The PR Net Digital Event Recap: An Editor-in-Chief’s Guide to Pitching and Hosting Press Trips

During this week’s webinar, we heard about how a considered, less-is-more approach to press trips can help PR partners co-create meaningful and memorable stories with Dossier magazine Editor-in-Chief, Skye Parrott. As previous Editor-in-Chief titles at Departures, Playgirl, and Dossier, which she co-founded, Skye and the Dossier team have had the privilege of telling stories from around the globe while being hosted on thoughtful press trips. We've heard her insights on how making group press trips feel personal, how she prepares for press trips, and her commitment to telling compelling stories. To follow Dossier Magazine, join their community on Instagram and subscribe to their newsletter.

The takeaways: 

• Good, quality, and differentiated storytelling is rooted in data — understanding an audience and their media consumption habits leads to smart storytelling. 
• If the PR is informed and passionate about the destination or place, it comes through in their press trip pitch. 
• It’s key to understand the publication, the stories they’re telling, and the formats they’re using, and PR should consider that when pitching a press trip. 
• Communication, on both sides, is key in mitigating challenges or unexpected events during press trips. It also builds trust. 
• For group press trips, think about how to tailor elements and experiences for different journalists, publications, and audiences, as that will result in better storytelling.
• For group press trips, try to build an itinerary for each attendee to ensure each has a differentiated, interesting story to tell.
• Five guests or fewer are ideal for group press trips to ensure a personal and deep connection to the experience.
• 10+ for group press trips is possible, with the right infrastructure and investment to ensure all journalists feel cared for and able to capture their stories.
• On trips, we recommend working with each individual journalist to understand their downtime needs, whether for additional story capture or relaxation.
• When PR is collaborative and we all understand that we’re working towards a common goal it makes for the best storytelling. 
• Unstructured time always allows for journalists, specifically photographers, to capture special, organic, genuine moments (versus setting up scenes).
• A dialogue about activity details allows a journalist to be well prepped and packed properly for the experience. 
• For activity selection during the press trip itself, sending over a list of potential activities creates a more collaborative itinerary that has the journalist excited about their upcoming experience, and then results in better, deeper storytelling. 
• Thoughtful itineraries that detail expected weather, what to pack, activities, and timing, sent a week before allows journalists to prepare and research well.
• Cultural information and nuances from PR about a destination is helpful for setting everyone up for success and ensuring a positive experience.
• Everything matters — the details are never too small. The care that press puts into the process has a direct and positive impact for the story that is eventually told.
• Dossier moto: The way you do anything is the way you do everything.
• As for planning and timing, as much notice as the press can give journalists for upcoming press trips the better. Even if dates aren’t set, just a time of the year is helpful when planning out trips for the year.
• From a journalists’ perspective, how well thought out a press trip is planned and the relevance for the journalist and publication allows for an easy RSVP yes. 
• Group press trips are really great for newer journalists who are looking to network. 
• Ideally, individual press trips should be prioritized when possible and if budget allows.
• +1’s can help provide a better output for the story, as travel is naturally a social activity. 
• For pitching, PR should pitch who you have a press relationship with, if you don’t have a relationship with them, pitch to the editor who focuses on that topic, or do research for who passes press trips along to the internal editorial team – for Dossier it’s the editorial operations coordinator
• Communication is key about output expectations i.e. if coverage is mandatory, when it’ll go live, etc. 
• For group trips, curating the right group is important in a press trip to ensure a smooth and enjoyable trip. For selecting individuals consider experience, background, publication audience, etc. 
• Economy ticket for long distances with a quick turnaround can be tricky as it doesn’t allow the journalist/ editor to be properly rested to do their job
• Hosting a journalist for a multi-property press trip really depends on the properties, the distance between them, and the length of the press trip as this all can impact the quality of the story. 
• Bringing your own photographer depends on the publication, how they operate, and the budget constraints. For Dossier, we like to feature original, high-quality imagery as it allows for personalization and care from the stories developed, which is what this luxury high-end audience is consuming.  
• Length of press trips can impact the story and should be reflective of the journalist and their needs (i.e. family, working in an office, etc.).
• Curated takeaways and welcome baskets can be an opportunity for the journalist to learn more about the location and their priorities by featuring items specific to the place, the space, or the culture
• Anything you give to a journalist is a communication opportunity.
• Communicating what will and can be covered at the upfront is important especially if you’re working with an independent journalist.