Tips to Write a Great Email Pitch To the Media
Successful pitches to the media don’t just happen. They take an abundance of planning, research and discipline. A great email pitch is a well thought out and constructed event. Let’s take a look at some of the top tips to help you write a great email pitch to a journalist or media representative.
#1 Pitch to a Person – When you’re creating your pitch, remember that you’re pitching to a single person. Ideally, you have a very good idea about what this particular person is interested in. you know who their audience is, what stories they cover and you’ve read everything they’ve written in the past year. Don’t make the mistake of pitching to a stranger, someone you know nothing about, or pitching to the generic “media.”
#2 Read Their Stories – We’ve already mentioned that you should pitch to a person and you should know their writing history intimately. Read everything they’ve written and read it with careful attention to the type of information they put in their stories, how they format them, and how they relate to your audience and industry. You might be able to reference a relevant story they wrote in your email pitch.
#3 Pitch a Story, Not Your Business – Remember that you’re pitching to a human being. They don’t care about your business. They care about how your story impacts them and how their audience will perceive the information. Pitch the value of your information and how your story changes lives.
#4 What’s In it For Them? – You may be able to gain some leverage in your email pitch if you make it an offer they cannot refuse. For example, are you willing to give them an exclusive? (If you are, don’t send an email pitch to ten different journalists at once.) Other benefits that may attract a journalist include a unique slant or something that directly benefits their readers.
#5 Be Professional and Succinct. Journalists are not going to read long-winded emails. They want to get to the meat of your information and they want to see it quickly. Be professional and respectful and present your information in a quick and concise manner. Just get right to the point.
Finally, double-check your spelling and grammar and make sure that your contact information is contained in the email. Follow up your email pitch just once and wait a few days before you send that follow-up email.
A journalist may not pick up your first story idea. However, if you pitch respectfully and you do their research, you’ll win their favor. At some point, if you consistently send good story ideas, they may likely cover your story and give your business the boost you’ve been looking for.
