Whether you want to announce a new product or boost your brand profile, media coverage is essential for getting noticed. However, the average journalist receives dozens of email pitches every day. Only a fraction of those pitches grab their attention, and then they’re busy with deadlines. To improve the odds of journalists picking up your pitch, follow these six steps.
- Study the Journalists
Journalists tend to write about companies and topics within the same industry. When you determine which ones regularly cover your industry, research what they like to write about and for which publications they write. Knowing their most recent work and having a sense of their personalities can help you cater your pitch to them.
- Build a Connection
When you choose journalists to pitch to, don’t just send them the pitch out of the blue. It’s essential to have a connection with them already. You can build this relationship by following them on Twitter or connecting with them on LinkedIn. Consider meeting them in person by going to conferences and other events that you know they’ll attend.
- Create an Interesting but Short Story
Like pretty much anything, consumers are drawn to amazing stories. Journalists are no different, so your brand story must stand out from others in your industry. Writers don’t want to sell your product for you, so you need to provide an interesting angle that their readers will want.
Even with a compelling story, no one wants to read through a page full of text. Keep your pitch short and snappy. Avoid selling your brand and only include what’s most interesting about it. You could provide links to additional information, pictures, or videos as well.
- Let Journalists Be Creative
If there’s one thing that journalists don’t like, it’s creative limitations. Give them the most fascinating highlights, and don’t be too specific. They’ll want to put their own spin on your story, so try to be flexible when they respond with their own ideas.
- Follow Up Without Being Pushy
When you’re closing a pitch with journalists, you don’t want to seem aggressive or pushy. However, you can follow up to confirm their interest. Waiting two or three days after submitting your pitch is best. If you have a time-sensitive story to publish, give journalists time to research it.
- Be Available to Answer Questions
In some cases, you won’t need to follow up with journalists because they’ll contact you. For these cases, make sure that you’re available to answer any questions that they have. Since they often work on tight deadlines, they need you to be as responsive as possible.
If you struggle to make your brand story compelling, consider getting help from professionals. GYC Vegas, for instance, offers PR in Henderson and Las Vegas. This Henderson public relations firm has the expertise necessary for writing and distributing press materials as well as building relationships with the media.