Getting Oriented — a quick warm-up

• What is your role and the primary business objective driving media outreach right now?
• Why is earning coverage a priority at this moment—what event or pressure made this urgent? Options: Product launch, Fundraising/investor signals, Competitive pressure, Executive visibility, Market positioning, Regulatory or policy change, Other
• Who within your company will be the main contact for media coordination, and who signs off on press materials? Options: Director of Communications, VP Marketing, Chief Communications Officer, CEO/Founder, Legal/Compliance, Other
• Which audiences are highest priority for media influence right now (pick up to three)? Options: Buyers / procurement teams, C-suite buyers (CEO/CIO), Channel/partners, Investors & VCs, Industry analysts, Regulators, Prospective employees / talent
• How would you summarize, in one sentence, the single most important media outcome you’d celebrate?

Why Aren’t The Right Byline Moments Happening?

• What if the issue isn’t how often you pitch but what you’re pitching—what makes you doubt your current story angles?
• Can you describe a recent outreach that failed to land—what happened and how did the journalist respond (if at all)?
• How frequently do you get concrete journalist feedback (e.g., 'not newsworthy', 'send data', 'too promotional')? Options: Weekly, Monthly, Rarely, Never
• When you look at past outreach, which of these feels most responsible for low placement rates? Options: Weak story angle, Lack of specific journalist relationships, Timing/misaligned editorial calendar, Spokesperson preparation, Insufficient data/case studies, Client approval delays, Other
• How has this pattern affected internal confidence, budget allocation, or leadership support for PR? Options: Budget increased, Budget unchanged, Budget reduced, Leadership skeptical, Leadership supportive but impatient

Who Truly Needs to Notice — and Why It Matters

• If the exact right reporters covered you, would it actually accelerate deals or investor interest—or would it mostly feel good? Options: Directly accelerates deals, Helps credibility over time, Primarily brand/value perception, Mostly 'feel good'
• Which buyer personas or decision-makers must read coverage to influence pipeline? Please name titles, verticals, or firmographics.
• Which investor types or capital stages matter most for your goals (select all that apply)? Options: Seed / Angel, Series A, Growth / PE, Strategic corporate investors, Industry-focused VCs, Not pursuing investors now
• How do you currently try to connect media coverage back to revenue or pipeline (e.g., tracking links, lead source tagging, sales feedback)? Options: UTM + Analytics, CRM attribution, Sales qualitative feedback, No formal tracking, Other
• What proof points would convince your exec team that earned media is actually influencing deals or partnerships?

The Story You’re Leaving On the Table

• Are we pitching what you want to say, or what reporters actually want to publish?
• Who are the spokespeople available for interviews—what are their strengths and any known weaknesses on camera or with press?
• What unique data, customer stories, product milestones, or research can we reliably use to make a pitch newsworthy?
• Are there regulatory, confidentiality, or competitive constraints that will limit what spokespeople can say? Options: No constraints, Moderate / requires legal review, Significant restrictions, Unsure
• How comfortable are your spokespeople with embargoed briefings, off-the-record background conversations, and reactive interviewing? Options: Very comfortable, Somewhat comfortable, Needs training, Unavailable/unwilling
• Would you be willing to create short, verifiable customer case studies or anonymized data sets to support pitches? Options: Yes—easily, Yes—with effort, Maybe, No

Target Outlets and Relationships: How Specific Can We Be?

• Do you need placements in 'top-tier' brand names or in specific beats and reporters at niche trade outlets—or both? Options: Top-tier national business press, Specific trade publications/vertical outlets, Regional business press, Industry blogs/podcasts, A mix of the above
• Please list the three outlets or reporters that would represent an unmistakable win for this engagement.
• Do you already have existing relationships or previously compiled media lists for your target outlets? Options: Comprehensive lists + contacts, Partial lists, No lists, just target names, Not sure
• Are you open to controlled exclusives or embargoed pre-briefings with top reporters to secure higher-impact coverage? Options: Yes—prefer exclusives for top stories, Yes—case-by-case, No—prefer broad pitching, Unsure
• Which of these outlet types should be prioritized for initial outreach (pick up to three)? Options: Industry trade outlets, Top-tier business press (e.g., Bloomberg, WSJ), Vertical blogs/podcasts, Investor-focused press, Regional business press, Analyst publications
• Are there specific reporter names or past story links you want us to avoid or pursue aggressively? Please list.

