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How to write a great email
How to get you email noticed when pitching (your brand)
Getting your message heard or the proverbial foot in the door can sometimes feel like an impossible task. Is it actually possible to break through into the media without a publicist or media team?
Well I am here to tell you (and most importantly teach you) how to up your chances of being featured in a publication or on national TV. By letting you in on some very important tips and tricks that will get that initial cold email or as I like to call it an introductory email read and hopefully answered positively.
Producers, editors, publicists like everybody are busy people and often get hundreds if not thousands of pitches and requests on a weekly basis. So if you want a few tips to get your email read instead of deleted. Consider using the following tips.
You need a CONTACT to get a CONTRACT. You have a better chance at getting your email read if you direct it to the right person. Meaning do you research. Check twitter, check Instagram, check the company’s website. Nothing worse than getting a stock email that you can tell is being bulk sent.
Be Pitch Ready– Get all your creative collateral together. Headshots, product shots, press kits, media kits, analytics etc. Have your numbers and most attractive facts ready. Don’t use head shots of that are a million years’ old or product shots if they are not absolutely fantastic. You want to put your very best foot forward whilst trying to get through the door. Do not give anyone a reason to overlook you based on the poor quality of your proposal package.
Articulate your point- You need to know who you are serving, and what it is that you are doing for them and get that across ASAP. The quicker you can get to your point in the email the better. No one is going to wade through a wordy email that doesn’t give a clear point or purpose across.
Audience – Don’t pitch to a morning show if the audience you are targeting (with your product or service) is not home watching morning TV and/or your content is more suited to the evening news. If your audience is reading serious news don’t pitch it to a fluffy publication that doesn’t deal with the subject matter. It is a waste of time and effort. Also,
if the audience of a publication value solutions and there to read up on answers to there problems or queries, do not pitch an inspirational story if it doesn’t include some actionable step by step that can get the people reading or watching the same results etc. Do you see what I am getting at?
Go small before you go big– This point works on a few levels. First it helps you build your confidence. Clarify your message, calculate if you like how and what is coming across, buy yourself the experience and time to tweak things. This is lost on people and businesses today. We live in a world we perceive what feels like instant fame and success. Also, it gives you more creditability and makes you more appealing to bigger news outlets, when they see you are some what experienced and have a portfolio of experiences.
Get the timing right. Pitch things at the right times you get a better chance at getting a response. If you want to do a pitch that could tie in perfectly with Mothers day, then pitch at least 6 weeks before for TV although I have to say that magazines have and even longer lead time so maybe allow at least two months for that.
Email etiquette. The right names, paragraphs, spelling, emails that are too long are all bad email etiquette. So make sure to edit your emails. Be respectful.
And finally, Track your emails. So you know when to and who to follow up.
If you’ve like the following tips and you need even more, don’t forget to subscribe. Talking Media is a new avenue on the website that was created to give helpful tips, tricks and insider knowledge that will help you and your awesome brand get OUT there and be seen!
Ps. have you ever wanted to connect with your audience better on Camera? Then watch this
Till next time we talk media, x
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