HOW TO PITCH TO THE MEDIA

 ACTIVITY SHEET

 

Review Your Elevator Pitch: You already have your business pitch. Now trim it to two minutes—the essence of you and your business. This is not your media pitch; however, it will make crafting it easier. 

 

 If you don’t have an elevator pitch or need to re-visit your existing one, here is a great guide: 6 Steps for Writing a Powerful Elevator Pitch. It may take several, no, many attempts before you nail it. Just create a draft for now.  

 

Create Your Media Pitch: Your audience is a journalist. What would peak her/his attention? Does your business tie into trending news? Does it offer a solution or diversion to the economic downturn? Is it a new product to address the pandemic?
Do you provide educational tools for online learning or homeschooling? What about solutions and special offers for home improvement projects since most people are spending more time at home than ever before? 

 

Have you just introduced discounted services, home entertainment options, or virtual fitness or yoga classes? Are you a chef now offering online cooking classes? 

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Step 1: Read this great article, How to Write a Media Pitch: Examples and Strategies   

 

Step 2: On Tuesday, the group will serve as a national media outlet broadcast or print. We will say “yay” or, in a friendly way, “nay” to whether we will cover and/or book you based on your pitch. Keep these rules in mind:

 

       *Know your audience.  

       *Be brief and newsworthy. 

       *Be passionate about your business. 

 

Step 3: Draft your media pitch.   

 

 

Press Release: You may decide to distribute a press release to media contacts. Check out this standard template.

 

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Additional Reading: This is an excerpt from an article by Nicole Fallon, freelance writer and journalist:

How to Pitch Your Business to Customers, Investors, or Anyone Else

 

Media Pitching 

If you don’t have the budget to hire a public relations firm, you’ll need to learn to pitch reporters that cover your industry. Unlike pitches to the three audiences mentioned above, a successful media pitch won’t directly result in sales or funding. However, the way a reporter interprets and writes about your business does influence the way his or her readers see you — and those readers could be potential customers.

 

 But keep in mind that reporters aren’t looking to write an advertisement when they feature your company. Often, they’re looking for industry experts who can comment on topics that interest their readers. Instead of trying to use the media as a megaphone for your sales message, research the outlets you’re pitching to, and try to help them serve their readers.

 

 “If you are pitching to reporters, give them information that is useful for them and their [publication], and not because it will necessarily help your business,” said Holly Bennett, public relations associate for Toronto Vaporizer. “Find out as much about the person you are talking to and the situation at hand. [Use] company websites, Twitter, and LinkedIn to research who you are speaking to so you can be as valuable as possible. This builds trust and lets them know you are serious about making a mutually beneficial connection.” Bennett added that if you’re sending a pitch via email, avoid copying and pasting the same text to send to every reporter: “Make sure it’s always personalized, every time, for each person you are speaking to.”

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