How to Pitch to Media in 7 Easy Steps

This is a question that writers frequently ask me. They are interested in appearing on podcasts and other media platforms, but they are unsure of how to differentiate themselves from the competition. Following are 7 easy steps to pitch to media.

1. Edit Your Pitch

Before sending your pitch, put it aside for a few hours or maybe a few days. After rereading it, make any necessary edits while keeping the recipient of the email in mind. At most, limit it to 3 brief paragraphs. Remember that the best proposals make themselves clear and persuasively persuasive.

You should read your pitch aloud to yourself and pay attention to how it lands. Try to communicate in a straightforward, confident manner and meet them where they are. You’re not pleading with them to let you be on the show, nor are you conceited. You’re a like-minded expert who wants to assist them in creating an engaging conversation that benefits their audience.

RELATED STORIES

Top 10 Ideas to Promote Your New Book on Social Media

March 25, 2023

23.9k

How to Boost Book Sales When You’re a New Author?

March 25, 2023

33.1k

How to Sell the First 50 Copies of your New Book

January 27, 2023

27.2k

2. Start With The Hook

There is a fundamental PR pitch pattern you should always adhere to while drafting the email itself, and it begins with the hook. How do you determine what the hook in your pitch is? It’s the part of your pitch that appeals to this audience the most. That could be:

• a newsworthy angle based on a timely or trending issue.
• a unique angle that will catch their attention.
• your relevant credentials—whether that’s your past experience or your 1 million followers across your social media channels.

Consider your pitch’s strongest point and use that as your opening statement. Set the scene and establish the audience’s relevance for your pitch in your introductory paragraph.

PRO TIP: Timely pitches are usually great, but be sensitive to market saturation. PR professionals read hundreds or even thousands of pitches. If a certain topic has been dominating the news for too long, consider going in a different direction.

3. Create Your Email Subject Line

Once your email is ready, it’s time to craft your email’s subject line. Start with your ask, posed as a question:

• Guest idea?
• Interview?
• Article idea?

Then, add a very brief hook. For example:

Pitching to male-driven self-help podcasts:

• Guest idea? Redefining masculinity

Pitching to both contractor and subcontractor podcasts:

• Guest idea? Strengthening the contractor-sub relationship

Pitching to podcasts for military entrepreneurs:

• Guest idea? Your company’s single greatest weapon

Pitching to retail podcasts:

• Guest idea? Time to celebrate your “accidental” career in retail

Pitching to podcasts for nonprofits:

• Guest idea? How to tell your nonprofit story

Pitching the same guest to podcasts on fundraising:

• Guest idea? Tap into the equity of your own story

4. Add Value

After the hook, make a succinct statement detailing the benefit you will offer the audience. Highlighting the issue that makes you and your message relevant to this particular audience of listeners or readers is a fantastic method to achieve this.

• All too often, home improvement DIY projects come with surprises that end up doubling or even tripling your costs.
• Too many car buyers end up paying 30% or 40% more for their car than they realize. Why? Because they focus on their monthly payments instead of their actual loan terms.
• Parenting a teenager can feel like you’re living in a minefield, trying not to set off daily explosions of anger, resentment, or tears.

The journalist or other media professionals should find it simple to understand how to pitch the piece to their own audience after reading this part. Set up the issue, then ace your pitch with a precise, succinct description of the resolution you’ll offer. Consider creating a list of succinct bullet points with the main ideas you will highlight. You can instruct listeners on how to, for instance:

• Use 6 key strategies to de-escalate their teen’s emotional outbursts.
• Adopt 5 simple habits that will reduce anxiety in the whole family.
• Recognize and avoid the 3 approaches almost every parent uses that are guaranteed to make things worse.

Remember to include your credentials and previous work in the field, but keep them brief. Limit yourself to the ones that are most relevant:

• why you’re the right person to be talking about this subject matter.
• why you’re the best person to add this value to this audience.
• what makes you a unique voice on the topic.

All that said, be concise. The most impressive pitches convey tremendous value in very little space.

5. Follow Up

Wait two weeks before contacting them again if you don’t hear from them soon away. Don’t be in a rush; public relations specialists who work in the media may follow up as much as a month later.

Reply to your initial pitch when you do follow up so they have that background information. Include a link to your media kit in your follow-up email, and limit your message to three succinct points:

• Hey, I want to follow up on this.
• Here’s the media kit.
• Are you interested?

6. A Note On Repitching

If they reject your pitch for a podcast, don’t try again. not even from a different perspective. Wait a few weeks before proposing a print or online publication. then feel free to suggest something else to them (as long as it has a different angle).

7. Make The Ask

Finish by saying that you would adore to appear as a guest on their programme, a guest blogger, or whatever else your particular request is. Keep it brief and uncomplicated.