What Would 'Winning' Actually Feel Like?

• Is a placement in a target outlet the finish line, or do you expect measurable business outcomes from each placement? Options: Placement only (brand lift), Placement + measurable leads, Placement + sales engagement, Placement + investor interest
• Which metrics would you use to judge success after 3 and 6 months (choose all that apply)? Options: Number of target outlet placements, Share of voice vs competitors, Inbound lead volume from coverage, Deals influenced / pipeline value, Investor engagement events, Social amplification / executive mentions
• What’s the minimum outcome that would make leadership view this engagement as a success?
• Tell us about an earned media win in the past that actually moved the business—what changed and why did it matter?
• How quickly do you expect to see meaningful results after we begin (pick one)? Options: Immediate (1–2 months), Short-term (3–4 months), Medium (5–6 months), Longer than 6 months
• Which success signals would make you want to expand the engagement versus pause or reduce scope? Options: Repeat placements in target outlets, Clear pipeline attribution, Executive visibility (interviews/op-eds), Competitive displacement, Positive analyst feedback

Commitments, Availability, and How We'll Move Fast

• Will spokesperson availability and approval speed be something we can rely on in time-sensitive opportunities? Options: Yes—very responsive, Usually responsive with 24–48 hours, Often delays >48 hours, No—significant delays expected
• What approval process must press materials pass (legal, product, exec), and how long does each step usually take?
• What are your preferred communication and collaboration tools for rapid coordination (select all that apply)? Options: Email, Slack/MS Teams, Shared Google Drive, Asana/Jira, Phone/SMS, Other
• How does budget and commercial structure need to be framed to get a yes from procurement or leadership? Options: Fixed monthly retainer, Project-based, Performance + retainer, Need internal approval, Unsure
• What would a realistic launch timeline look like—from kickoff to first targeted pitches? Options: 1–2 weeks, 3–4 weeks, 1–2 months, Longer
• Who else on your side should be looped into operational planning (sales leader, product marketing, legal)? Please name titles.
• Finally, what would make you decide to stop the engagement early—what are deal-breakers we should know up front? Options: No placements in X months, Slow responsiveness internally, Poor quality of secured outlets, Excessive budget overrun, Misalignment with brand values, Other

• Solution Experience Pre-brief
• Core Solution Experience — Storyline to Placement
• Evidence & Proof Workshop
• Validation & Pilot Planning Workshop
• Executive Summary & Decision Review

