know the 6 important tips for the perfect pitch
TRANSCRIPT
Know the 6 Important Tips for the Perfect Pitch
Do Your ResearchMake it PersonalBe Relevant & Interesting
Get to the PointGive Access to More
InformationBuild a Relationship
First and foremost, you need to know which media outlets to pitch to. Spend time looking for websites, news stations and magazines that cover the type of topic you are looking to pitch. Be sure that their audience is aligned with the aesthetic of your brand.
For example, my website, Couture in the Suburbs, focuses on local fashion. When I receive pitches outside of this realm, I simply ignore them. The off-topic pitch shows me they didn’t spend enough time reviewing my site to know what I actually write about.
Do Your Research
Find an individual, not an entity to send your pitch to and you will greatly increase your chances of getting a response. ALWAYS include the reporter’s name in the e-mail and make the message personal to them.
One great way to personalize the message is to reference a story they covered in the past. This will show the reporter that you follow their work and understand how your pitch aligns with their area of expertise.
If you’re having trouble finding a direct e-mail address for the reporter you want to send your pitch to, try reaching out to them on social media. Many websites and TV shows list the reporter’s Twitter handle, so send them a tweet asking for the best way to contact them.
Make it Personal
Great reporters are always looking for new, fresh story topics to interest their audience. They are not looking to promote businesses just for the sake of it.
Frame your pitch in a way that highlights the most interesting and unique thing about your brand.
Maybe you have a charity component to your brand or are using new technology to create your product. Call out this unique factor in the subject line of your e-mail.
For example, “Fashion Brand Gives Back to Children’s Hospital” or “3D Printed Technology is the Future of Jewelry”.
Be Relevant & Interesting
Another way to get media attention is to have a timely announcement. I always read, and follow up on pitches that correlate to other major events that are happening.
For example, “Local Fashion Brand Shows in New York During Fashion Week”.
No one likes long e-mails, and even more importantly, no one reads long e-mails. Make your message short and direct and you will have a better shot of the reporter actually processing your pitch.
This doesn’t mean that you want to leave out critical information; it just means you need to format that information a little bit differently.
Get to the Point
Give Access to More Information
Writing a short e-mail, as suggested above, means you can’t possibly include all the information relevant to your pitch. Creating a press kit, which can be as simple as a Drop box folder with high-resolution photos and brand facts, is a fantastic way to give the reporter access to all the information necessary to write about you.
Hopefully, the reporter decides to write an amazing story that highlights just how unique and special your brand is. However, even if they decide not do a feature, but responds to your e-mail saying they might be interested at a later date, be sure to THANK THEM for their time. It is absolutely essential to build a strong relationship so that when you have something interesting and buzz worthy, you already have the necessary contacts to distribute that information to the general public.
Build a Relationship
Follow these tips and you are on your way to getting in front of more media, and improving your brand image. Did you find these tips helpful?
Do you have further questions?
Let me know by tweeting me @ scalingretail
415-756-4591
www.scalingretail.com
