m at the bottom with two of my quotes)

---

Request: looking for people whose business success has allowed them to move abroad

Subject line: Response to business success allowed me to move to rural France

Finished article - full piece

---

Request: looking for women who work remotely

Subject line: Remote working whilst travelling with two children

Finished article in Stylist magazine.

---

JANUARY WORKSHOP ANNOUNCEMENT

WEDNESDAY 31st JANUARY AT 12:30 GMT | ZOOM | 60 MINUTES

REPLAY AVAILABLE

Do you have zero idea of how to pitch yourself?

Want a tried and tested framework to use as a base for pitching?

Already pitched loads and don’t know where it’s going wrong?

I’ve got you.

• 💻 January’s workshop: “Let’s get pitching”, will be about how to put a pitch email together

• 🕰 10-15 minutes with me leading practical exercises and prompts to refine your pitching

• ☕️ 45-minute group Q&A, practice pitch in public, get tailored feedback

• 📄 worksheet to accompany the session

*Recording will be sent around after the session for replay

The workshop accompanies the theme of this month's prompt cards and is a place for the community to catch up with each other. If you don’t want to be a subscriber but are interested in attending the session, you can do so here: