Pitching Tips To Land Major Media Placements

Written by Annie Jennings PR


Pitching Tips To Land Major TV, Magazine & Newspaper Media Placements

Break Intorepparttar TV Shows of your Dreams! Tips, Strategies, Do’s and Don’ts of Pitching torepparttar 120866 Media

 Always have your press materials fully developed before you even beginrepparttar 120867 pitching process. You’ll need a segment style press release for radio (contact me for more information on writing one), a media kit and video resume for National TV. After you pitch your media contact, they will ask you to send your materials. Any delay will cost you your credibility. Always do what you say you are going to do.

 Develop your media strategy with short and long term goals. You will need to have resources to findrepparttar 120868 names ofrepparttar 120869 producers and bookers and contact information. We use Bacon’s Media Directories 1.800.621.0561. Targetingrepparttar 120870 right contact will greatly increase your chances of getting booked. If your goal is to be on OPRAH withinrepparttar 120871 year, you have a lot of work to do. You’ll want to get booked on lots of media to gain experience, help you define your topic and create expert status for yourself. Pitchrepparttar 120872 smaller radio shows first and then move ontorepparttar 120873 bigger stations inrepparttar 120874 bigger markets. Userepparttar 120875 same strategy with TV and book yourself first onrepparttar 120876 local/regional stations. This strategy will allow you to develop not only as a publicist for yourself but as a media guest as well.

 If newspapers and magazines are on your goal list, start to follow these periodicals. Learn aboutrepparttar 120877 content and style and who writes in your expertise. Become familiar with what they have covered so you are pitching a fresh and “next level” article or story idea.  Expect to make about 50 pitch calls before feeling comfortable withrepparttar 120878 content, style, language and tonality (all factors thatrepparttar 120879 media contact uses to decide to book you as a guest). Canrepparttar 120880 media spot an amateur? You bet! Your pitch call is an audition. If you sound shy, uncertain and stumble over your words,repparttar 120881 producer will think that is what you will do onrepparttar 120882 air and will not book you.

 Identify your ultimate target media and then find smaller media that will support your major targeted media outlets. For example, if you want to be on Bloomberg TV or CNN then pitchrepparttar 120883 local/regional business or talk shows. Develop a three-minute video resume that is edited and features your “best” moments. Lead with high-energy music and action! You wantrepparttar 120884 viewer to feel excited just watching your video! They’ll be thinking “ratings, ratings, ratings”!

 Knowrepparttar 120885 caliber of guests your target media uses. You might need media training, a makeover and/or coaching to increase your desirability and skills.

 In major breaking news situations, TV segments are pegged torepparttar 120886 breaking news. Tailor your pitch accordingly and do not pitch a soft feature. Tie your expertise intorepparttar 120887 breaking news to increase your chances of getting booked.

 Immediate availability will help you get booked. Tell your media contacts that you are “on call” for them and give them all of your contact numbers including pager and/or cell phone (for instant access). Include your instant access information on your website.

 TV and radio producers like controversial debates and experienced guests who can talk in information-packed soundbites. Leave high-energy, action packed voice mails.

 Stack your pitch with your credentials and content. Speak faster while leaving your voice mail yet slow down and speak clearly when you leave your phone number. Always mention where you are located and follow up with an email that includes more on your pitch, BIO and instant access contact information. Do not use attachments but you can link to your website that should be content rich and not overly promotional.

 Have two websites—one forrepparttar 120888 media and one to sell books. The media likes content rich website that showcase your articles, awards, area of expertise and bio. If they see a strong sell for products or books they will not book you as your site is too promotional. Saverepparttar 120889 strong promotion for products or your book for another sited designed especially for this purpose.

 Explain how your book relates torepparttar 120890 segment and haverepparttar 120891 book cover ready to be emailed. Duringrepparttar 120892 pre-interview double-check thatrepparttar 120893 producer hasrepparttar 120894 correct spelling of your name (and pronunciation) and title. Also, ask to have two chyrons (the way you are identified onrepparttar 120895 screen) that alternate while you are speaking—one with your name and book name and another with your name and area of expertise.

The Complete Beginner's Guide to Writing Articles.

Written by Anna-Marie Stewart


So how do you get started? What do you write about? What do you actually DO with your articles once you`ve written them? It seems daunting, I know. I was petrified myself when I first started writing articles, I still get nervous every time I start submitting a new article all overrepparttar net.

Getting Started:

Do you have a passion? Are you particularly well-versed in a certain topic? Are you willing to invest time in doing research? Either one of these are all you really need, but if you`ve got all 3, then you`re definitely onrepparttar 120865 right track.

Grab a cuppa, a smoke, whatever you need to relax with, open up notepad/wordpad or even grab a pen and paper. Write down a 5-6 line bio about yourself and/orrepparttar 120866 product/program you`re promoting, this is commonly known as your "Resource Box", and should be atrepparttar 120867 bottom of each and every article you write. The "Resource Box" is THE only place you should promote ANYTHING at all inrepparttar 120868 article.

Next you need to focus on a topic. Start jotting down thoughts, and don`t worry about how mixed up they may seem to be at first, just keep going. If you can`t think of many things at first, save your work, and look it over another day, more ideas will pop into your head.

Once you feel you have enough, start moving things around until they really begin to make sense to you. Keep going until you`re happy with what you`ve got. Remember, articles don`t need to be mega-long, so long as they are helpful and informative. Write as you would speak, and make it personal, as if you are talking to a good friend. Let your personality shine through.

What to write about:

As I mentioned above, anything you are passionate about, or are well-versed on is a great start. You`re not passionate about anything? Not an "expert" in any subject at all? Well do some research. Start by thinking about what YOU would like to read about, what kind of information would YOU find helpful? Thought about it? Go to www.google.com and type it in, see what comes up, start looking intorepparttar 120869 various things you find. You could even ask friends and colleagues what THEY would be interested in reading articles about.

What, still can`t come up with anything? It gets like that sometimes, so relax, take a deep breath, and start visiting forums/message boards. What questions are being asked? What do people need help with? Hang out in chat rooms, askrepparttar 120870 same questions there, get as much feedback as you can, then start working from there. Eventually, you`ll find you`ve managed to write a GREAT article, in plain English, offering helpful/useful information.

Let a couple of your closest, most honest friends read through your articles for you. Don`t get offended if they make suggestions, some of them might even be good ones...hehehe, but make sure you stick with how it feels best for you.

So now what:

This is whererepparttar 120871 REAL hard work comes into play, cos now you`re ready to start submitting your articles torepparttar 120872 world :~) Ok, if you want to gorepparttar 120873 easy way about it, stop reading now, go buy yourself some automatic submission software and get stuck into submitting your articles with it.

Personally, I prefer hard graft, and sometimes a bit ofrepparttar 120874 personal touch. So for starters, I subscribe to a LOT of ezines that coverrepparttar 120875 topics I write about, then I offerrepparttar 120876 publishers my articles. Most of them are like me, and LOVE being first to publish well written articles. A nice personal mail usually gets that wheel turning ;~)

Cont'd on page 2 ==>
 
ImproveHomeLife.com © 2005
Terms of Use