Best Pitch Writing Tips are Just a Read Away
It seems that there’s always been a good debate around the value of PR. Some people think it’s something fluffy that doesn’t translate to sales but my experience is different. So let’s find out the best pitch writing tips for your company.
- Great PR gave me credibility when I started the company. It gave people a reason to trust me even though the company was new.
- Great PR sold out an event I worked on and generated $60,000 in sales.
- Great PR grew my email list from 6 subscribers to 500 when I first started this company and within a week, I earned $2,400 from two of those subscribers.
None of those opportunities fell in my lap. For each of them, I had to work for it and for each of them I had to pitch. Of all of the pitches that these editors received, mine stood out and yours can too.
Tips to Write a Better Pitch
Know the platform.
Rather than asking for a general, broad feature tell the editor the specific section and the specific idea you have for them. They are very busy and receive a lot of pitches. Do the work for them even if this means reading their content for a few weeks to see what special columns or content they run. That lets the editor know how it fits their current structure.
Find a hook.
Pitch a story, not your company. Media outlets won’t pick up stories just to promote a business. There needs to be a relevant hook. The hook might be a tie in with a trend or latest research. It could tie in with an event or something that’s been in the news recently. Take time to find your hook. Your hook can vary throughout the year (it doesn’t have to be just one thing).
Work Ahead.
Magazine works six months in advance so pitch your story in May for the holidays. Newspapers, Blogs, and TV work closer to the deadline but you need to pitch a couple of months before the article runs.
Follow Up.
It makes a difference. I work from the mindset that no response does not mean no. Keep in touch with the editor until you get a solid no. Knowing how many pitches come to an editor in a single day it seems necessary to follow up to make sure your pitch was received and reviewed by the correct person.
Offer a press kit or press release.
I see this more and more for blog partnerships. Other outlets want to know what sort of reach and engagement you have on your platforms and what they should expect with the partnership. Pull this information from your analytics and highlight the value you deliver. Feature previous partners and previous press. This gives you credibility and lets the partner know what sort of work you’ve created.