3 Media Pitching Secrets
Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC

Many business people use media relations as a means of reaching their important audiences. This is a great strategy because stories that appear in the media are highly credible and reach more people for less money than nearly any other method.

In my over 15 years of doing public relations work, I’ve learned a few media relations strategies that can result in more success. They involve a bit more time at the outset, but they can lead to a much bigger, more in-depth story down the road.

My three media pitching secrets are:

1. Identify a highly credible expert in your field who would be willing to be quoted talking about your story. Don’t just send a press release announcing that Acme Corporation has a new software platform. Quote an expert who can help laypeople understand what the new platform can do, and what it will mean to the business world.

2. Pull some recent facts and figures that support the newsworthiness of your idea. Have you noticed how so many media stories include a percentage or some kind of hard number or statistic? Data is considered more verifiable and interesting than qualitative material. If your story fits into a larger trend, quantify that trend so that you can say something like, “A recent government survey shows 42% of Americans want to exercise more, and here’s how our product helps them do that.”

3. Identify a source of data that could be used for a chart or graph. To put your story idea into an even broader context, see what information is already available that can make an attractive visual to help people easily scan the story and absorb the information. Media outlets often use charts, graphs and other visual aids, and if you provide this information right away, you’re more likely to capture an editor’s interest.

Make it easy for an editor to say yes to your story idea. Even if the editor turns you down this time around, he or she is sure to appreciate the extra effort you made in making the job easier and is likely to remember you the next time you call.

--Source: Duct Tape Marketing April 5, 2009 newsletter (www.ducttapemarketing.com). Barbara Wayman is president of BlueTree Media, LLC (www.bluetreemedia.com).