• Get explicit commitments on roles, approvals, and SLAs needed to execute time-sensitive pitching.
• Agency to produce a prioritized outlet/journalist list with a placement likelihood score per storyline.
• Targeted Case Studies
• Provide concrete proof that similar storylines achieved placements in priority outlets and delivered business impact.
• Tie each proof point directly back to the client's stated consequence and future-state outcome.
• Obtain client confirmation that the presented evidence removes key objections to proceeding.
• Agency to share detailed anonymized case study PDFs and placement links.
• Agency to deliver the journalist relationship map and the rationale behind each reporter match.
• Client to confirm which business-impact metrics they will prioritize in pilot reporting.
• Future State & KPI Recap
• Lock a mutually agreed pilot scope that directly tests the demonstrated future-state outcomes.
• Introductions & Objectives
• Define measurable go/no-go criteria so the pilot produces a clear decision point.
• Agency to produce and send a one-page pilot summary (scope, KPIs, timeline, cost) for signature.
• Client to designate primary approvals contact and confirm spokesperson availability windows.
• Both parties to confirm pilot kickoff date and first reporting deliverable schedule.
• One-line Current State & Consequence
• Secure executive approval and budget to proceed with the pilot.
• Ensure executives understand how pilot outcomes map to business impact and decision criteria.
• Confirm the kickoff date and the executive's expectations for reporting and results.
• Executive to provide sign-off on the pilot summary and budget allocation.
• Agency to schedule the kickoff meeting and circulate the pilot SOW and timeline.
• Client to confirm any remaining internal stakeholders who should receive pilot reports.
• Confirm a single-sentence current state that will be used verbatim in the Solution Experience.
• Gather all artifacts needed to convert client storylines into real pitches during the core session.
• Set clear logistics so the core Solution Experience includes the right stakeholders and materials.
• Client to deliver recent 3–5 pitch emails and outcomes (opens, responses, placements) before core session.
• Client to share prioritized target outlet list and spokespeople bios.
• Schedule core Solution Experience meeting and confirm attendees (include decision-maker and spokespeople).
• One-sentence Current State Recap
• Confirm the current-state and consequence so the experience is grounded in urgency.
• Demonstrate, using live client storylines, how each becomes a tailored pitch with a clear path to placement.
• Secure client validation on prioritized outlets, angles, and required proof for a trial campaign.
• Identify immediate gaps (assets, spokespeople availability) that must be closed before deployment.
• Agency to draft 2–3 sample pitch emails and subject lines for client review.
• Client to confirm spokespeople availability and supply supporting data or customer references.
• One-sentence Current State (client confirms)
• Pilot Plan & Expected Impact
• Journalist Relationship Map
• Consequence Quantification
• Pilot Scope Definition
• Investment, Resourcing & Decision
• Roles, Approvals & SLAs
• Future State Outcome Statement
• Consequence Snapshot
• Placement Probability Scoring
• Next Steps & Kickoff Calendar
• Timeline, Reporting Cadence & Go/No-go Criteria
• Measurement & Business Impact Demo
• Diagnostic: Obstacles Mapping
• Artifacts & Examples Review
• Client Validation & Questions
• Final Validation & Commit
• Logistics & Pre-work Assignments
• Live Storyline-to-Pitch Mapping
• Pitch Flow & Cadence Simulation
• Proof Points & Risk Mitigation
• Validation Checkpoints

• Curated Journalist Contact List by Beat and Outlet
• Send Personalized Pitches to Target Journalists
• Secure Earned Placements in Target Trade Outlets
• Ghostwrite and Place Thought-Leadership or Byline Pieces
• Negotiate and Manage Embargos and Exclusives
• Deliver Spokesperson Interview Briefs and Q&A Lines
• One-on-One Media Interview Coaching Session
• Real-Time Media Monitoring and Coverage Alerts
• Coverage Quality and Share-of-Voice Reporting
• Draft Reactive Quotes and Rapid Media Responses
• Facilitate Reporter Backgroundings and Briefing Sessions
• Secure Product Reviews and Analyst Mentions

Curated Journalist Contact List by Beat and Outlet

• Do you have an existing list of target outlets and journalists to include in the curated contact list? Options: Yes, a complete list, Partial list (some outlets/journalists), No — we need the agency to propose
• List the primary beats or topical areas we should prioritize (e.g., cybersecurity, healthcare IT, fintech) — top 5 preferred.
• Which specific outlets are absolute must-haves for placement (name up to 10)?
• Are there any journalists, freelancers, or outlets we should explicitly exclude or avoid?
• Which contact data format do you prefer for delivery of the curated list? Options: Spreadsheet (CSV), Direct CRM import, Contact list + journalist profiles, Other
• Should the list include editor-level contacts, freelancers, and contributing writers? Options: Yes — include all, Only editors and senior reporters, No — focus on day-to-day reporters
• How frequently should we validate and refresh the contact list? Options: Weekly, Bi-weekly, Monthly, Quarterly

