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Pilar Guzmán, Editorial Director at Oprah Daily.
During the episode, Pilar discusses why she favors subject lines that read like a headline, the evolution of pitch language, and how you can best showcase assets and sources in your pitch.
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Click below to listen to the full conversation and read below for highlights from the interview:
What Makes a Pitch Stand Out? Pilar’s Insights on Subject Lines
[00:04:41] BB: Okay. Pilar, what do you love to see more in a subject line or in the body of a
pitch? You already said is it written like the headline. Could you expand further or give us any
other insights? The opposite, too, by the way, of like, “I don't want to see this ever. That's all.”
[00:04:56] PG: Yes. No. I think it's a really good question, and I think it's kind of an evolving
thing. I mean, I will tell you a little piece of history. I remember when I was redesigning. I think it
was the front of the book at Condé Nast Traveler. It was at the moment when tackier headlines
online were starting to crop up.
I remember changing the type spec of the headline because I'm like I've probably written every
two-word headline under the sun in my 150 years in media, and it needed to expand with the
culture. There is that sort of like a tackier headline was catching people's attention because you
glaze over. It's sort of you cycle through trends like any other trends, like fashion trends. There
are word trends that then stop being interesting or stop catching your eye.
I think the same is true for a pitch. I think that they evolve pitch languages like all other
language, what stops you in your tracks. I don't know if that answers your question, but I do feel
like something like that.
[00:05:58] BB: It helps. But stops you in your tracks, I think that's something to hang on. Does it
or not?
[00:06:03] PG: Yes. But as far as – sorry. To go back to what should it look like, it's sort of like
you do want things to get to the point right away. You forgive a long-winded something if the first
couple of sentences feel one. They are pitched specifically for you, and your brand and that the
person who's pitching really understands who they're pitching to, and they've done their
research, and they've put whatever their point of view is in the context of said subject.
If we are talking about menopause, for example, which is something, or longevity or weight, we
want to know that whoever is pitching is up to speed on the subject matter, has done their
homework, and knows what's been covered by us and other brands.
[00:06:47] BB: Yes. That is so often missed. Publicists, they send you a pitch and you're like,
“Well, I just did that topic five days ago.”
[00:06:54] PG: Or everybody else did. You know what I mean?
[00:06:57] BB: I think that's the other thing, too, and there's nothing [inaudible 00:06:59].
There’s nothing fresh, no.
[00:07:01] PG: Exactly.
[00:07:02] BB: Exactly. Speaking of experts, people who really, really know their field, we like to
talk about this on every person we're talking to. Sources and any particulars that you're like,
“Yes, I do want X all the time.” I don't know.
[00:07:15] PG: I mean, I think I'm always happy when the pitch addresses some fresh take.
Then the expert, I have some sense of what that expert's point of distinction is. Yes, original
sources. People who are on the front lines often our go-to, and maybe this is not always correct,
but somebody who's publishing a book who has some area – who has an expertise on a subject
matter and has some fresh take. Therefore, there's a reason to go to them. But they also have
to be compelling, not just because they have a book.
I think having – if it's a video something, they've got to be camera-ready. If they're incredibly
good at synthesizing a subject matter, that's also valuable.
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Pilar's Tips on Pitching Experts
[00:08:41] PG: Assuming that we are intrigued by the subject matter and the expert, I think one has to make a decision because we're not just writing articles. We're also doing video and social around people like are they camera-ready if this is something that goes on camera. Of course, we play in all the different spaces, so it doesn't – not everybody has to be good at everything.
I think a pitch that speaks to or showcases the strength of the expert, that should come up pretty
high up. If somebody did a TEDx talk or a TED talk, have a 30-second clip of that.
[00:09:18] BB: Yes.
[00:09:19] PG: Don't make me go to the Dropbox at the bottom of the page and load another
page because, usually, I'm on my phone, that sort of thing. Or give a little snippet of an image if
it's sort of a visually driven something, whether it's a product or a hotel opening or something. If
it's visual, make it easy and don't make me sit through an ad.
