Most Common Pitching Mistakes You Need to Stop Making Now as a Small Biz Owner Pitching the Media

Tell me if this situation sounds familiar to you…

You spend hours – maybe even days – perfecting the perfect pitch to share your awesome story, product or service with the media.  When you finally send it, the only response is, well, no response!  Silence.  Crickets.  Before you start blaming yourself or your business, the issue could be in your delivery. 

We talk and teach about how to pitch the media properly all day long at Tin Shingle and we also see several pitches that business owners like you write that need a little bit of TLC in the copy department.  In fact, many of them make the same mistakes, and some keep on making them, which is why we thought we’d remind you about some of the most common mistakes small businesses make when pitching the media, so you can stop making them for good, and start making awesome press happen!

• You Skip the Hello and Dive Straight into the Pitch:
  Would I walk up to someone I didn't know in a meeting or on the street and just start talking about myself or my business without even saying hello and introducing myself first?  Of course not, so why do so many small business owners do that in their pitches?  Don’t let manners go out the window just because you’re writing an email.  Instead, begin every email with a Hello/Good Morning/Good Afternoon [Insert Media Contacts First Name Here], followed by an introduction to you, your company and your purpose of writing them.  This all sounds like a no-brainer but it’s missing in at least 1/3 of all pitches I review.  If you regularly remind yourself that you’re not just mass pitching when you send out an email, but instead you're creating long term relationships with key members of the media, you’re much more likely to make an authentic introduction every time!
   

• Subject Line Issues:
  There are a few categories of email subject lines when pitching the media that do not work.  I categorize them as in these three groups:

1. Too Witty – These are the types of subjects that are so clever and witty that the reader doesn’t even "get" what you’re writing about, thus they may not open up your email in the first place.
    
2. Too Vague – These have included people writing only a reporter’s name or show title in the subject line to those just writing their company name in the subject line.  Though your email subject should be brief it should also be clear why you’re writing.  This makes your email look more legit (and less like spam) and also helps the recipient know exactly what you want answer wise, so they can provide that answer or direct you to someone who can. 
    
3. Finally, the last category of subject line issues is the Poor Grammar or Punctuation situation.
   If you use too many numbers, punctuation marks or capitalized letters you may be caught in spam filters.  It’s also just not acceptable to use symbols or multiple exclamation points or caps in email subject lines unless you’re writing fan mail to One Direction.  Keep it professional and spam-free!

   SEE ALSO: [Recorded Class] How to Use a Magazine's Editorial Calendar to Get More Press
    

• You leave out a link to your website (not a hyperlink by the way): Here’s a quick tip for email pitches: make your company’s website address easy to access within the first sentence or two of your pitch.  People want and need to get to your website to learn more, and they don’t want to dig through your email to find it.  Help them get there immediately by providing the URL for them.  Like this: www.mywebsite.com. Not like this "Click here for my awesome website!" When you do provide the link, do not hyperlink to it from another word or phrase.  People do not like hyperlinks in pitches, because unless you’re best friends or colleagues they cannot trust where that hyperlink will lead them.  To review: do provide your website address early in your email pitch, do not hyperlink to it, and do not hyperlink to anything in pitches in general.  It’s bad pitching etiquette and lowers your chances of being impactful and getting a response.

   

• You Don’t Use Bullets:
  It’s hard for me imagine writing any pitch to someone that doesn’t include bullets.  Eyes love bullets.  Pitches love bullets.  The media targets you’re pitching love bullets.  Bullets are “PR sexy”, a giant paragraph of copy is a total turn off.   If I’m talking about a product, I outline the unique selling points or cool facts about it (from price to performance) in bullets.  If I’m sharing an expert and what they can give advice about I’m incorporating bullets.  This article you’re reading right now uses them – imagine if it was all just one long paragraph.  You feel overwhelmed before you even begin reading it.  Now imagine if you’re a busy reporter or editor or producer.  You have the patience to skim through a few sentences of an introduction but after that you’re eyes are going to want the info you need to be chunked out in bullets.  It makes it easier for you to find and digest the important information

   

• Improper use of images (attachments to strangers):
  You know how when you were growing up your parents told you to never talk to strangers? Here’s a PR-version of that rule: never attach to strangers, meaning, never attach images (or media kits, or anything else) to emails to people you do not know.  That doesn’t mean not using images – if you can master the art of embedding an image that’s a great alternative.  Otherwise, you can send a link to your information, products, media kit, look book and more in the email (specify what each link is to).  Ask them for permission to send them an attachment of these things.  One more thing: If they ask, then you want to send it back to them right away. Don’t wait too long. You want it sent to them while you’re still fresh in their minds!

  SEE ALSO: [Recorded Class] PR Mishaps & Mistakes: We Answer YOUR Questions About How to Handle Them

   

• It’s Too Long:
  Pitches, like cologne, fit into the life category of “less is more”.  If you can’t boil your pitch concept and business idea down to a brief, clear and concise pitch, then you need to rethink what you’re trying to say and how you're saying it.  An elevator pitch delivery isn’t just something you do on the phone or in person, it’s how you really pack a punch when e-pitching the press!  Deliver the information completely and in order of importance and quickly.  If you can’t do this your pitches, they may not be read at all!  The art of pitching is one you have to practice and study, but if you invest the time and effort into it you can become a master at creating the perfect, concise and to-the-point work of PR art!

Does your next media pitch need to be "pitch whispered" and edited to perfection?  Let us know, we can help!