Who are some of the most over-worked and underappreciated professionals?
Journalists and editors on a deadline.
There are now 6-to-1 PRs to journalists. A sad figure but it’s the reality.
In order to get media coverage, when pitching journalists, digital PRs and content marketers should clearly communicate how this idea you’re pitching fits into the larger narrative for journalists, making it as easy as possible to publish as part of their own story.
Here are some ways to do this.
1. Pitch an idea that has multiple angles with wide appeal overall
When creating a content campaign to pitch for media coverage, you’re not always sure which journalists in which beats will be interested in your campaign.
With this in mind, it’s best to create a story that has multiple angles. You’ll then test these different angles with 3-5 different audiences and roll with those who respond the most favorably.
2. Summarize in the subject line
Much like the hook of an article, summarizing the campaign in the subject line is critical to earn the open.
Journalists and editors are flooded with hundreds of emails a day. They know what story ideas work, and what don’t. If you can hook them in the subject line, you’ve got a shot.
3. Highlight the key takeaways in the outreach email
After the open, you’ve now earned the right to close the deal in the body of your email. This is where you should succinctly list out the key points of the story. Show a few different highlights and make it an elevator pitch for why it matters.
This is more or less the outline of the story, and they should envision their own version they will write from there.
Pitching journalists, editors, and bloggers is tough work. But making it as easy as possible to get media coverage for your story will do wonders for your placement rates.
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