There’s a big difference between filling seats on a press trip and connecting with the right journalists to visit a destination.

For Maria Hayworth, founder of Florida-based Hayworth Public Relations, that distinction made all the difference for her client Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in this press trip case study.

This spring, a small group of journalists arrived for what was billed as a media discovery tour to the destination. The trip was a four-day deep dive into the city’s layered history, from its Moravian roots to its reinvention as a hub for arts and innovation.

This wasn’t a greatest-hits itinerary. It was designed around a narrative that required journalists who were willing to slow down, ask questions, and find stories in nuance.

Finding the Right Fit

“We were looking for writers who were open to storytelling and history, more than just visiting site after site,” Maria explained.

Instead of casting a wide net, Maria turned to Pitchcraft.

Using the platform, she filtered journalists by geography and topic. Then, she dug deeper, reviewing their personal profiles and looking at their past coverage to understand who was already writing in a way that aligned with the trip’s themes.

“Pitchcraft was instrumental in identifying writers who would have specific interest in our theme,” she said.

What could have taken weeks of research became a focused, intentional selection process, making this a perfect press trip case study.

When the Right People Show Up

From the start, the difference was noticeable.

For Sarah Bisacca, an Atlanta-based freelance writer covering food and travel, the decision to respond to the press trip invite came down to one key factor: trust.

“Being a fellow Pitchcraft member meant that I opened Maria’s email without hesitation,” she said. “It offered a shorthand for trust before we’d exchanged a single word.”

That trust carried through the entire experience of this press trip case study.

Over four days, the group moved chronologically through Winston-Salem’s history, walking the cobblestone streets of Old Salem, exploring the legacy of R.J. Reynolds, and tracing the city’s cultural evolution through its arts institutions and innovation districts.

But just as important as the itinerary was the dynamic between the attendees.

“Our group clicked really well, which made the entire experience all the more enjoyable,” Sarah added.

That kind of chemistry isn’t accidental. It’s the result of putting the right people in the same room: People who are curious, collaborative, and editorially aligned (a foundational goal within Pitchcraft).

For Megan Bannister, a Des Moines, Iowa-based freelance travel writer, that alignment started even before the trip.

“If it wasn’t for Pitchcraft, I’m not sure that Maria and I would have connected about this opportunity,” said Megan. She arrived before the rest of the group and was able to coordinate with Maria on additional spots to visit.

Throughout the trip, conversations among attendees also helped them to form strong bonds with one another. Writers exchanged ideas, compared angles, and helped shape each other’s thinking in real time.

Stories in Motion

Many of the writers’ stories started taking shape before the trip even ended.

Sarah quickly secured a placement with Authentic Food profiling a day in the life at one of the country’s oldest bakeries, located in Old Salem.

Kris Ann Valdez, another freelance writer on the trip, developed a pitch that featured a local restaurateur she met on the trip. (The piece was published in April on Fast Company.) She also secured an article in Bluedot Living about Reynolda’s Gardens, a spot they visited.

Megan even took the unique approach of talking about a roadside attraction she discovered on the trip on a podcast, and also landed a unique wine-focused story with Food & Wine.

For Kris Ann, the opportunity itself was directly tied to the platform. “I wouldn’t have gone on this trip without Pitchcraft,” she said.

For the PR team and their client, the trip was a huge success before it even ended.

“Our client and industry partners felt all the journalists who attended were very engaged and interested in the topics being covered,” said Maria. “The level of professionalism was exceptional.”

The relationship-building among the group didn’t stop with flight home. Follow-ups included detailed contact lists, media assets, and continued collaboration between Maria and the writers, extending the value of the experience well beyond their four days together.

The Hidden Advantage: Built-In Trust

Ask any PR pro what makes press trips successful, and you’ll hear a familiar answer: relationships. Traveling together builds them, strengthens them, and solidifies them.

But building those relationships, especially in a fragmented, digital-first media landscape, is harder than ever. That’s where Pitchcraft comes in.

For journalists like Sarah, Kris Ann, and Megan, the platform creates an immediate layer of credibility — one that makes it easier to say yes, engage quickly, and show up fully invested.

For PR pros, it shortens the path from cold outreach to meaningful connection. Instead of sending press trip invites into the void, they’re reaching out within a shared ecosystem where both sides are already invested in collaboration and can truly get to know one another.

A Better Way to Build Press Trips

The success of the Winston-Salem trip wasn’t just about a well-crafted itinerary. It was about precision: finding the right journalists, fostering the right environment, and creating the conditions for strong storytelling.

Pitchcraft plays a critical role in the process of crafting an experience so good, it ends up as a press trip case study.

The platform allows PR teams to:

• Identify journalists based on what they actually cover, not just outdated databases
• Vet past work to ensure editorial alignment
• Build trust before the first email is even sent
• Curate groups that collaborate, not compete

The result is a shift from transactional planning to intentional storytelling.

The ROI of Getting It Right

For PR pros, the value of a press trip isn’t only what gets published in the weeks that follow. It’s what continues to unfold long after the trip ends.

For Maria and Winston-Salem, that meant more than story angles. It meant a group of dedicated journalists who were genuinely invested in the destination, in the narrative, and in each other. It meant conversations that didn’t end at departure, but carried forward into future pitches, collaborations, and ideas still taking shape.

The real return on a press trip isn’t transactional; it’s relational. Curious how Pitchcraft could support your next press trip? Explore the platform and see how relationship-driven PR can transform the way you connect with journalists by booking a customized demo with our founders.