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Crafting a Pitch Reporters Can’t Say No To

When perfectly crafted, the right pitch can attract the attention of a wide variety of reporters and in turn yield exceptional results for clients. By landing a media placement in a high-authority outlet, you are helping your clients expand their brand awareness by driving their message while also building on their positive reputation throughout their industry. 

However, in order to achieve these results, it’s essential that your media pitch contains all the elements that will compel reporters, journalists, editors, etc. right from the start. 

Here is how you can craft a pitch that reporters can’t say no to:  

  1. It all Starts with the Subject Line
    To avoid getting marked as spam or ending up in the trash folder, your subject line needs to grab the recipient’s attention and, most importantly, stand out from the other emails that accumulate in their inbox. It is highly unlikely that reporters will open up every pitch they receive, so it is imperative that your subject line entices them. Keep your subject line clever and captivating, but familiar—you want to make sure it properly conveys the email’s purpose.
  2. Short, Sweet, and to the Point
    Press members love content that’s well-written, well-researched, compelling, and thorough. However, the chances of a reporter reading through a five-paragraph pitch via email are slim to none. Details matter, but in the case of a media pitch, you want to keep it short, sweet, and to the point. Make sure you include just enough of the essential details so that the intentions of your pitch are clear. Remember, the goal is to pique their interest so that they are inclined to respond for more information.
  3. End with an Offer
    Landing a media placement yields maximum benefits for you and the client, but how does it benefit the reporter? The relationship between reporters and PR professionals must be mutually profitable. Therefore, always end your pitch with an opportunity for an exclusive interview, product sample, etc.—something that will help to increase your chances of a feature.

Crafting the perfect pitch takes time and careful attention—you have to understand your audience, the degree of competition that surrounds the topic at hand, and the relevancy of your pitch. However, with a short and compelling pitch with an added enticement tied together with an eye-catching subject line, your pitch will be one that reporters won’t be able to say no to.