Get an editor's attention by writing a stand-out
pitch letter
A pitch letter is one of the most direct and efficient PR
tools for getting publicity. The key is to have a great
idea, communicate that idea effectively, and make
contact with the right editors.
To pique an editor's interest, you must make a case
for your story by showing how your information would
be of interest to and/or benefit the audience. Since the
press gets bombarded with hundreds of pitches and
news releases each day, the more specific, timely,
concise, and interesting your story idea is, the better
your chances of getting a response.
Strategic planning and writing are crucial when
creating and targeting a pitch letter. Here are several
tips that will help you develop a winning pitch the next
time you have a solid news or feature story idea
related to your expertise, company, products, or
services.
Make the right contacts
Where do you want your story published or
broadcast? While regional and national press have
the most overall impact, competition is fierce. It takes
a major story to make it to that level; however, precise
strategy and persistence will increase your chances
of hitting it just right. Meanwhile, consider local press
opportunities, trade/industry publications, and niche
websites -- as all of these outlets will help you reach
potential customers, give you decent visibility, and
provide the opportunity for you to hone your media
skills and build your press coverage portfolio.
To help you get started on targeting the appropriate
editors, refer to our web site's resource section at:
http://www.shockpr.com/html/resources.html.
Subscribing to media services can be costly, but
worth it for helping you develop press lists and
making contact with the appropriate editors. Also,
many of the media services will give you data on
publications in every trade and profession that exists.
A cost-free but time-consuming approach would be to
review each publication or news station online and
identify the appropriate editor by searching the site or
calling the organization.
Quality is better than quantity
A great pitch needs to have substance behind it. Make
sure the information you're pitching is truly
newsworthy or makes for a great feature or human
interest story. The pitch has to have merit in order for
the editor to keep reading and want to know more
about your idea. Better to send out two strong pitches
per year than 20 weak ideas. It will be worth it in the
long run.
Think like a journalist
Editors don't have time to sift through a letter to
understand what you're trying to communicate. Get to
the point quickly and make a compelling case for why
your idea is newsworthy. Discuss how your story idea
would be of importance to the audience. How will the
audience benefit from the coverage of the story? For
example, will the product, service, or new information
make their lives easier and/or save them money? Will
they be interested in the human interest angle side of
the story?
Keep in mind the press is always on the lookout for
new trends and ideas that bring a local perspective to
a national story -- especially if you can support your
pitch with surveys, statistics, and case studies. (To
read more about what a journalist is looking for, read
our past newsletter feature, "Boston Globe
Correspondent Offers PR Advice" at
http://shockpr.com/newsletters/dec05.html).
Write like a journalist
The mechanics and content of the letter are a top
priority when formulating a successful pitch. The
same goes for headlines and subject lines. You may
have the greatest pitch but if your subject line is wordy
or confusing it may be overlooked or deleted. Think of
encapsulating the most important and relevant
information about your story and condensing it to ten
words or less.
The letter itself should be no longer than one page.
Your lead paragraph should start with the most
important "hook" of your story by stating an interesting
fact or asking a "did you know" question that entices
the editor to want to keep reading.
Develop your idea by providing the necessary
information needed to support the story as well as
your background information and/or a link to your web
site and/or press kit. Be sure to include when you are
available and the best way to be contacted.
Be a wealth of information
In your letter or while you are speaking to an editor,
provide as much help as possible in developing all
angles of the story. For example, in addition to
including background statistics or surveys, offer
third-party and/or industry resources. Reporters
frequently look for multiple sources when writing
stories, so providing several credible names with
contact information will also help you cultivate
relationships with key members of the media. By the
same token, let the editor know you are willing to be
interviewed for other stories related to your industry
and be sure to communicate your different areas of
expertise.
Follow up but don't overdo
One or two follow-up emails or phone calls are okay,
but mostly likely the editor will contact you if he or she
is interested. Still, it's okay to initiate a call that goes
something like this: "I'm the owner of XYZ Company
following up on a story idea I sent you about a new
product that will help consumers save time." At that
point, be sure to have all the relevant information on
hand should the editor want you to elaborate. If you
don't hear back after two follow-up calls, the editor is
most likely not interested. You can continue to pitch
your idea to other news organizations, but remember
not to take rejection from the press personally. Some
editors receive literally hundreds of story ideas and
news releases each day.
When it comes to the media, timing can be everything,
but being selective about your story pitches, staying
the course, and building positive relationships are
equally important and will pay off over time.
