How to make the best pitch
We get dozens of story pitches every day here at Crain's. Some are from PR agencies, others from internal communications staff. It's what these folks do for a living, so they usually know what makes a good story idea and what doesn't. I bet they'd admit to sometimes pitching ideas that don't measure up, too.
What about small business owners, who likely are handling communications themselves or have handed over those duties to a staffer with little or no experience with media relations? How can they get their worthy stories told?
In this week's column and next, I will be sharing some advice for getting your story ideas noticed. This may be particularly helpful for small businesses and some communication professionals who need a refresher. Know this first: If you have news to share, we at Crain's want to hear it.
Know what you're pitching and to whom: Identify what your news is. Maybe you recently made an acquisition, or named a new CFO, or are noticing a noteworthy trend in your business. Then, figure out the best reporters and editors to share the information with.
That's where some PR people drop the ball by carpet-bombing hundreds of reporters and editors with the same generic mass emails, which damages their credibility as a source of information.
Instead, read the publications to which you are pitching and familiarize yourself with reporters and their beat assignments. Target your emails to journalists most likely to be interested in what you're pitching. Search for staff information on a media outlet's website or in print. (For example, the staff box for Crain's Cleveland Business is on the next page and at www.crainscleveland.com/section/contact.)
Here's what not to do: I recently received a press release about a metal fabrication company receiving industry certification. The email was promptly deleted because: 1) we don't write about business certifications, and 2) the company is in Troy, Ohio, north of Dayton. The business would have been better off limiting its outreach to Dayton-area media outlets.
Seek out coverage opportunities: Publications like Crain's put together an editorial calendar that's updated throughout the year. On it, we list the weekly special Focus section that we publish, which is usually tied to a specific industry or sector, such as real estate, small businesses, health care or, in this issue, cybersecurity. We also note custom publishing opportunities, our weekly list and events.
If you'd like to pitch a story idea for an upcoming editorial special Focus section, reach out about six weeks in advance of the publication date to editor Tim Magaw, who is responsible for the content on those editorial sections, at [email protected] or 216-771-5359.
If you're interested in discussing custom publishing opportunities through Crain Content Studio-Cleveland, which is the marketing storytelling arm of Crain's Cleveland Business that is not affiliated with our newsroom, contact Amy Stoessel, managing editor for custom/special projects, at [email protected] or 216-771-5155.
We both need each other: Don't get discouraged if nothing comes from a story pitch. Keep pitching. You and your company are on the frontlines of your industry and often recognize trends before we do. You provide us with interesting story ideas and sources that can give life to our stories. We help you by spreading awareness about your company and clients.
Next week, I'll offer more advice on how to successfully pitch your story ideas to Crain's and other media outlets. And in the meantime, I'd appreciate your feedback on getting your news out. Feel free to call or send me an email.
http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20180527/blogs17/163011/how-make-best-pitch
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