Successfully Pitching Your Business 

To The Media 

 

One of the most frequent requests I receive from businesses is assistance in writing a press release with the goal of having their product or service appear in a variety of publications or media.   What many don't realize is to have your product or service written up in a publication or appear in the media isn't as easy as writing a press release, posting it online and then sitting back and waiting to magically appear in the media.  There is much more involved in getting out a story of your business, your product or your service. Much more.

Things to consider:

·         Journalists and editors receive 100's of emails a day from companies looking to have them write about their product, business or service.

·         People are busy. Journalists are busy. Editors are busy.

·         Editors and journalists are working on stories every day. Some publish daily, some weekly, some monthly. And they have ideas of what these stories will be ahead of their deadlines.

·         Each journalist generally focuses on certain specialties within their respective niche.

Now that you understand and consider the above points, what do you do? Here are a few tips in helping your product, service or company get more notice and attention from the media:

·         Pitch a story, not a product or service!  Your product or service isn't usually big news.

·         What is news is the story behind the product or service,

·         How it benefits people,

·         How people have used it for success,

·         How your product/service fits within the broader perspective of life, etc.

Put yourself in the shoes of the journalist and think about the story behind your product/service and what may be of interest to their readers by targeting the right people and get to the point.

Find out the journalists that cover the subject you are pitching.  Not all journalists cover all stories, many specialize in specific areas. Those that match your pitch are the ones you want to target.

Get to the point! Remember these journalists are very busy. Don't just send them a press release; instead, why not suggest a few story ideas that will fit within the realm of your targeted journalists beat? And, getting to the point quickly, simply and succinctly will increase your chances of getting noticed within the sea of emails they receive daily.  Don't expect overnight success.

Despite the fact that you may have the best story, product or service on the market, it's not a guarantee that journalists will write about you right away. Think of public and media relations as a journey.

What you need to do is build a relationships with the media for long term success of your public relations and media relations program. By building a relationship with journalists you are showing that you are a reliable source who understands their needs and are there to help them when they need you.

If you are looking for assistance in starting or improving your public or media relations program, feel free to contact me via email info@tonibaptista.com to schedule a time to discuss your needs.