{"id":6236,"date":"2019-10-05T22:06:25","date_gmt":"2019-10-05T22:06:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/on-line-interactivity.com\/blog\/2019\/10\/05\/how-to-pitch-to-a-reporter\/"},"modified":"2019-10-05T22:06:25","modified_gmt":"2019-10-05T22:06:25","slug":"how-to-pitch-to-a-reporter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/on-line-interactivity.com\/blog\/how-to-pitch-to-a-reporter\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Pitch To A Reporter"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div><p><body>&#13;<\/p>\n<div align=\"center\">&#13;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/on-line-interactivity.com\">&#13;<br \/>\n  <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" src=\"https:\/\/on-line-interactivity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/abbtop.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"120\"\/><\/a><br \/><a 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class=\"style7\">&#13;<br \/>\n                <font color=\"#FB7014\" size=\"4\" face=\"Tahoma\">How to Pitch to a Reporter<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n            <\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td align=\"left\" height=\"19\">\n<div align=\"justify\"><span class=\"style2\">by: &#13;<br \/>\n                <font size=\"3\" face=\"Times New Roman\" color=\"#FB7014\">Paul Wilson<\/font><\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n            <\/tr>\n<tr>\n<div id=\"article\">\n<td align=\"left\" height=\"12\"><span class=\"style2\">&#13;<\/p>\n<p>Crucial to good public relations is pitching to a reporter. Effective pitching involves extracting and conveying, in less than 30 seconds the core of any story. Be sure to introduce yourself.&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>Keys aspects are:&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>\u0095 Building a data base of reporters and their beats.&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>\u0095 Developing a friendly working relationship with a small group of responsive reporters.&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>\u0095 Maintaining and nurturing contacts throughout the year even after the media coverage is over.&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>\u0095 Being friendly, approachable, and accommodating.&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>Essentials to pitching are:&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>\u0095 Be brief and to the point. Get their attention by highlighting the essence of the story or event.&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>\u0095 Write out the pitch and practice it before contacting the reporter. Jot down all important details. Make an outline to use as reference while you pitch. Cue cards are effective. &#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>\u0095 Find out when it is convenient for a reporter to speak to you. Never interrupt when he or she is working towards a deadline. Be considerate.&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>\u0095 Enquire whether the reporter is familiar with your story. If no, then you must explain in detail otherwise be brief. &#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>\u0095 Do your research thoroughly. Get all the facts at your fingertips.&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>\u0095 Convey the importance or relevance of the story to a current issue. It can be a bill being passed by Congress, or a hot debate, or new discoveries.&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>\u0095 If you can\u0092t answer a question posed by the reporter accurately, say you will get back with the answer. Never fabricate facts.&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>\u0095 Keep ready: background information, contact numbers for quotes or interviews, photographs, and other resources.&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>\u0095 Maintain a record of which reporters you have pitched to, their response, and progress. This will provide a clear picture of the genre each reporter tackles as well as any special needs they may have.&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>\u0095 If one angle doesn\u0092t work, then rework the storyline. Find angles that will generate an interest.&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>\u0095 Write a distinctive pitch letter. It must grab the attention of the media. Personalize the pitch letter. Rework it to suit the individual needs of each reporter you plan to contact.  The letter must be short, informative, and accurate. Stalwarts make sure the pitch letter has:&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>o A greeting. If you know the reporter well, include a personal message.&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>o An introduction highlighting the issue and its relevance to the reporter\u0092s beat.&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>o Details of why the issue is relevant to society. Bring to the fore the long and short term impacts. &#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>o Links to background information as well as opinion makers.&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>o Suggestions of the action the reporter should consider taking.&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>o Brief outlines to media coverage and the aspects addressed by different players.&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>o Listings of all Internet, print, and broadcasting media sources that have covered the story.&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>o Ready to use contact information&#8212;postal addresses, phone numbers, website URLs, as well as email addresses.