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Surfacing story ideas for traditional media, influencers, and gatekeepers so they will release it to a much larger audience.
What it is: Companies used to just issue press releases, publish information in print, and give it over the TV and radio. Publicity releases are largely a thing of the past, and now publicity must be pitched to the relevant reporters and organizations you want to influence. Pitching media is the process of identifying who has the ear of your target audience and how you link your story to the story they have released in the past so it will be interesting to them. There are paid and unpaid ways to get your message released. Most traditional media is unpaid (except for product placements and soft new shows) but many social media, blog, and other influencers and gatekeepers require a fee for them to release your message or talk about your product, company, or organization.
What it does: By finding a media individual who is interested in your story, you may be able to get them to release your message to a much larger audience.
How is it used: If you can identify media that is attractive to your target audience, you may find the aperture (the lens, focus, and timing) to capture the attention of your target market through media stories and events. Once you have identified the media source you wish to engage with, you must find a way to entice them to take your story to their audience. There are paid and unpaid options to consider.
Where: There are a variety of media sources that could have the attention of your target audience. Finding a media source that is interested in your story but does not have the ear of your target audience will not get you the results you desire. Consider multiple channels through which to publish your story to get both depth and breadth in the coverage of your story. Consider media sources like the following:
Traditional TV networks and news shows (Free public announcements and stories are common.)
Traditional TV networks and soft news or talk shows (Today, Good Morning America, etc.) often require payment for product placement, discussion, and stories. But if you get the right angle you may be able to get them to discuss it for free.
Cable news networks
Cable shows: Many reality TV shows have targeted audiences where you could get your message tied to their reality TV (flipping homes, cooking shows, etc.).
Newspapers that include free stories and paid placement
Websites links and references
Bloggers who can mention your story, product, or company for pay or because it links to their interest
Social media personalities like YouTube stars who can mention you in their videos. Twitter stars who can tweet about you, cooking sites, etc.
Social media pages that can list your story if it aligns with their interests.
Personalities whom other media outlets report on and can speak about you in their public performances
Organizational leaders (organizational presidents, leaders, communications persons, etc.) who can spread your message to their organization
Why: If your target audience listens to one of these media outlets or personalities, you may be able to get your message in front of them and hopefully engage with them.
Where it shouldn't be used: Pitching media is a necessary process if you hope to get your product in front of your target audience with anything other than directly paid advertising.
Any restrictions: You should not offer money to newspaper reporters or hard news shows on network TV.
Warnings: Be careful who you ask to carry your story among influencers and personalities. If the person has the wrong reputation among your target market, it could backfire on you.
Define your hook: Every good story has a hook. It is what makes the story interesting and attractive to the media. What makes the storylines interesting? What is creative, innovative, or unique about the story? Is there human interest, dramatic impact, or another element that makes the story newsworthy?
Determine who will be interested: Do your research to find reporters or commentators who have released similar stories in the past. Who is interested in that topic and would likely be interested in a story similar to yours? What angles have they used in the past, and how could you adapt your story to use one of their favorite angles? This research is one of the most important steps and may make or break your chance to get the story placed in the media. Create a shortlist of 5–10 total possible reporters or commentators.
Use tools to find social media or other influencers. Some of the most common tools used at BYU (and available in the School of Communications) are as follows:
Crimson Hexagon: A listening tool from Harvardto see who is talking about specific topics.
BuzzSumo: A tool to measure trending stories and topics. It measures who is trending, how often they are trending, and how often their posts have been shared. This tool can help you find successful influencers who engage well with your target audience and who might be interested in your story.
Determine what you will offer to the reporters you approach: Will you offer exclusivity to a traditional media outlet, or will you offer a free product for trials to a reviewer? Will you offer to pay a social media personality, blogger, or spokesperson for their comments or reviews of your story?
Be sure to vet them: Before you contact them, vet them to be sure you know their reputation, past problems, how well they have treated other promotional products or sponsors, who else is talking about them, affiliations, etc. You do not want to get bit by the reaction to a bad sponsor or promoter.
Check out their following: Do more than just look at the number of followers they have. They could have bought the followers or could have a very passive relationship with their followers. Look for the following indicators:
Number of likes on their platform and others
Number of comments they receive from their audience
Number of shares on their posts, tweets, blogs, videos, and other releases
Level of engagement they have with your target audience
Compensation may be a free product to test or actual payment of money.
Be sure to get a contract that states the compensation offered for the number of posts, mentions, images, etc.
Do not offer to pay traditional media; it is not professional. But they may be interested in exclusivity and other offerings that will help them professionally.
Bloggers and website owners may have the ear of your target audience, and you will often have to offer compensation for their releasing your story.
Pitch the story: Make targeted pitches to one (if exclusive) or a small number of reporters or commentators. Consider using the following:
A clear and concise headline that highlights the hook of the story
An email that clearly points out the match this story has with their self-interest (based on your research of them).
No attachments or images: If there are attachments or images, there is a good chance they will never open the email. There are too many security concerns with people claiming their ideas were stolen, so they will not open the email. If you need to provide more information or images than a short, concise email can hold, you can include links to where the additional information and images are stored.
A follow-up email to ask about interest after a stated amount of time (mentioned in your email), or based on the timing of the story.
Phone or personal visits as a follow up are possible, but may not be met with interest by the reporter.
Email: Most pitches will be made through email (easiest for you and them). The email should be unique and specifically crafted for the person you are pitching.
No report is required with this tool.
This content is provided to you freely by Ensign College.
Access it online or download it at https://ensign.edtechbooks.org/projectbased_internships/pitching_media.
