The “Write Stuff · • Package your pitch - Do not leave your pitch half-baked and be ready to answer questions. Have the pitch ready to go as if the reporter will want to run

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The “Write" Stuff: Craft a Perfect Media Pitch in Less Time

PR Now & Next ConferenceMichelle Leff Mermelstein, APR@michelleleff

July 20, 2017



Put Yourself in Their Shoes• Imagine if day in, day out, you picked up the phone or checked your email only to get a

constant barrage of messages relating to subjects that had nothing to do with you. • A great media pitch reflects the audience that reads, watches or listens to the outlet and

journalist it is tailored for. It has been tweaked or even crafted with the end audience in mind. Your best shot at getting coverage is to help the journalist with a new angle or way of looking at a story or topic that matters to their audience.

• If it’s going to a specific journalist, it references what they’ve had to say on the subject and how or why your angle furthers the conversation or adds a dimension of value to his or her readers.



A Two-Way StreetNever forget that reporters need us as much as we need them. Reporters and news organizations need to tell a good story.

A good story offers insight into the human condition, or highlights an injustice, or raises an issue of importance, or helps the audience solve a problem, or in some way fulfills a need specific to their audience. Your angle needs to further the discussion on something topical or draw attention to a new problem and how your product or service is the solution.

Journalists want to feel like they’ve taught the audience something new.



Is it Newsworthy? • Be flexible: What a top-tier media point may not consider newsworthy could be newsworthy to a

trade publication or social influencer. Focus on quality news coverage over just quantity.• Be relevant: Monitor topics and trends in your industry, and take the time to understand how

your brand can authentically add to those conversations. Learn how to connect the dots with these tips on communicating relevance.

• Be focused: Most of the media outlets you reach out to are focused on a specific audience. Even mainstream media outlets break their coverage into different beats. Target your angle to the specific interests and informational needs of that audience.

• Be interesting: You’re not just presenting facts, you’re telling a story. Have some fun and make your news matter to the reporter – and their audiences.



Pre-Outreach is KeyIf you do your homework, you’ll have a way better shot at success: • Know who covers your topic, what they have written on it and how timely it is. Don’t expect a story

on your brand of widgets from a reporter when they just covered widget trends last week. Research the publications that cover your industry and your client.

• Determine Your Story Angle: Be sure you have a clear and focused idea and story to tell the media. Reporters are always looking for news -- that is, something "new" or "different” – and so are their editors. Ideas that make it into the news are said to be "newsworthy.“

• Is your pitch newsworthy? Is it truly new? or a "new" way of thinking about an old issue? Is it timely? Sometimes "news" is timed to coincide with a related event so that it is staged to be "happening now.“ Can what you're working on be related to something that's currently in the news? What is your news hook?



How to Sell Your Story• Prepare, prepare and prepare some more.• Select 10 news targets and follow them diligently. Your “Top Ten” deserves customized email

pitches every time. • Craft the perfect email pitch.• Package your story – what can you give the reporter beyond just words? Can you make your

story visual? • Don’t save your subject line until the end – craft it at the start to frame your story. • Pick up the phone and get personal.• Always add value and become a trusted resource.



The Perfect Pitch – Finding the Sweet Spot• Think beyond just what you (or your client) wants to say, and think about how it fits into a larger

trend. • Don’t be a snoozer - telling a reporter about your client’s new product/service will be a much harder

sell than talking to them about a new trend that your client is a part of. How do they fit into the bigger picture?

• When we read news as consumers, unless it’s a straight product review, we never really see feature stories glowing about one brand.

• Style your message and content to match your audience. Who are you talking to, are you pitching an AARP audience, a Mommy blog or a business reporter?



Prepare Your Winning Pitch• Gather Facts and Data: Journalists like hard figures and trends. A well researched idea with supportive facts

goes a long way. • Timing is everything. Your chances improve when you can say "This is a hot topic right now, because..."

Your pitch stands to become a story if it is likely to be timely, whether it’s around a holiday, current news item or season.

• Identify and learn about your target media. What is the focus of the outlet you are pitching? Do your research and know who you are pitching.