Send Personalized Pitches to Target Journalists

• Which pitch cadence do you prefer for outreach to prioritized journalists? Options: One-time outreach, Cadenced follow-ups (3 touches), Ongoing weekly pitching, Targeted bursts around announcements
• Do you want the agency to offer exclusives or embargoed previews within initial pitches? Options: Yes — offer exclusives to top targets, No — broad outreach only, When strategically appropriate
• Should pitches be fully tailored per journalist or use a templated approach with personalization tokens? Options: Fully tailored per journalist, Template with personalization, Standard template for efficiency
• Who will provide the core materials for pitches (quotes, data, spokespeople)? Options: Client provides all materials, Agency drafts materials and seeks client approval, Combination (client provides quotes; agency drafts)
• Do you require draft pitch approval before sending? If yes, specify approval cadence. Options: Yes — approve every pitch, Yes — approve major pitches only, No — agency may send
• What is an acceptable timeline from finalizing angle to first outreach? Options: Within 48 hours, 3-5 business days, 1-2 weeks

Secure Earned Placements in Target Trade Outlets

• Which target trade and business outlets should be prioritized for earned placements (list top priorities)?
• What types of placements count as success for you? Options: Feature story, Byline/op-ed, Mention/quote, Product mention/review
• What is your target placement volume over the campaign period (per quarter/campaign)? Options: 1-2, 3-5, 6-10, 10+
• Do you have reporter/editor relationships we should leverage or should the agency rely on its contacts? Options: Client has relationships we want used, Agency should use its relationships, Both — combine lists
• Do you have supporting assets (data, customer case studies, spokespeople) to substantiate pitches for placements? Options: Yes — comprehensive assets, Partial assets available, No — need agency support
• If conflicts arise between competing outlet priorities, what should guide prioritization? Options: Buyer influence (reach our buyers), Investor/analyst visibility, Outlet prestige, Lead generation potential

Ghostwrite and Place Thought-Leadership or Byline Pieces

• Do you prefer ghostwritten pieces attributed to the company, co-authored, or authored by our agency? Options: Ghostwritten (published under exec name), Co-authored (exec + agency), Agency authors with byline
• How many thought-leadership/byline pieces would you like per quarter? Options: 1, 2-3, 4+
• Will executives provide substantive input/drafts or should the agency create drafts for review? Options: Execs will provide drafts/notes, Agency drafts and sends for review, Hybrid — agency drafts then exec edits
• Are there approved POVs, messaging frameworks, or regulatory constraints the writer must follow? Options: Yes — provide guidelines, No — open to agency POV
• Do you want the agency to handle editorial pitching to secure placement of bylines with editorial teams? Options: Yes — secure contributed placements, No — we will pitch contributed content ourselves, Either — agency should try editorial placement first
• What is your preferred approval SLA for draft bylines before submission to an outlet? Options: 24 hours, 48 hours, 3+ business days

Negotiate and Manage Embargos and Exclusives

• Are you open to offering exclusives to top-tier outlets? Options: Yes — open to exclusives, No — prefer broad distribution, Depends on the outlet
• What embargo policy must we adhere to for your announcements? Options: Strict embargo time (exact lift time), Flexible with conditional timing, No embargoes — on-record only
• Who is authorized to approve embargo or exclusive agreements on your side? Options: CEO/Executive sponsor, Director of Communications, Legal/Comms + Exec
• Do legal or compliance constraints restrict what can be shared under embargo? Options: Yes — restrictions apply, No — no special constraints
• Do you require written embargo/exclusive agreements or are emailed confirmations adequate? Options: Written agreement required, Email confirmation is sufficient, Either is acceptable
• Should the agency provide tracking and reporting on embargo compliance and lift timing? Options: Yes — include tracking/report, No — not necessary

