This month, we interviewed our Media Executive, Rhys Marks, who joined Transmission Private in June. Rhys spoke to us about the ins and outs of his role, and what advice he would give to someone starting out in pitching.
Rhys has been a core part of the team since joining us in June as Media Executive, sinking his teeth into researching, pitching, and securing coverage in top-tier publications such as Bloomberg and The Times.
What did you do before you started working in comms?
Rhys Marks: I spent four years at university which culminated in a master’s in Media and PR. Originally, I never thought of entering comms as a profession, but the creativity and variety of work is what pulled me in. I’ve always had an interest in the media and I’m naturally an extrovert, which helps with the work I do.
Now you’re at TP, what is it like day to day?
RM: At TP, we’re constantly collaborating on pieces of work, so there’s never a quiet moment in the office. This helps us to improve day to day, as we are always sharing ideas and new ways of doing things. Whilst we all have job roles, our work ties together which is vital for building our clients profiles using written and multimedia content.
Tell us about your role as Media Executive.
RM: I’m responsible for engaging with the media and finding current trends our clientele can sink their teeth into. The aim is to get their unique perspectives and insights out into the world, whether that be in trade press or reputable top-tier publications.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
RM: We work incredibly hard at TP to amplify our clients’ ideas. My favourite part of the role is when I see our clients’ unique contributions featured in big publications – this is what makes it all worth it. There’s no better feeling than when you look at your inbox and see your client on the front page of The Sunday Times.
If you could give three pieces of advice to someone new to the role, what would they be?
RM: Pitching can be a lot to take in at first, but my main advice would be:
- Research, research, research. You need to follow the news and keep up to date with current trends, as well as knowing about the journalists you’re pitching to.
- Master your pitch and make sure it’s targeted. Blanket pitches don’t work.
- There’s always an angle, no matter the topic. Pitching isn’t easy; you’ve got to be resilient and witty in your approach.
One final thing to remember when pitching – a no is always halfway to a yes.
