Writing personalized pitches that get to the point of your email is not an easy feat. Do you want to give up a line or two to make an intro or do you want to get straight to the point? In addition to the fact that journalists have all different types of pitching preferences.
We went straight to the source (Twitter) to ask seasoned PRos about the introductions they use within their pitches and the reasons why they think they are successful.
Check out the below recommendations and try one of them within your next pitch:
Relate to a Piece of their Work
Mary Shank Rockman at MSR Communications shares her thoughts about relating to a piece of the journalist’s work:
On the other hand, Robert Fischer at PROMO Missouri thinks a different approach is needed. Although relating to a piece of work proves to be valuable (see additional comments on this from journalists on #CoffeeWithAJournalist), he thinks it’s important to take it a step further to really leave an impression.
Give Your Credentials
Journalists want to know why you are relevant to them, but keep it short. And by short, we mean one link within your pitch for them to look at. Susan von Seggern, a PR consultant, is in agreeance. Here’s what she had to say:
Use Social to Your Advantage
Amy Weicker, Head of Marketing at Girl Geek X, says to use social media to help warm up the connection. Post one of their articles, comment on something they post, or message them about an article that you thought was interesting. Here’s more from Amy on the why:
Show You Know Their Work
Showing you know what journalists cover is always in style, but it’s important you don't drag on. A good pitch shows you’ve done the research in itself, but you can experiment with going a step further. Here’s what Kevin Mercuri, I'm CEO of Propheta Communications, had to say about this:
Get Straight To It
While introductions are welcomed by some, there are some journalists who would rather be spared of the discourse. Sometimes, it pays off to get straight to it, as Stephen Karaolis, founder of Pear the Agency, likes to say:
And to reaffirm this thought, here’s your proof from Leigh Scheps, reporter at Inside Edition:
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Want additional tips for pitching journalists more effectively? Check out more PR 101 blogs on The TypeBar.
Also, see direct of pitches that worked (and landed coverage) with the Pitches That Placed series featuring pitches that have landed in publications like TechCrunch, Fast Company, The Wall Street Journal, and more.
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