Here’s one of the key things you need to know – journalists are time poor and usually working to deadlines. Depending on the media outlet, they’re receiving up to hundreds of emails per day, so it’s important that if they do actually OPEN your email, you’ve got to be able to capture their attention fast!
Ensure you have an eye-catching subject line
The subject line is the first thing the journalist will see. It’s ultimately what makes the journalist want to open the email or not. Your subject line should scream “Read Me!” Keep it concise and compelling to make your email stand out in their inbox.
Get straight to the point
Alright, so you’ve got the journalist to open your email and successfully piqued the journalist’s interest with your attention-grabbing subject line, now you have about seven seconds to keep their attention! Get to the heart of what the story is about and provide the crucial details up front. Address the who, what, when, where, and why – don’t make the journalist dig for it! If you don’t have this information at the beginning, chances are the journalist won’t bother scrolling further, and that’s a missed opportunity!
Make sure your pitch is relevant to the media you’re pitching to
I know for me, as the Editor of a local business magazine, I get so many pitches that are not relevant – it’s obvious they haven’t taken any time at all to actually look at what type of content I publish and who my target audience is. Ensuring you’re familiar with the media outlet and knowing your content is a genuinely good fit will increase your chances of a successful pitch.
You want to train the journalists that any media pitch you send them is suitable for their media outlet. Think “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” – do you want them cringing at the sight of your name in their inbox, or do you want them to be interested to see what you have to say?
Highlight the story’s uniqueness
What sets your story apart from the rest? Emphasise what makes it special and newsworthy, whether it’s a ground-breaking innovation, a heart-warming initiative or an upcoming event.
Remember that journalists WANT to hear from you, so take the time to ensure you’re giving them the information that is relevant to them. Happy pitching!
