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How to Pitch Your Story or Event
- Telephone calls are the most effective way to communicate with reporters.
Pitch calls are essential to an effective media strategy. Reporters are on
paper overload.
- Target your reporters. Contact reporters who cover your issue and reporters
you have a relationship with. If you have to make a "cold call," ask the
general assignment editor or producer who you should speak to.
- Find a "hook" for your story. Show the reporter how your story is
significant, dramatic, timely, controversial, or impacts a lot of readers.
- Always pitch the story first, and then ask if the reporter
if (s)he received your release or advisory. Immediately capture
the interest of the reporter; (s)he won’t wait for you to get
to the point.
- Keep the pitch short and punchy. Reporters
don't have time for long pitch calls, so get
to the most interesting and important information
in the first 30 seconds. Don't forget the Who,
What, Where, When, and Why. Give them the critical
information.
- Be enthusiastic
and helpful.
If you're not
excited about
your story,
why should
the reporter
be?
- Never
lie
to
a
reporter.
They
may
not
like
what
you
have
to
say,
but
they
must
respect
you.
- Be
considerate
of
deadlines.
Pitch
calls
are
best
made
in
the
mid-morning
(9:30
to
noon),
or
after
2
pm
on
Friday
if
your
event
is
taking
place
on
a
weekend.
If
you
sense
a
reporter
is
rushed
or
impatient,
ask
him/her
if
(s)he's
on
deadline
and
offer
to
call
back.
- Only
pitch
to
one
reporter
per
outlet.
If
you
do
talk
to
more
than
one
person
(which
is
sometimes
necessary),
make
sure
the
other
reporter
knows
you've
talked
with
someone
else.
- Close
the
deal.
Ask
the
reporter
if
(s)he's
interested
in
coming
to
the
event.
Most
will
not
commit
over
the
phone
but
will
think
about
it.
- Offer
to
send
information
if
the
reporter
doesn't
commit
to
attend
your
event.
(Remember
to
send
the
information
right
away.)
- Don't get frustrated. Pitch calls can be frustrating when reporters don't