Two Biggest Media Pitch Mistakes

The first mistake I see businesses do when they first try to pitch the media, is by pitching to an advertising contact.

They think that the advertising contact will pass their story onto the news department. Or they tell me that they’ve tried so-and-so media but all they got was a response to buy some advertising and it’s out of their price range. 

Sorry, it doesn’t work.

You need to be pitching the content creation department. The writers, the journalists, the reporters, the editors – they control the value that consumers get when their media is consumed. They are the ones you want to know. The ad department is there to find sponsors to financially support the content.

The next mistake people make when pitching to the media is that they are wearing their ‘sales’ hat. 

It is called pitching so it’s easy to see why you’d think you need to be salesy.

But journalists hate it.

Journalists do not exist to help you promote your business. That’s what the advertising department does. And sometimes they exist in odds with each other.

You need to think like a journalist. Journalists are storytellers.

Journalists think in terms of juicy, interesting, captivating stories. Worthy of being told by the campfire.

Great stories are written with news values.

The news values are:

1.     Impact
2.     Timeliness
3.     Prominence
4.     Proximity
5.     How Bizzare
6.     Conflict
7.     Currency
8.     Human Interest

If you want to learn how to apply these news values to what’s going on in your business then lets talk!

Book straight into my calendar for a 45-minute strategy session go.janicemckay.co.nz/scheduling

With Heart,

Janice