1. Pitching The fine line between PR and telemarketing

2. What is pitching  Pitching is the hardest part of PR  This is when relationships with reporters are crucial  When news has gone out about a company it is the PR person’s job to call the media and try to entice the reporter to take the release and turn it into a larger story.

3. Why is pitching so hard  Without a good relationship with the reporter, pitching is like being a salesman  You are trying to get someone who is over-worked, under-paid and uninterested in your idea to listen to you and believe in your story/idea

4. Examples of pitches  Press release A release has gone out announcing earnings are up at a large medical institution The PR person would call the BBJ health report and tell the reporter about the increase in revenue and would also try to link it to a larger story—maybe the increase in heart procedures on the North Shore. Or maybe the increase in smaller hospitals forming partnerships with larger academic medical centers.

5. Is pitching is only done on the phone?  Pitching can be done on the phone but most of the time a PR person will send a pitch letter to the editor/reporter first  The pitch letter is addressed to the reporter/editor  Usually after the letter accompanies the release  Think of a pitch letter like a cover letter for a job It serves to entice the reporter to cover your story

6. Writing a pitch letter  The letter should be written in the inverted pyramid style  Be assertive Say when you will follow up  Be assertive but gentle State your ideas in a courteous and polite manner Try to tie your story to a larger trend story  Write in AP style

7. More pitching tips  Make sure the letter is grammatically correct  Make sure is it addressed to the correct person  Read some of the reporter’s most recent stories  Try to link those stories to your pitch  If it doesn’t work out don’t haunt the reporter  If you say you will follow up make sure you do Most reporters won’t call you

8. How to pitch like a pro  Most pitches are sent in the body of an email  Make sure you are sending it to the person  Don’t cc anyone else—especially other reporters/editors

9. How to become a lean, mean, pitching machine  When you talk to reporters get your facts straight  Know exactly what the reporters want and have that information available to them  BE CONFIDENT AND CLEAR  Start now by not saying “um” and “ah”  Be truthful  Know you are ALWAYS ON RECORD