In last week’s PRVibes, we discussed strategies to get coverage during the dog days of summer, or any slow period, for that matter. We emphasized the importance of storytelling, how to associate your company with key trends, and some tactics to employ to get reporters and editors to take notice.
To get started on these initiatives, however, you need two things: an “open me now!” subject line and a stellar pitch. But no pressure! Here are 5 tips to help you draft that perfect pitch:
- Start with the subject line. Finding the words that are going to cause a reporter or editor to open your email from the hundreds they receive that week can seem like an insurmountable task. Think about how many emails you personally receive each day. What causes you to open them vs. sending them to the recycling bin? What did those marketers say that made you take notice? One way to get started is to think about the subject line like an elevator pitch, only much, much shorter; most subject lines should be 6-8 words max. Knowing you have limited space, what are the words you’d use to boil down your pitch to the most salient point or two?Another way to think about your subject line is like a cover letter for your pitch. Just as you’d choose your most relevant skill to put in a cover letter, you need to put your pitch’s best point in the subject line. Be clever, be creative, be unique—and do it all in just a few words.
- Personalize, personalize, personalize. Mass mailing are not your friend, and reporters can smell “copy and paste” pitches a mile away. In Muck Rack’s Annual Journalist Survey, reporters and editors cited lack of personalization as the #1 reason they immediately reject otherwise relevant pitches. Let’s put it this way—you’re asking a reporter or editor to put in the time to do a well-researched story that includes your company. Why wouldn’t you give them the same courtesy? You must do your research, understand who the reporter or editor is that you’re pitching, what they cover and share on social media, and use that knowledge to make a personal connection in your pitch.
- Keep it short and make your “ask” early. Unless your company is doing something really different, like introducing a new concept which needs specific details to show differentiation, pitches in general should be 200 words or less. It’s important to remove all the fluff that you can, including phrases like “as you know,” and other space fillers. One other important tip: ask them what you want from them in the first paragraph, as many email programs offer a preview of the email, giving you a little bit more space to tell a story that gets them to open your email. Be clear on your call to action. If it’s an interview with the CEO, say so. If it’s a pitch for a contributed article that you’d like to see published, tell them that as well.
- Conduct follow up. If a reporter doesn’t respond to your pitch immediately, that doesn’t mean they aren’t interested. In MuckRack’s State of Journalism, 86 percent of journalists said they are OK with a follow-up email within one week of the initial message. The other 14 percent prefer a follow up over one week from the initial pitch.
- Mind your manners. If a reporter does cover your news, remember to say thanks, and share the coverage across your social media channels. In a world where success is based on click-throughs and shares, taking the extra step to socialize the content is really the sincerest form of flattery.
There’s a lot of steps that go into successfully landing an interview or article for your company. Pitching doesn’t have to be stressful, however. Knowing the reporter or editor you are targeting and creating personalized pitches, drafting a killer subject line, conducting follow up and sharing your coverage will ensure a strong relationship with the reporter for your next pitch…and the one after that too.