Deliver Spokesperson Interview Briefs and Q&A Lines

• Which executives will serve as primary spokespeople (names and roles)?
• Do you prefer short talking points or detailed interview Q&A briefs (or both)? Options: Short talking points, Detailed Q&A and messaging map, Both
• Should briefs be tailored per outlet/journalist and include expected questions? Options: Yes — tailored per outlet, No — generic brief only, Tailored for major outlets only
• What is the turnaround time you expect for interview briefs prior to a scheduled interview? Options: 24 hours, 48 hours, 72+ hours
• Do you want crisis or reactive message variants included in the brief? Options: Yes — include reactive variants, No — standard briefing only
• Should briefs include approved statistics, customer quotes, and compliance-approved phrasing? Options: Yes — include all approved assets, Include only basic stats, No — briefs only

One-on-One Media Interview Coaching Session

• How many executives do you want coached one-on-one? Options: 1, 2-3, 4+
• Preferred coaching format? Options: Virtual (video) session, In-person session, Phone session, Hybrid
• Do you want coaching sessions recorded with playback and written notes? Options: Yes — record and provide notes, No — live session only
• Which coaching focus areas are highest priority (select all that apply)? Options: Message discipline, Bridging techniques, Handling hostile questions, Voice and body language, Storytelling and anecdotes
• Preferred session length per executive? Options: 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes
• Do you require scheduled follow-up practice sessions or on-demand refreshers? Options: Scheduled follow-ups, On-demand refreshers, No follow-ups

Real-Time Media Monitoring and Coverage Alerts

• Which keywords, brand names, product names, competitor names, and executive names should be monitored?
• Which channels should monitoring and alerts cover? Options: Online trade press, National business press, Social media, Broadcast TV/radio, Analyst reports
• How quickly do you need alerts delivered? Options: Immediate (within minutes), Hourly digest, Daily digest
• Preferred alert delivery method? Options: Email, Slack channel, SMS, Dashboard only
• Do you want alerts to include sentiment scoring and share-of-voice tagging? Options: Yes — include sentiment & SOV, Sentiment only, No — basic alerts only
• Should alerts include recommended next-step actions (e.g., pitch follow-up, exec statement)? Options: Yes — include recommended actions, No — alerts only

Coverage Quality and Share-of-Voice Reporting

• Which KPIs should we prioritize in coverage reporting? Options: Placement quality/tier, Share-of-voice, Audience reach/unique readers, Business impact (pipeline/leads)
• What reporting cadence do you prefer for executive summaries and deep-dive reports? Options: Weekly, Bi-weekly, Monthly, Quarterly
• Do you require placement scoring (tiered quality score) and qualitative annotations? Options: Yes — scoring + qualitative notes, No — quantitative only, Qualitative only
• Do you want coverage data correlated to pipeline/CRM or sales metrics? Options: Yes — integrate with sales metrics, No — PR-only reporting
• Which report delivery formats do you prefer? Options: PDF executive summary, Live dashboard access, Slide deck, CSV export for internal analysis
• Should we benchmark results against competitors or industry averages? Options: Yes — include benchmarks, No — internal performance only

Draft Reactive Quotes and Rapid Media Responses

• Who is authorized to sign off on reactive quotes and rapid responses? Options: Director of Communications, Legal, Designated press contact, Executive sponsor
• Do you want a library of pre-approved boilerplate statements and reactive templates? Options: Yes — full library, Limited templates only, No — craft responses ad hoc
• What SLA should the agency meet for responding to breaking media inquiries? Options: Within 1 hour, 2-4 hours, Same business day, 24 hours
• Are there topics that require mandatory legal or compliance review before any public response? Options: Yes — legal review required, No — comms can proceed
• Should rapid responses include offers to set up interviews or backgroundings with spokespeople? Options: Yes — include offers, No — statement only

• Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
• Master Services Agreement (MSA)
• Statement of Work (SOW)
• Fee Schedule & Payment Terms
• Team Roles & RACI
• Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for Responsiveness
• Approval & Sign-off Workflow
• Change Order / Scope Adjustment
• Exclusivity, Embargo & Exclusive Handling
• Reporting, Metrics & Success Signals
• Data Processing Agreement (DPA)
• Intellectual Property & Use Rights
• Crisis Escalation & Time-sensitive Opportunity Protocol
• Term, Renewal & Termination

