How to Write a Media Pitch in Under 10 Minutes
If you are wondering how to write a media pitch to journalists, editors and influencers, the good news is that it is not as hard as you think. It’s also something that doesn’t take up as much time as you would imagine. In fact, once you’ve written one or two pitches, the next ones you write will be fairly simple to create. After all, once you have the structure down, you can include much of the same information in every pitch you send. So, the entire process shouldn’t take more than ten minutes in total.
The difficult part is getting started. But there’s no need to worry. Here’s what you need to keep in mind as you write a pitch to the media or influencers.
Side note: The information in this post is perfect for business owners and entrepreneurs looking to dip their toe in the water of public relations. If you're ready to skip to the good stuff, click here to learn more about our online public relations course, Pitch, Please!
Target the right journalists
If you pitch the wrong writers, you’re not only wasting your time and theirs, your pitch will never be accepted. This is incredibly important. Think about it this way: You don’t shop at Ikea for shoes. You wouldn’t buy a soccer ball at Nordstrom. You don’t order sushi at McDonald's.
The same rules apply to pitching writers and influencers. You don’t pitch candles to someone who writes about video games and you wouldn’t pitch an article about mortgage rates to Seventeen magazine.
But things aren’t always so straightforward. Most websites, especially lifestyle publications, cover a variety of topics, so it’s crucial to take your time and explore. It can take a bit of clicking around to figure out who writes about businesses like yours.
If you are still unsure, it’s a good idea to check a journalist’s social media. Much of the time, this will give you additional insight about what they are currently working on as well as if they write for multiple publications. This aspect of PR is covered in depth in our online public relations course, Pitch, Please!
Make sure your email is properly structured
To get to a place of yes, it is important to have a roadmap. Here is a general structure that all pitch emails should have:
The Greeting
Hi or Dear [the person’s name]
Make sure you have the correct name and spelling. If you spell the person’s name wrong, they may automatically delete your email or not take it as seriously as the other pitches they receive.
A Short “Love Letter”
The Love Letter should include two or three sentences about where you know the writer from. Even if you haven’t been following them or reading their work for a long time, you should try and make it sound like you do. Here are a few examples of what a love letter should look like.
I enjoy reading your articles on Forbes about interior design, especially your recent article on home renovations. It was the reason why I decided to get a marble countertop in my kitchen.
I recently read the article you wrote for The New York Times about adolescent depression during the pandemic. It was truly enlightening. I even shared it on Facebook.
A Short Highlight Reel
Write a paragraph about who you are and what your business is.
Keep in mind, a writer doesn’t need to know everything. You should just share a few key highlights and accomplishments. Examples include that you increased your revenue by 80% last quarter, recently gave a TED talk, or a celebrity is a fan of your product. One or two highlights should cover it here.
If you have a specific product, share what it does. How is it different from the competition?
A Suggestion
It’s a good idea to share what type of article or articles you or your business fits into.
If you are an interior designer, you could suggest providing ideas for trends pieces like popular kitchen renovations.
If you’re an education expert, you could suggest an article with tips for parents who are transitioning to homeschooling.
Are you a business coach? Perhaps suggest an article about the morning routines of billionaires.
If you can’t think of what type of article to write, you can simply share that you’re available for commentary and tips.
The Closer
Before you end the email, be courteous. Etiquette can count for a lot in how you write a media pitch. Try the following statements or something that’s similar but reflects your brand more.
Thank you in advance for time. I look forward to hearing from you.
Please let me know if you need anything. I’m happy to connect with you any time.
Kindly let me know if you need more information or have any questions.
A Good Quality Email Signature
Your email signature can be more important than you think it is. It’s important to have a professional one. While every email signature will be a little different, here’s what most will include:
Your Name
A small professional photo. This isn’t 100 percent necessary, but it certainly adds a personal touch.
Your title if you have one: CEO, Founder, etc.
A link to your website
Social media icons for your personal or business pages. You can also use links, but icons give your signature a stylish, updated aesthetic.
Make sure you keep your entire pitch under 500 words
Less is more. 500 words are enough to explain yourself without being so long that it gets skipped over.
Check all of your links
Don’t create any extra work for the writer by having them Google you because you accidentally put an extra dot in “.com” or some other minor typo in the website address that can throw everything off.
Check your spelling and grammar
If you’re going to take the time to create a pitch, take a few extra minutes to proofread and make sure everything is correct. As a writer, I can assure you that when I receive pitches with mistakes, it’s a major turn off to me. Grammarly is a free tool that’s incredibly helpful with this.
Want to know more? Enroll in Pitch, Please! It’s a course written by a writer and publicist to teach you how to get your business featured in top publications like Forbes, Elle, and Bustle, as well as podcasts.