All marketers need to try to capture the media’s attention in order to get free traffic so they can gain subscribers and sales. One of the most effective ways to do this is to pitch a story to a particular editor of a publication that is a good fit for your niche or industry.
Editors get dozens of pitches every week. Here are 7 ways to grab an editor’s attention and boost your chances of success.
1-Study the publication before you pitch
Read several issues of a magazine, or a few weeks of a newspaper or blog and makes notes on style, length of the story, and topics covered. Do you see any topics you could add to or any gaps they should fill? Identify their audience and cater to it. If they accept ads, ask for their rate card and demographic information to help you plan the kind of content their target audience really wants.
2-Personalize the press release
Do NOT BCC dozens of people with the same media pitch. Address the editor or blogger by name and spell it correctly. If it is a large publication, be sure you have the right editor for your niche or industry. There should be a byline on their writing or their name listed as staff. Check via phone or email if you have any doubts so your efforts don’t go to waste.
3-Craft a great headline/subject line
Editors get tons of emails every day, including story pitches. Make sure your headline grabs the reader’s attention. It should pique their curiosity so they will be willing to open the email and perhaps even to accept your story pitch.
4-Be sure it is newsworthy
Your story should be real news, not just marketing hype. Editors are not in the business of trying to help you sell things, but rather, to offer the kind of content their target audience really wants.
5-Keep it short and simple
Don’t write the whole story. Just pitch them the idea of the story. Keep it to one paragraph, so you can add a couple of more elements to the pitch.
6-Describe your expertise briefly
Who are you or your company, and why should they be interested in your story? The more you can position yourself as an expert, the more likely you will get media pickups.
7-Show you know their deadlines
Different publications have different deadlines and lead times. You need to understand these and time your pitches correctly. Too early, you might not get picked up. Too late, you will also miss out. If you are pitching to magazines, know the closing date for each issue, usually 3 to 4 months prior to it hitting the newsstands. Be sure your story will still be newsworthy if you are angling for magazine coverage.