Media pitching is an essential task of public relations work, but its not as easy as it seems. Hundreds of emails can easily fill up inboxes of media contacts. For this reason, it is crucial to draw the attention of editors and their audiences. We have listed some public relations tips on how to craft the perfect media pitch.
Personalize
Begin your pitch with a personalized introduction: “I read your piece on (a recent article’s title) and thought you would be interested in my client.” You can also suggest a topic they have not yet covered: “I’ve noticed that you haven’t covered environmentally conscious skincare brands.” This will demonstrate your attention to the writer’s work. It is important to be relevant to your client’s and your media contacts’ readers. Be creative and unique from the contact’s recent stories.
Add Necessary Assets and Photos in the Email
Journalists are very busy, so as public relations professionals, it is our job to make their lives easier. By providing photos and assets directly into the email, you eliminate the need for them to have to ask for them. Having all of the tools they need to effectively cover your news increases your chances that a journalist will actually write about it. Plus, it gives visualizations to your pitch, creating a more interesting and engaging story.
Be Relevant and Consistent
Not only should you be relevant to the editor’s audience, you will need to give a reason for reaching out to pitch your client’s products or news. It is important to give background on your client in relation to the pitch theme by also describing the product or potential story angle.
Call to Action
Wrap up the pitch by offering a call to action. Whether that be suggesting sample products, an interview, or inviting further questions. It is important to end a pitch with sparking interest from journalists to potentially ask for more information. Even if you do not receive a response back, it is important to follow up with every pitch about a week after the first email. Emails can get lost or forgotten!
To learn more about public relations and how we can help, visit our Tradtional PR page.
