Once you’ve taken all the steps in our last blog post: Before You Catch the Media’s Attention, which will ensure your organization is ready for media attention, you’re probably wonder how to catch their attention.
Have a good story
Making sure you have a good story is the first step. The story has to fit several guidelines:
-Make sure it is newsworthy. Recognize the stories versus the fluff.
-Release it in a timely. If it’s old news, no one will cover it.
-Make the story relevant by relating to current events or holidays.
Research and Target
Before you begin pitching, create a list of who you’re going to pitch to. You wouldn’t want to pitch a story about a startup venture to a sports reporter. Be respectful of reporter’s time by getting to know what topics they cover so that you can pitch them accordingly.
When pitching email, remember to:
-Start with an attention-grabbing headline.
-Get right to the point. Reporters get flooded with emails each day. Don’t let yours get lost in the shuffle by writing an overly detailed, long-winded message.
-Keep it short. Just a few sentences should be all you need to get your point across.
Check out our next blog post: Preparing for the Your Close-Up to learn more about what to do once the media takes notice of your nonprofit.
