Writing the perfect media pitch can be a daunting task. We carefully craft story pitches for clients every day and the process of putting together the *perfect* pitch note is still a challenge 99% of the time – albeit one that we love! So, with journalists receiving tons of pitches every day, how can you keep your email from going straight to the ‘trash’?
We’ve got you covered with six must-read tips for writing your next media pitch, because let’s be honest, there are few things more satisfying than writing the perfect pitch note for your client. So, without further ado…
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What’s your goal? Before you get started, make sure you know exactly what you’re trying to ‘sell’. Highlight your key messages and stick to them. Don’t try to fit too much in, avoid providing unnecessary background information (use hyperlinks instead!), and make sure your messaging is clear and succinct.
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K.I.S.S. aka. Keep it simple, stupid. As we mentioned earlier, your pitch is one of MANY journalists receive in their inbox every day. Don’t risk being tossed to the side or sent straight to the trash because your email is superfluously long or filled with grammatical errors. Instead, get to the point sooner rather than later, and make sure your pitch is easily digestible from beginning to end. Pro tip: read your pitch out loud a few times to test its readability.
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Personalize it. Nobody wants to receive a generic email. Target your pitch to a specific person (that means you should never start your emails with “hello there”) and make sure you do your research! Set a conversational tone, reference recent stories they’ve written, know their beat, and avoid copying and pasting. In the business of PR, a personal touch goes a long way.
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Tap into current events. Why is your story relevant? What makes it worthwhile to your target audience? What value does it bring to the outlet you’re trying to pitch this story to? Sell your story by demonstrating why it matters and how it ties into current trends, events and/or news.
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On that note, back it up with facts. It’s no secret that journalists like hard facts. Strengthen your pitch by referencing stats and data, and linking to the research and evidence to back up your claims. (Psst…see what we did there?)
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The subject matters. And by that, we mean the subject line. How many times have you seen an email in your inbox and sent it straight to ‘trash’ because the subject line wasn’t intriguing enough? That’s what we thought. Your subject line should be concise and relevant to the content in your pitch note. Avoid ‘click-bait’, but bonus points if it’s a little cheeky!
We hope these six tips will help you write your next killer media pitch. And, if all else fails, our team of experts are always here to lend a hand – literally!
