You have a great business and unique product or service that the whole world needs to know about, but what it is the best way to get your message out? Traditional advertising can help you but it?s expensive and doesn?t tell the whole story. Public relations is free, and getting your business in the news media adds credibility and interest in you and your story. So how do you get the traditional media, press or bloggers interested? Write them a pitch letter.
What is a Pitch Letter?
A ?Pitch? is a simple communication email or business letter that?s sole purpose is to pique the interest of a reporter or writer. It is not a press release or story, is more like the highlight reel. ?Reporters and media outlets are used to getting pitched so make yours stand out by being bold and brilliant. In a few short paragraphs you can capture a reporter?s interest and leave them wanting to know more. Think of the pitch as the? ?teaser trailer? for a film that makes you want to watch the movie.? They are easier to write than press releases and they can open the door to getting an article or TV interview that will do great things for your business.
How Do I Do It?
You may not be a professional PR person but you don?t have to be to pitch your business to a media outlet. ?Stick to a simple format. There is no set way that the letter has to be set up. A regular business letter format will work. ?Make your letter quick and catchy.
1. Create the hook.? Work on a great headline, something that will immediately grab someone?s interest. Your hook will provide a story angle. This first line is the most important thing you will write. Spend some time on it and try out lots of options until you create the perfect headline. Try to come up with something that not only grabs the reader?s attention but makes them say ?Wow,? or ? I didn?t realize that.?
2. Get to the point.
3. Make it personal. Tell the reporter how the story affects him and his audience directly. Tell him why he should be interested in this story. Target your story and your media list to make the pitch more relevant. Don?t send out mass pitch inquiries, research who would truly care about and do a great job with your story.
4. End with a thanks and call to action. Make sure to make it easy for the person to get right back to you. Include your email and phone number. ?If you are pitching a new product or service offer to show it to the reporter or let them try it.
Post Pitch
After the pitch be sure and follow up.? Email or call the reporter , ask if they got your pitch letter and offer to answer questions. It is ok to keep pitching the same reporter just don?t send them the same story over and over.
Be Prepared
Now that you have pitched the story the reporter might want follow-up materials, and they may want them now!? You might want to have a complete media kit prepared prior to your pitch. A media kit is a Press Release about your business. The kit might include a fact sheet (bullet points or stats you want the world to know). Make sure you have photos ?of your business, product or service and high resolution copies of your logo.? Having a media kit standing by makes it easy for the reporter to do their job.
Here?s the Wind Up
Reporters, writers and bloggers are always on the lookout for a great pitch!? With newspapers, blogs, magazines and TV shows to fill, they are constantly looking for content. They need good stories and it is up to you to make sure they tell your story.? Pitch them the idea, give them a great hook and provide all the back-up information and materials they will need to talk about you. Having your name or business in the news is valuable PR and certainly worth the time it takes to create the perfect pitch.
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