• Placement vs Success Signals Review
• Coverage Quality & Narrative Audit
• Attribution & Business Impact Workshop
• Issues, Escalation & Shared Channel Setup
• Strategic Next Opportunities & Editorial Calendar Planning

• Create the shared channel (Slack/email group) and invite agreed participants.
• Revise spokesperson talking points and mock pitch language based on agreed recommendations.
• Schedule a 30-minute spokesperson prep session before the next outreach window.
• Update pitch templates in the agency queue to reflect the narrative adjustments.
• Current-state one-sentence attribution summary
• Select an attribution approach that the client and agency will use going forward.
• Agree on a focused set of business KPIs that tie coverage to pipeline and revenue.
• Assign analytics owners and a repeatable reporting cadence to maintain measurement rigor.
• Deliver a one-page attribution plan documenting chosen model, KPIs, data sources, and owners.
• Set up a dashboard or shared report that surfaces agreed KPIs on the chosen cadence.
• Client to grant access or provide regular exports from CRM/analytics needed for attribution.
• Schedule a follow-up review after one reporting cycle to validate model assumptions.
• Current-state one-sentence ops summary
• Establish a single, shared channel for time-sensitive communications with clear rules of engagement.
• Define and agree SLAs and escalation procedures that reduce missed opportunities.
• Validate the process with a quick simulation to prove it will work under pressure.
• Current-state one-sentence recap
• Publish the SLA and escalation document in the shared channel and ask for formal client acknowledgement.
• Run a remedial training/quickstart for spokespeople on response expectations.
• Schedule a 30-day check-in to review channel effectiveness and tweak SLAs.
• One-sentence future-state reminder
• Produce a prioritized 60–90 day roadmap of media opportunities that map to the agreed future state.
• Assign clear owners, deadlines, and measurement proof points for the top opportunities.
• Obtain client sign-off on the plan so the agency can execute without delay.
• Publish the 60–90 day opportunity roadmap with owners and timelines.
• Prepare pitch assets and spokesperson briefs for the top three prioritized opportunities.
• Confirm editorial calendar dates and lock any requested exclusives or embargoes.
• Schedule the next Success & Review meeting at the end of the campaign window to validate outcomes.
• Ensure all stakeholders share a single, explicit statement of the current state and its consequence.
• Agree on a clear, one-sentence future state that defines what 'better' looks like operationally.
• Identify 3 immediate corrective actions with owners and deadlines.
• Capture validation from the client that the diagnosis and proposed fixes are accurate.
• Deliver a detailed placement vs success-signal spreadsheet (with qualitative notes) within 48 hours.
• Client to confirm priority outlets and any changes to success signals within 3 business days.
• Assign owners for each corrective action and schedule owner check-ins for the next two weeks.
• Update the shared tracking channel with revised success signals and the next reporting date.
• One-sentence current-state summary
• Produce a shared, evidence-based assessment of coverage quality using a repeatable rubric.
• Identify specific narrative and asset changes that directly address the quality gaps observed.
• Obtain the client's validation that proposed narrative changes map to their commercial priorities.
• Publish the scored clip audit and rubric to the shared workspace within 24 hours.
• Data presentation: referrals, traffic, leads, deals
• Define channel purpose and scope
• Success-signal alignment check
• Editorial calendar alignment
• Sample review: top and missed placements
• Opportunity prioritization
• Data-backed placements review
• Set SLAs and escalation paths
• Attribution model options
• Quality scorecard walkthrough
• Impact modeling exercise
• Root-cause mapping
• Consequence quantification
• Tactical plan and owners
• Assign channel roles and owners
• Diagnosis of gaps
• Decide KPIs and reporting cadence
• Run a rapid-response simulation
• Recommended narrative adjustments