how to pitch a journalist
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How to Pitch a Journalist
A journalist’s perspective on what works in PR pitches — and what doesn’t.
What does psychology …
… have to do with pitching writers?
Answer: Everything.
Many journalists, columnists, freelancers and other denizens of the written word deal daily with: Deadlines
Overwork
Email overload
Interviews
Content curation (finding real stories in a sea of hyperbole and questionable facts)
Social media
Lack of an editor (many online writers no longer have editors, fact-checkers or copyeditors, so they must work hard to get everything right the first time)
Overcaffeination (probably)
Amidst all that pressure, they are devoted to:
Getting the truth out to the public
Keeping readers informed and up-to-date on the latest trends, technologies, current events and other kinds of news
Keeping democracy alive through informed public discourse
Producing interesting and original articles
It can be a lot to deal with.
How do you make your PR pitch stand
out?
Image: Diliff
Think of what a journalist needs for a good story:
Well-written content
Content that matches current trends in the news
Something in her field
A well-known person or product
An exciting topic
… and:
Someone she can trust
Someone who cares
Why are those last two points so important?
In today’s busy, info-overloaded world, not that many people care and it’s hard to trust strangers.
People who care stand out.
Show them you care. Help them trust you.
How to show a journalist that you care:
1) Get my name right.
During my 2.5-year tenure as a problogger for a national business blog, you’d be amazed how many emails I received that started with:
Dear John, (that’s not my name!)
Dear XXX, (you were too rushed to insert my name in the form!)
Dear blogger, (you don’t even care enough to find my name!)
Let’s say you get my name right. Now make me
interested.2) Capture my attention during the first two sentences of your pitch. Refer to something I wrote in the past — and how much you liked it,
ideally. “I loved your Sept. 12 blog post about how to be a better pitch person. My company, Pitchers Anon, provides support groups for people who have been rejected by journalists.”
Mention something you have in common with me, based on my bio. “I noticed that you’re a professional alligator wrestler. My brother won the 2001 Orlando championships — tough sport. Anyways …"
Give me something that you know I would appreciate. “I noticed that you like tuna salad, here’s my favorite recipe.”
Tell me how your offering would benefit my readers. “I noticed you’ve covered the ongoing trend of pet implants in the past. I have a client, PetImplant, Inc., that your readers might be interested in. They plug trackers into radio-controlled Burberry collars.”
Capture my attention in the first 2 sentences (cont’d)
Use unusual words. To wordsmiths, exotic words are like exotic birds. “I’d like to pique your interest in …” or “Many computer scientists today kludge together their big data systems …”
Mention hot names. “The company I work with made Madonna lose 10 pounds.” “We worked with NASA to design a monkey spacecraft.”
Impress me with statistics. “Narcissism has grown by 555% since the advent of social media.”
What doesn’t work.
These are examples from real-life pitches: My name is John. I am here to inquire about XYZ. (Why
should I care?) I understand that as a popular and authoritative business
site you are interested in XYZ. (That sounds like a generic pitch, meaning you don’t really care.)
I am reaching out from Widgets, Inc. and think we might have some synergy! (Oh really? Tell me why you’re worth more than a cliché.)
Nice work with your blog. (Thanks. I think. What specifically do you like?)
Now that I’m past the hook, show me how to like you.
3) Be clear about how you can help me. Be specific.
“Would you be interested in a candid conversation with my client, Joe Smith, who personally oversaw the trials for the newest class of hair-growth drugs? He can share his perspective on the state of the industry, why polymers and artificial cells are the next big trend in hair growth, and how researchers can break into this burgeoning field.”
Show me why I should trust you.
4) Add third-party proof points that verify the coolness of your offering.
“Joe Smith has been interviewed by Oprah, and has consulted with clients including Kojak and George Castanza. He won the 2011 National Hair Regrowth Award, and was shortlisted for the 2012 Growee Trophy. His company is backed by HaiRoots, Inc. and Omigod Health.”
Name specific features.
5) List specific features of your offering. One, two or all of them might ring a bell and awaken my interest.
“Joe Smith uses cell baiting technology, which involves tricking the hair follicle into thinking it should grow. He uses a dynamotronic centrifuge, open-source big data hair growth tracking, and skin-aware paste for the scalp.”
Not: “He uses all the latest gadgets and technology.”
End with a call to action.
5) Name my next steps for me.
“Let us know if you are available to speak with Joe sometime this/next week. Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.”
”Let me know if you’d like a unique article for your publication or would like a copy of his book to review.”
“Let me know if you’d like a trial of Ueber HairGrowth Ultra Plus, or would like to send some to your readers.”
Et voila!
By following the guidance in this slideshow, you’ll have the tools you need to keep a journalist interested in your pitch. (Image: schwenkenstein01 on Flickr)
Good luck and happy pitching!
