Turn Your Company into a Headliner

Having your company’s name appear in the media can be a real boon for business. But when you are dealing with reporters who are so inundated with daily calls and e-mails that most of what they hear is just white noise, getting through can be difficult, to say the least. If you want to get their attention, consider these tips:

What to Pitch

The Holy Grail of stories goes something like this: You are the smartest, most innovative and best-looking entrepreneur EVER, whose ball-bearing operation is the greatest example of business excellence since Ford brought his Model T to the masses.

Alas, these stories are hard to come by. So your job is to pitch the one facet of your business that really does makes it special. Maybe you’ve made a technological breakthrough or are using an unconventional marketing approach. How about really enlightened HR practices? Pick the one thing that you do best.

Another approach to consider is pitching the story of your company as emblematic of something bigger. If you’re in an industry that is exploding regionally or nationally, you might be able to position your company as part of a trend story.

Whom to Pitch

A quick call to a newspaper or magazine’s general news number can tell you who the publication’s small business editor or reporter is.

That is a good place to start. Beyond that, your story angle will dictate which reporter you want to contact. Regardless of whom you approach, it helps to have read past articles by the reporter to get a feel for the types of stories he or she is interested in.

How to Pitch

E-mail is the most convenient and least invasive way to pitch a story. But eventually, you will probably have to log some phone time.
 
The Three Rules of E-mail:

• Create a compelling subject line to separate yourself from the cheap Viagra offers. Prefacing your subject title with the simple phrase "Story Idea" can also help ensure that your message is read.



• Don't get too cute in the first paragraph. Tell the reporter what you're selling within the first 50 words.



• Do not send attachments with your e-mails unless a reporter expressly tells you to do so. Many servers reject e-mails with attachments from unrecognized addresses.

Working the Phone:

• As with any cold call, if you reach someone when they’re busy, you’re likely to get shut down. This is especially true with reporters, who are always on deadline. Be sure to preface any pitch by politely asking if the reporter can spare a few minutes.



• If they’re willing to listen, be succinct. Consider writing out a brief outline beforehand to keep you on track.