• Read first, pitch second - Scan the publications you plan to reach out to and the reporters you think cover your space, then read their articles.

• Use common sense. It's easy to get caught up in a press list and just start sending one after the other. Stop and do your research - Did they write this already? Will it appeal to them based on their most recent work? Is the angle I'm using even a fit for this outlet?



Keep it Simple and Direct• Be Short. Reporters don't have a lot of time to sift through raw material in search of a story. The easier

you can make their job, the more likely they will use your material. • Get to the point. Don’t use these super long emails about the company. Tell the story of why its

important to the writer’s readership within the first sentence. If you’re pitching a product or service, tell them upfront what it does and how it can help them. Have a good angle that shows you understand what makes news.

• Be clear and concise: If they can't understand it, they won't use it. It's best if you've done the "hard work" for them -- giving them quick "sound bite" material. A good rule of thumb is to keep the entire pitch to 2-3 short paragraphs.



Eliminate Clutter• Keep it simple. Avoid jargon. • Channel the tiny house trend and eliminate clutter from your press releases and

pitches. • Make it easier for readers to connect with your message by being judicious with the

information you include in your release and pitch. • Highlighting the most important details with bullets and other formatting techniques.• Carefully consider what photos, graphics and video would help the media tell your

story. • Make it easy to find your contact information.



Package Your Pitch• Package your pitch - Do not leave your pitch half-baked and be ready to answer questions. Have the

pitch ready to go as if the reporter will want to run it immediately. The less groundwork a reporter has to do for your story the more likely they are to use it.

• Numbers are great but people are better. Can you provide the reporter or producer access to someone impacted by your organization, get them an interview with the founder of the non-profit or offer a celebrity who has close ties to your issue?

Your pitch should include: • ALL the details• At least one Executive quote• Consider third party quote or accolade• Links to relevant news sources• Infographics attached as low res with an offer to provide high res• Images, Videos, Graphics



Understand Their Audience

• Describe why reader’s should care – share your idea's relevance to current events... its connection to or beginning of a trend... its likelihood to interest a broad cross section of the reporter’s audience.

• Watch Your Superlatives. Don't make your company, destination, package or person you are pitching sound hard to believe. Be very careful with hype words like "greatest, biggest, premier, best, top, exciting." Reporters are trained to look for conflict, lies and exaggerations. They need to be credible to their audience above all else.

• Pitch a story, not a product. Reporters are after a story for their audience. They want something that is useful and compelling for their readers. Help them provide a benefit to their readers.

• Once you have them, leave them alone to do their job and only help where you can. DON’T check in every few hours.



A Word (or Two!) on Subject Lines• Shorter subject lines are better. A good rule of thumb is to employ no more than 6 - 10 words. Strike a

balance between brevity and providing a full description of your pitch.• Keep the tone professional and specific and make those 10 (or less) words work for you. Speak directly

to reporter’s beat. Describe what you’re pitching and why it’s relevant to what they write about. Avoid the temptation to be witty or cute. This is not the time for humor.

• Start with your keywords or phrase. Write it as in a headline. Don’t use all caps. Be specific, descriptive and short. Consider letting them know in the subject line if it is time-sensitive.

• Think of your subject line like a tweet – only shorter. You have to say what you need to in a compelling way with limited words/characters.



Ready to Pick up the Phone? A phone pitch can sometimes make a difference by elevating your pitch above the others. Live, person-to-person telephone calls make emotional connections between your pitch and the media. 1. Know what they do. People are more likely to be receptive if you sell the story to appeal to their areas of interest. 2. Have all the information in front of you. Print out the media advisory, the news release, the pitch script, and anything else you may need and have them within arm’s reach. 3. Be concise. Reporters are busy – get to the point right away. Use clear, simple language and avoid jargon. Do not lose sight of your purpose: telling a story worth reporting in a short amount of time.4. Paint a picture. Help the reporter visualize the story. 5. Be Enthusiastic – Believe in your pitch and the story, and never underestimate the way your enthusiasm can rub off on someone else.



