Have you ever wondered why your pitch is not getting picked up by media outlets? Perhaps it lacks the wow factor. It doesn't matter what topic you think will interest your audience, if you can't articulate it in a compelling way, your pitch will end up in the trash folder of the recipient. So what makes a pitch response-worthy? Make your PR pitch stand out with these elements.
Do your research
First things first, you have to do your homework. This means researching the writer, publication, or news outlet that you're pitching to. You wanna know what types of stories they're covering and what's currently trending that might fit with your pitch. Take some time to read up on their previous work so you can get a sense of their style and interests.
When you're ready to write your pitch, make sure you personalize each email. Don't send a generic message, because most editors, writers or news producers will spot that a mile away. Also, double check that you're sending your pitch to the right person and that their name is spelled correctly.
It's also super important to tailor your pitch to the publication or news outlet you're targeting. Don't just send the same pitch to everyone, because that's a surefire way to get your email tossed in the trash or spam folder. And whatever you do, don't send mass emails. Trust us, it's not worth it.Make it unique and timely
Your pitch should grab a journalist's attention and offer something his or her audience will find interesting if you want them to pay attention. A journalist is less likely to care about your topic if he or she believes that their readers won't care about it.
Keep it simple and concise
The average person only has a short attention span, so be brief and sweet in your pitch. Your message should be between one and three paragraphs long with a clear call to action. Your first sentence should grab their attention, and then you should provide more details if needed.
Create an attention-grabbing subject line
Consider writing a subject line that highlights the topic and is relevant to the recipient. It may also be appropriate to add a fun or clever subject line, but be careful not to be misleading. It is considered clickbait and will land your email in the spam folder if you use a misleading subject line.
Proofread before sending
Make sure you proofread your pitch before you send it. Editors and writers can lose interest in your pitch if it contains poor grammar and typos. If you need help identifying errors in your writing, you can use tools like Grammarly.
Follow up
Once you send your pitch, don't be afraid to follow up once or twice if you don't hear back. There is no doubt that journalists' inboxes can be overwhelming, so it is possible that your pitch has gotten buried. It pays to be persistent, but be careful not to push too hard.