You should not have to sign a six-month retainer to find out if earned media works for your brand. That is the idea behind the 30-day sprint: a fixed-scope, fixed-price engagement designed to produce measurable results in a month.
Here is exactly how it works.
Phase 1: Position (Days 1-5)
The first five days are about sharpening the blade. We identify the specific journalists and outlets that cover your space and determine the angles that give your story the best chance of being covered.
This phase includes:
- A deep dive into your current positioning, messaging, and competitive landscape
- Identification of the tier-1 and trade publications your buyers actually read
- Development of 3-5 distinct angles that are newsworthy, timely, and relevant
- A prioritized target list of specific journalists who cover those beats
The output is not a generic media list. It is a curated set of targets with corresponding angles that have a real chance of landing.
Phase 2: Pitch (Days 6-25)
This is where the work happens. Every pitch is personalized to the journalist, their beat, and their recent coverage. No mass blasts. No templates with merge fields.
The approach:
- Each pitch opens with a clear, relevant hook tied to current events or trends
- The ask is specific and respectful of the journalist’s time
- Follow-ups are polite, persistent, and spaced appropriately
- We track opens, replies, and interest signals in real time
Not every pitch lands. That is the nature of earned media. But every pitch is designed to maximize the chance of a response — and every response is handled immediately.
Phase 3: Place and Report (Days 26-30)
As coverage lands, we track and measure everything:
- The publication and specific placement
- The reach and estimated readership
- The backlinks and authority signals built
- The traffic generated
You get a clear, transparent report that shows exactly what your money bought. No vanity metrics. No “we sent 200 pitches.” Real placements you can point to, link to, and build on.
Why Sprints Work
The sprint model aligns incentives. Instead of monthly retainers that reward dragging things out, sprints reward focus and execution. When the sprint works, you expand. When it does not, you walk away having learned something useful.
Most clients who start with one sprint end up running more. Not because they are locked into a contract — because the results make the case for themselves.