Sending story pitches to journalists is a great way to get press BUT you need to make sure you are taking the time to send the kind of pitch that will be successful. Before I tell you what you should do let me mention what you SHOULDN’T do first. Do NOT send out one mass email to many journalists. Make sure you are sending out focused and targeted emails. Make them personal. Don’t send out emails that say “Dear Editor” be sure to use the journalists name. No one likes an email that is clearly sent to dozens of other media outlets/journalists because it shows the sender has not done their research about who they are sending their pitch to. It also shows they don’t care enough to make sure their pitch is focused and crafted just for the reporter or producer receiving the pitch.
Before I tell you what you should do let me mention what you SHOULDN’T do first. Do NOT send out one mass email to many journalists. Do NOT send out an email with “Dear Editor”, or “To Who It May Concern”, or something equally generic. No one likes to get an email addressed so generic. No one likes an email that is clearly sent to dozens of other media outlets/journalists because it shows the sender has not done their research about who they are sending their pitch to. It also shows they don’t care enough to make sure their pitch is focused and crafted just for the reporter or producer receiving the pitch.
Be specific
Make sure you are sending out focused and targeted emails. Be specific about who you are sending the email to. Do your homework and research the outlet and journalist you are pitching. Make it personal. Craft a pitch that is specifically for the journalist you are emailing. Craft a new one for each reporter or producer you pitch next.
Research matters
Take the time to research your perfect media contacts. You and your story are not likely to be a perfect fit for everyone so be targeted with your pitch. Make your time and effort count and don’t waste the time of a journalist with a pitch that doesn’t fit with them. When you waste their time with one wrong pitch they are less likely to consider your emails/pitches in the future. You want to build long lasting relationships with journalists.
Sending pitches that are focused and targeted have a better chance of reaching the right person and ultimately getting read and that’s what you want. Pitches that reach the right person and get read have a better chance of getting you the press you want.
Happy story pitching!
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