Media Relations is About Relationships• Connect with your top targets on social media and interact with their posts on a regular basis. This will get

your name into their heads, so that when your pitches land in their inbox, they recognize your name. • Don’t stalk them but, instead, engage with them authentically! The key truly is cultivating a genuine

relationship.• Don’t always ask, request and expect things from your friends in the media. Show interest in the stories

they tell, get to know them, engage with them, then pitch stories when they are relevant and newsworthy.• Members of the media are much more likely to listen to you or read your pitch when you have taken the

time to get to know them and where their interests lie. Good Media Relations is about building and maintaining relationships with key media, when you have a story to pitch as well as when you don’t



Add Value to Target Media• Be a resource too! Don’t go “old-school” and just ask for something without providing additional

value back. Help with the stories that you are asking the reporters to create. That may mean having additional resources other than just your client or providing references for journalists stories.

• Think about third parties that can tell your story. What else can you give the reporter beyond just your client or company as a source?

• The more you can help them, the more they can see you as a partner and resources. In my experience, if you are willing to help put the pieces together and make the story well-rounded, journalists respond much better and you can develop a genuine partnership with the media.

• Craft an outline of the story for the writer. Make sure the writer knows who they can interview (both internal to your client and external if it makes sense), provide relevant website links, attach photos or videos and offer ideas for images.



Be a Resource – not a Pain• The key to a successful pitch is to really cater to the needs of the reporter and to make it personal.

You should be a resource not a burden.• With that in mind, it’s also really important to nurture the relationships behind your screen. Take

the time to get to know reporters, understand their needs, and how you can best help them. Know their deadlines, their beat and their interests.

• If you can, take the time to meet them in person, offer to meet them near their office/preferred place of business/industry conference in real time and life.

• Journalists are people too. If you treat them like some sort of email landfill, then you’re probably going to fail miserably. The people that get the best results are the ones who put in that extra effort and time.



Using Social Media to Pitch• Social media is a must. It’s simply another way we communicate now and using it as a means of pitching is

a no-brainer.• If you have a relationship with a reporter – either in person or on social media – than you can and should

reach out to them with a DM on Twitter. This tactic cuts through the noise and is less likely to get caught in the clutter like a random email. Generally speaking, Twitter can be a great place to pitch journalists who are often very engaged with Twitter. Most reporters will be happy to chat with you on Twitter about topics relating to their beats.

• Remember tweets are public; don't mass tweet pitches to several reporters and outlets. As soon as you pitch a journalist, they will likely click on your Twitter profile to learn more. If they see that your last 20 tweets are copy-pasted versions of the tweet you sent him, he'll quickly lose interest.

• Facebook is for friends, and friends don't pitch friends. Journalists almost never want to be pitched on Facebook.



The Best Media Relations Pros…

• Ask reporters what they are working on.• Find out their reporter’s deadlines and respect them.• Keep track of reporter’s beats and recent coverage. • Take the time and show they are interested in building genuine relationships. • Provide substantive background information and remember that not all reporters are subject matter

experts.• Anticipate likely questions — and answers — in advance. • Foster positive mutually-beneficial relationships. • Pick up the phone and don’t rely only on email to sell your story.



Final Thoughts and Tips

• Check the spelling of the name of the person you are pitching to. • Just like your mother told you - ALWAYS say thank you. Whether they accept the pitch or not, thank

them for their time. Gratitude matters. • Treat reporters with respect – they have earned it. Be authentic, and genuine. • Don’t forget to include your contact information. Make sure you include your phone number in your

email signature so they can get a hold of you if they need to.• Include a link to your website. This might seem simple but a lot of people forget to do this. • Proofread. Proofread. And then proofread again.



Final Thoughts and Tips

• If you genuinely believe in your story, writers might also see the story spark, too. It’s okay to be passionate. Enthusiasm can be faked but it’s no substitute for passion. Passion moves people to take action.

• Respond quickly, concisely and thoroughly – many writers are working on short deadlines and time is essential.

• If they do ask for something you don’t have at your fingertips, ask what their deadline is and be sure to meet it.

• Proofread again just for safety!

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The “Write Stuff · • Package your pitch - Do not leave your pitch half-baked and be ready to answer questions. Have the pitch ready to go as if the reporter will want to run