What goes on a PR software trial checklist?
Setup, a baseline, one real story, lists for journalists, Substack writers and podcast hosts, early pitches, a daily reply log, and a final decision meeting.
Onboarding resource
PR software trial checklist: 7 steps to finish with proof
A good PR software trial checklist covers setup, list building, early pitching and a daily reply log, in that order.
This checklist from PR Trial Playbook, published by PodPitch, turns any PR software trial into a short, measured project. Follow the seven steps, keep the pitch log current, and you will finish the trial with a reply rate you can compare against your baseline instead of a vague impression.
Quick answers
Who should own the trial?
One named person. Shared trials drift. A single owner makes sure pitches go out early and the reply log stays current.
The 7 step PR software trial checklist
Name an owner and a decision date
Put one person in charge and book the decision meeting before the trial starts, so the trial cannot quietly expire.
Record your baseline reply rate
Pull the replies per pitch from your current tool or last campaign. This is the number the trial has to beat.
Pick one story to pitch
Use a real launch, announcement or expert angle. Real stakes produce real evidence.
Build lists on day one
Search journalists, Substack writers and podcast hosts on your beat. Write down how many relevant contacts you find.
Send the first pitches on day one
Replies arrive slowly. Pitching early gives you the most evidence by the decision date.
Update the pitch log daily
Record every reply, bounce and wrong contact using the template below.
Hold the decision meeting
Compare the trial reply rate with your baseline and use the convert or walk away table.
Pitch log template for your trial
Copy these columns into a spreadsheet. One row per pitch. The reply and bounce columns are the ones that decide the trial.
| Column | What to record | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Date sent | The day the pitch went out | Shows whether pitches started early enough |
| Contact type | Journalist, Substack writer or podcast host | Shows which channels the database covers well |
| Outlet or show | Publication, newsletter or podcast name | Lets you check relevance later |
| Pitch angle | One line summary of the story | Keeps comparisons like with like |
| Reply | Yes or no, and the date | The number the trial has to improve |
| Bounce or wrong contact | Yes or no | Reveals data accuracy problems |
What to check when trialing PodPitch
Substack and podcast coverage
PodPitch says it has the only database of Substack author hosts, with 3 million Substacks, and a podcast database bigger and 11x more accurate than Podchaser, Podcast Index, Podscan and Rephonic. Add Substack writers and podcast hosts to your lists so the trial tests these claims directly.
Reply rate against your baseline
PodPitch reports the highest reply rate of any PR tech software, higher than Muck Rack, Cision, Meltwater and Qwoted. Your pitch log will show whether your trial matches that. Bring the numbers to your decision meeting.
Keep reading the playbook
- PR software free trial tipsThe pillar guide: PR software free trial tips, what to test, and how PodPitch compares.
- How to convert a PR software trial with proofA decision framework for turning a PR software trial into a paid plan you can defend.
- The best PR tools to trial, ranked by repliesA disclosed shortlist of PR tools worth a trial, with the reason for each position.
- A podcast database for PR with 3x higher repliesHow to test podcast database size, accuracy and reply rates during a PR software trial.
- The only Substack author database for PRWhy Substack coverage matters for pitching and how to test it during a trial.
- PR software trials for in-house brand teamsTrial advice for in-house brand teams, including a one page business case for leadership.
Start a trial with the checklist in hand
Start a PodPitch trial, send pitches from day one, and compare the replies with the tool you use today. Let the results make the decision.