[00:09:40] BB: Oh, boy. No. That is one of our questions on our little rapid fire, which we're
going to get to in a second, which is do you want a Dropbox zip file or whatever. Personally, I
don't want to click to anything else myself. It sounds like you want to see everything contained
in the email ideally like the visuals there.
[00:09:57] PG: Yes, exactly. If it links to more images, more video, whatever it is, that's fine but
as long as I get a little taste. I don't even mind a long-winded email as long as it sets things up
succinctly at the top, and there are some bullets. I'm okay with the combo. I know that goes
down to it the next question.
Rapid Fire Pitching Preferences
[00:11:15] BB: Yes. Excellent. Pilar, here we go with our rapid-fire questions. First one is video
or phone interview?
[00:11:23] PG: Phone interview, usually, although I don't mind video.
[00:11:26] BB: Okay. Bullet points or paragraphs in pitches? You talked about it earlier.
[00:11:30] PG: Yes. I think it depends on the topic, number one. If it's something that's really
data-driven, bullets can be helpful. But always you want a setup. You want something that puts
it in context, whatever the topic is.
[00:11:42] BB: Images attached or Dropbox zip file? We copy that, too. You want to see it all
right up front.
[00:11:47] PG: I think you want to at least get a sampling within the body of the email, and then
you can link to Dropbox if there are more.
[00:11:53] BB: One follow-up or multiple? Because we already covered emails are the way to
pitch you.
[00:11:57] PG: For me, it's a maximum of two.
[00:11:59] BB: Two and done. Direct or creative subject lines? Now, you talked about a
headline. But would you like to elaborate?
[00:12:05] PG: I would say a direct subject line doesn't have to be dull.
[00:12:09] BB: Yes, so true.
[00:12:11] PG: I think sometimes people can be too clever by half. I'd rather – if I had to put a
gun to my head, I'd take direct over clever because most people aren't that clever.
[00:12:20] BB: Yes. This is so true. Press release or media kit in a pitch/
[00:12:24] PG: I think it sort of depends, but press release generally. Media kits tend to need to
be downloaded.
[00:12:30] BB: Yes. Based on the East Coast, is there a time that you prefer to read pitches, or
you’re like, “It's all the time.”?
[00:12:35] PG: It doesn't really matter. It's just when I get to them. But I get up very early, so I
usually – I clear my inbox early in the morning or end of day. It's just – I think that's pretty
common for most people.
[00:12:47] BB: Got you. Then we already talked about sources. Is there, Pilar, anything you
want to note for publicists where you're like, “Hey, publicist. When I see X, I love it.”? Hard
question? Yes.
[00:13:02] PG: No, no. I think it's a really good question, I think, for me, the greatest pleasure I
get from a good pitch is when I know that somebody is familiar not only with the subject matter
but also with our brand and our particular lens on something, and they pitch within that context. I
realize that's not super soundbitey, but it is really true. It's about doing your homework more
than anything.
[00:13:26] BB: Yes. Do you know the outlet? Do you show you know the outlet?
[00:13:29] PG: There are so many people who cover – we are technically women's service, and
so many titles fall under that umbrella. We sit uniquely, I think, at the intersection of women's
health, psychology, and spirituality. I think it makes – we are always threading kind of an
interesting and unique needle of rigorous journalism and storytelling. I think that's the secret
sauce is those two things, both incredibly hard-nosed and also poetic.
I think that it makes us a little bit unique in the sense that we straddle both. So we get pitches
from all sorts of writers that are first-person essays, and that's great, and the hard nose. It's sort
of like we encompass those things. I think if people understand that within a context, then they
pitch accordingly. Not to say that everything has to tick both boxes at the same time always, but
we do tend to straddle those realms.
[00:14:32] BB: I do love, Pilar, and I've never heard it said. This is what we were talking about
earlier where you're like, “Oh, it must be all the same stuff.” No. It's always different where
you're saying rigorous journalism but with the storytelling that's compelling. Both are very hard
and when you got to do both.
[00:14:46] PG: Yes. I think I get plenty of wonderful pitches from publicists that do do that, that
do take those things into consideration.
[00:14:55] BB: Yes. All right. Well, everybody, we need to send poetic storytelling, keeping in
mind robust journalism and the integrity of such because that is what Pilar wants to see.
________
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