Tips on Writing a Media Pitch That Will Get Read
If you want to get the news about your company and your products covered by a reporter then you are going to have to do some work. Just sending an email to these professionals and expecting them to call back is ludicrous. You are going to need to send emails about what you want covered, and make phone calls to see if they have received the emails, and be persistent.
Persistent does not mean pesky, there is a difference. Follow up on your emails that you send, but do not stalk the reporter, or email them several times a day trying to drown them in your idea. You want to plant the seed that is your idea and then carefully nurture that seed so that it will germinate and sprout above the soil. This will take gentle reminders and carefully worded messages.
You will have a better chance of getting a reporter to cover your story if the person you choose to send the information to has shown a past interest in similar companies or products. Watch the local programming and pay attention to the types of stories the different reporters cover the most. You will start to see a pattern and when you see the pattern you will be able to determine which reporter is more likely to show an interest in the idea you have.
When you write your pitch make sure that you have determined who the target audience will be so you can inform the reporter. You can tell them “stay at home moms that watch your afternoon programming will be the most likely to show an interest in this”. That lets the reporter know you have done your homework and gives them some idea as to what to do with your story.
When you are pitching a new company, or an event, that your company is sponsoring then these ideas fit into the human interest categories of news programming. Many news stations will do live segments on their main news programs to cover stories of human interest for the community. Some stations even have community bulletin board programming to showcase local events.
If you can take some part of your story that you want the reporter to cover and tie it into a holiday that is soon to come you will stand a better chance of getting the reporter to listen to your pitch. At holiday times they are always looking for stories that will be different from the ones that their competitors will be airing.
Watch what is trending and use the trends to pitch your company and its products. These means try and determine what people are starting to buy more of or use more often, and find a way to tie your product into the latest trend. Going green is a trend, and so is wearing certain styles of clothing. The way we cook and the foods we eat follow trends, and so does the way we clean, and the activities we engage in for entertainment.
