This article will show you how to easily avoid PR pitching mistakes when you are doing your own publicity for your small business, book, tech start up or non-profit.
As America’s leading Media Pitching Coach, I see the best and worst pitches out there. One of the things that always strikes me is how simple the good PR pitches are and how simple it would have been to avoid the mistakes in the truly bad ones.
Let’s look at some “pitch killer” mistakes that you can correct today.
(1) Contacting a media person and asking them how you can promote your book, small business, etc. This is an easy one. Don’t ever do this. The media is not in business to promote you stuff. Catching them on a bad day can lead to a real dressing down. They will tell you to figure that out yourself and then buy advertising.
(2) Assuming that if you advertise in a media outlet you are entitled to extra coverage for your business. No, no, no. Advertising in a media outlet rarely gets you anything more than what you paid for.
(3) Not targeting your pitch to the media outlets that cover your subject. Make sure every aspect fits the media outlet from the geographical area they cover all the way over to the audience they reach.
(4) Using tired over worked pitch themes. Why should the media plug your product into a theme that has been beaten to death? You are dead on arrival with that one. Come up with a new angle of your own.
(5) Not putting your lead in the subject line. If the media had to search for your lead it will not happen.
(6) Using more than 7 words in your subject line. Media pros screen their emails on their phones and anything more than 7 words is lost.
(7) Calling to pitch rather than emailing. Emails is the only way to reach the media. Oh and don’t try texting either, they are not there on that yet.
(8) Not being prepared for the media when they call. Make yourself available and fully prepared to discuss any aspect of your pitch otherwise you will blow it.
(9) Not including your contact information in your pitch.
(10) Not addressing one specific media person at the media outlet you are pitching. And don’t pitch more than one person there either.
So see how easy those mistakes are to avoid?
If you are interested in getting your media pitching right, you should order my new book on media pitching as a Kindle download on Amazon. It is “An Insider’s Guide To Free Publicity” Here is the link:
http://www.amazon.com/An-Insiders-Guide-Free-Publicity-ebook/dp/B00LD69Q1O
Of course coming up with the angle to pitch the pitch together is an art by itself. Very few people can do it if their book, small business, tech startup or non-profit is at unique. That is why I have several options to make it easy for your to book an interview in the media.
First I have introduced a new service. I have just started a media pitch writing service where I write the pitch for you. Information on this can be found here. Get You Booked Media Pitch.
If you just want to run a pitch by me, you can book a One Hour Media Pitch Consultation.
Be sure to sign up for the FREE publicity tips show on the home page of this blog. Honestly, they are really good.
Free “Get Acquainted” Call
If you are considering working with me, I have a free gift for you.
We can spend 15-20 minutes chatting on the phone about your media-pitching situation. This “Get Acquainted” Call will be free and no pressure or obligation.
Many of my current clients have found this useful as a way of getting to know me and make sure my style works for them. I work with authors, small business owners, non-profits and tech startups, so I am sure we will have a lot to talk about.
Just email me at quickfameontv@gmail.com and we can set up a time to talk on the phone.
OK, thanks and I look forward to talking to you.
Good luck.
Edward W. Smith
America’s Leading Media Pitch Coach.
The post Disastrous PR Pitching Mistakes You Can Avoid Right Now. appeared first on How To Do Your Own Publicity.