&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>\u0095 Use the power of the pitch letter to maximize coverage.&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>\u0095 Follow up a pitch letter with an email or phone call. Be sure to nudge the reporter\u0092s memory. Reporters are busy and tend to forget. Maximize the impact, use the 30 seconds well:&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>o Identify who you are and why you are phoning.&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>o Determine if the time is suitable. Ask whether you are interrupting something. Alternately ask when you can call.&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>o Explain that you are familiar with the reporter\u0092s work and the publication.&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>o Introduce the subject clearly and concisely.&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>o Establish why readers or viewers will care.&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>o Ask whether the reporter is interested in the \u0093story.\u0094&#13;\n<\/p>\n<p>A pitch must never be more than a single page and typed or written in legible letters. It must tease the reporter\u0092s mind and pique interest in the tale you want told.&#13;<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<table width=\"100%\" cellpadding=\"8\" cellspacing=\"0\" border=\"0\" bgcolor=\"#dddddd\">\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><b>About The Author<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Paul Wilson is the content manager for <a href=\"http:\/\/www.1888PressRelease.com\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">http:\/\/www.1888PressRelease.com<\/a>, the premier website to Submit Free Press Release for any announcements including launching of new product or services, new website, announcing new hires, sponsoring a special event or seminar and more. He also manages content for <a href=\"http:\/\/www.1888Discuss.com\" target=\"new\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">http:\/\/www.1888Discuss.com<\/a>.&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;\n<\/p>\n<form action=\"http:\/\/www.articlecity.com\/cgi-bin\/search.cgi\" method=\"post\">&#13;<br \/>\n<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"sf1\" value=\"The_Author\"\/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"words\" value=\"Paul Wilson\"\/><\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"><input type=\"submit\" value=\"Other Articles by Paul Wilson\"\/><\/p>\n<\/form>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<p><i>This article was posted on November 12, 2005<\/i><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/td>\n<p>&#13;\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p align=\"left\">\u00a0        <\/p>\n<p>&#13;\n      <\/td>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n    <\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<hr width=\"800\" noshade=\"noshade\"\/><a href=\"https:\/\/on-line-interactivity.com\/ADSENSEWEBSITES\">RETURN TO ADSENSE BUSINESS-IN-A-BOX MASTER ARTICLE INDEX<\/a><\/p>\n<hr width=\"800\" noshade=\"noshade\"\/>\n<div class=\"fb-share-button\" data-href=\"https:\/\/on-line-interactivity.com\/\" data-layout=\"button\" data-size=\"large\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fon-line-interactivity.com%2F&amp;src=sdkpreparse\" class=\"fb-xfbml-parse-ignore\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Share<\/a><\/div>\n<p>&#13;<\/p>\n<div id=\"fb-root\"\/>&#13;<br \/>\n<script async=\"\" defer=\"defer\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\" src=\"https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;version=v4.0&amp;appId=103650273035821&amp;autoLogAppEvents=1\"\/><!-- End of FACEBOOK SHARE BUTTON CODE --><span class=\"style6\"><br \/><span class=\"style2\">\u00a92019 - All Rights Reserved by <a href=\"http:\/\/HelpMeFindFreedom.Online\">HelpMeFindFreedom.Online<\/a><br \/><a href=\"http:\/\/www.website.ws\/kvmlm2\/my.dhtml?sponsor=geekzonehostingcom&amp;bannercode=gif002&amp;language=english\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/images.website.ws\/images\/english\/banners\/kvmlm2\/468x60_02.gif\" border=\"0\"\/><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n<\/body><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; \u00a0 &#13; \u00a0&#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; Article Navigation &#13; Back To &#13; Main Page &#13; &#13; &#13; \u00a0 &#13; Click Here &#13; for more articles &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; &#13; How to Pitch to a Reporter &#13; by: &#13; [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6236","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adsense-business-in-a-box"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/on-line-interactivity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6236","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/on-line-interactivity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/on-line-interactivity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/on-line-interactivity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/on-line-interactivity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6236"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/on-line-interactivity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6236\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/on-line-interactivity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6236"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/on-line-interactivity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6236"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/on-line-interactivity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6236"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}