TOP 5 TIPS FOR PITCHING TO THE MEDIA
Pitching to the media seeking earned media coverage should be a part of every business’s marketing strategy. Not only is it free (which is great for limited budgets), but statistics have shown the majority of customers trust it over advertisements. So not only are you getting exposure and reaching a larger audience, but you’re boosting the credibility of your business in the process.
Crafting the perfect pitch is essential. Many journalists get hundreds of pitches a week - you want to get their attention, fast.
1. Don’t be promotional
A journalist does not want to promote your business; their job is to provide valuable content for their readers. A pitch with the tone of “Please mention me in an article, I want more clients for my business” isn’t going to get you anywhere. Instead, you need to think about the opposite approach: how can I help this journalist? Can I offer content their audience will want? Does it add to something already in the news-cycle? Is this content going to interest others, or is it really just promoting my business?
2. Do it by email - and keep it short
Most journalists prefer to be pitched by email. As mentioned, they get bombarded with them everyday, so you need to keep your email short and concise - 200 words maximum. Lead with a sentence or two outlining the story idea, and then explain who you are and why you are the right advocate/source for the piece. If you need to give a lot of information and it is absolutely necessary, use bullet-points. The email should be well-structured and not overwhelming to look at.
3. Remember to follow up
If you don’t receive a response to your pitch, don’t be disheartened. Journalists are busy people, and it can be easy to overlook an email or forget to respond. Send a follow-up email a week later to ensure they got it, and remind them why they should cover the topic. If you don’t hear back after this, it’s probably safe to say they aren’t interested. Don’t keep emailing them: there’s a difference between a polite reminder, and being a straight-up annoyance.
4. Offer something original
Journalists are after new content. They don’t want to publish stories that they or their competitors printed last month. If you can offer something new, like new perspectives or industry advice that have not yet been commented on, this is going to make your pitch far more compelling. Do your research. Don’t waste your time, or the journalists, by pitching stories that have already been done.
5. Keep on top of the news cycle for ‘newsjacking’ opportunities
Finding original story ideas can be tricky, but there are a couple of ways to go about it. One of our favourite ways is through ‘newsjacking’. This means jumping on a trend or story hot in the media cycle, and seeing whether there is a way to offer a new perspective relevant to your industry and expertise. Tying it in with a current event is also a great way to ensure the topic is newsworthy.
Still stuck? Account Coordinator Sophie Richardson hosts POPCOM’s ‘Pitch like a pro’ online seminar series, and also offers one-on-one coaching via Zoom to help business leaders refine their pitches to the media. For more information, contact sophie@popcom.com.au.
