Are Reporters Reading Your E-Mails?
It’s 8:30 a.m. and you’ve spent the morning crafting the perfect e-mail to announce your brand new clothing line for dogs. You click “send” and wait for a response from the business editor at “The Wall Street Journal.”
Now, it’s noon and still no response from the editor. You call and get voice mail so you leave a message. Days go by and still no response…
Does this sound familiar?
Today, most reporters are swamped with deadlines and just trying to keep their jobs. They don’t have time to contact anyone who pitches irrelevant topics.
…But what’s that? You say you researched the reporter and thought he or she would really be interested in your new dog collar?
Well, maybe it’s not your pitch, maybe it’s your e-mail.
You may very well have a great story to tell. But if you don’t send a user-friendly e-mail, you’ll get nowhere fast.
When crafting an e-mail that is going to reporters, try to keep these tips in mind:
- Keep it short and sweet.
Get to the point fast and avoid “fluff.” Stick to the facts.
- Focus on the benefits.
Why is the reporter going to care about what you have to say?
- Include links.
Try to add links to important data relevant to your pitch. That way, reporters can easily get additional information fast.
- Run Spell Check.
Be sure to check for grammatical and spelling errors before sending out your e-mail. You want to present yourself as a professional who took some time to create the e-mail.
-Where’s your contact information?
If reporters want to learn more, can they find your contact information easily? You may want to include your cell phone number so they don’t have any problems reaching you.
It takes some skill to pitch reporters and give them a unique story packed with excitement and benefits. And once you spend the appropriate time crafting your pitch, don’t forget to proof your e-mail too.
After all, if it’s too long, boring and packed with errors, your message will go straight to the wastebasket. And who wants to waste time and effort like that?
If you have questions about your PR and copywriting efforts, please let me know here or at www.rembrandtwrites.com. I’d love to hear from you!
November 27th, 2009 at 9:14 pm
Very True! Thats exactly what I do and always get noticed!:P
November 30th, 2009 at 9:47 am
Thanks for your nice note. Glad to hear it has been working for you!
All the best,
Melanie Rembrandt, rembrandtwrites.com
December 1st, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Another way to make sure your email is read by the media is to be sure to provide valuable information, and not marketing. An editor may not be interested in helping you promote your new product, but they might be interested in an article that is helpful to their readers. For instance, instead of sending a product announcement, consider sending a story idea that provides tips, for instance: “Three Inexpensive Holiday Gift Ideas for Pet Lovers.” The best way to gain coverage is to provide a resource or fill a need!
December 3rd, 2009 at 9:14 am
Being specific in your subject line is key. You must put forward the most compelling information about your pitch so that the reporter will be enticed to open your email.
A best practice is to tell them what is contained in your email in the subject such as when writing a food columnist you would put in the subject “Recipe: Twice Baked Potato Au Gratin” that will surely win them over.
Shakira Brown, Co-Founder, http://BestBusinessMastery.com
Award-Winning PR and Marketing Expert
Best Business Mastery: “It’s like having a marketing department at your fingertips”
December 3rd, 2009 at 9:23 am
Good insights Stephanie and Shakira. Without value and a compelling subject line, it’s very difficult to get an e-mail opened these days!
Melanie, rembrandtwrites.com
December 3rd, 2009 at 10:52 pm
great site.
January 14th, 2010 at 12:40 pm
Question - In addition to my website, I write a blog in which I talk about my expertise relative to current events–things that I also think are press-worthy.
Is it okay to forward the occassional blog post to demonstrate my expertise? If so, how would you suggest doing this?
I’d love some insight on this…
January 14th, 2010 at 12:56 pm
Hi Shelley,
Do you already use an e-mail service to automatically send new blog entries, newsletters, and news about your services to current customers?
If not, check out AWeber.com, iContact, MyEmma, and others. This way, you can have regular “communication points” with customers - automatically.
Hope this helps.
Melanie, rembrandtwrites.com