If you are an entrepreneur or just trying to get some publicity for a new business and haven’t had any luck with reporters, you may want to stop and review your process. There are three, key things to do before pitching a media member.
- Conduct research.
Are you just sending a press release or a generic pitch e-mail to hundreds of media members and hoping for the best? This is just not going to work.
To get a story written about your business, you need to do your research. Find out what media members cover your industry and read what they’ve written.
Then, make a list of these reporters with your notes about their content and their contact information (which can usually be found on the publication’s website).
- Think about the reporter.
What’s in it for them? This question should always be going through your mind when you reach out to media members.
Once you have your list of media members, you need to create a pitch that is specific to each reporter’s beat (area of interest) that he or she will find interesting. Think about the value you can provide to that reporter’s audience, and make your story unique.
Many times, I receive pitches that have nothing to do with what I write about, and they go straight to my wastebasket. It’s annoying and wastes time. With this in mind, think before you pitch. You’ll be in a much better position to grab a reporter’s attention.
- Follow up accordingly.
Once you have your targeted pitch ready, call or e-mail the reporter individually and give your story quickly and clearly. If you don’t hear from that person, follow-up with a phone call. If you still don’t hear anything, that reporter is probably not interested.
At this point, don’t be a pest. Move on to the next media member on your list with a new pitch specific to that person.
If your story idea is good enough, you will get some media attention.
Not what you were thinking?
Yes, obtaining a single, published article about your business can take a lot of time and effort. In fact, you may spend hours conducting research and pitching but have nothing to show for it. Keep trying. Eventually, you will start creating better pitches and get some media attention.
For more helpful tips to increase awareness for your business, please write to me below or at www.rembrandtwrites.com.
