Re: News Story Pitching - Call & Blab?

From: Ursula Zajaczkowski <UZajaczkowski_at_scape.com>
Date: Thu 19 Oct 2000 11:39:13 -0500

LAWRENCE WAN <ivitae_at_mail.com> WROTE:
> Do any PR, Marcom & Marketing experts out there have
> any tales & advice on what truly works when pitching
> a story? How about sending a pitch email 1st, then
> calling? Or, is calling not effective, since it takes
> forever to reach the journalist, & they never listen
> unless you're a close contact?

TO WHICH ROB FRANKEL <rob_at_robfrankel.com> REPLIED:
> 1. We sent an e-mail to the editor, with a short blurb
> about how their issues were addressed by the book.
> 2. We sent the editors who replied that they were
> interested a copy of the book.
>
> The more interesting effort went out to a database -- a
> really old one, if the number of NDN and Undeliverable
> mail messages are any indication -- with a merged
> letter that addressed the editors' topics. ...
>
> Finally, and this really blew my mind, the one thing
> that really increased response was our attaching a
> tiny 3K JPG of the book cover to the e-mail.

I'd have to agree with Rob's strategy. I worked in PR
for a while, and we did similar activities to get media
coverage. Sending a copy of the product that you're
trying to promote, or sending out a media kit are
great. Other ideas for bigger promotions is sending out
teaser packs to journalists, over a time period - say
one teaser a week for a month. This would be something
creatively related to what you're promoting, to get the
journalists interest... and they just love freebees!

Sending emailed media releases to journalists is fine
too, but I've found that they're more reluctant to
publish stories if they can't get in contact with
someone who is really close to the product. Like
everyone, it's nice to talk to the person who has all
the information to get all the facts.

Ursula Zajaczkowski
Traffic Manager
S C A P E
ABN 48 088 946 114
Phone: 61 2 9552 5338
Fax: 61 2 9552 5301
Mobile: 0416 047 077
Email: uzajaczkowski_at_scape.com
www.scape.com





Received on Thu Oct 19 2000 - 11:39:13 CDT