in: Public Relations
by: Jamie Werner
October is just around the corner and many of your favorite short lead media outlets (digital, celebrity weeklies, newspapers) will soon begin working on Breast Cancer Awareness stories. If this is a cause that is near and dear to your heart and you’d like to be included in these write-ups, you need to know how to pitch them the right way. We've broken it down into 8 clear and simple steps to help you do just that!
Determine what product or product range you’d like to offer for Breast Cancer Awareness stories. Please be aware that editors tend to chose pink items that are geared towards women. Product should be based on your brand and may not be a fit for all outlets. Be sure the media outlets you are approaching cover the type of stories/products you are pitching.
Pick a Breast Cancer Awareness charity and list this charity in your offering as well as on your website, in your social media and newsletter, in your pitch.
[Tin Shingle note: Need help figuring out the legal end of this type of charitable giving? Read these tips!]
Decide what percentage of your proceeds from sales made in October will go towards your chosen charity.
Be sure you have hi-res product images available. These should be 300 dpi, JPG, shot on a white background.
You may want to have a handful of samples available for any editors/outlets that require a sample. For example, a digital editor or blogger might be working on a styled shoot and will ask you to send in a sample Please keep in mind, weeklies and daily publications may ask for samples, as well.
Begin emailing editors and bloggers around mid-September with a short pitch letting them know you are offering a "BCA" (Breast Cancer Awareness) item, the item itself, charity and donation info, price, your website, and a lo-res (low resolution) image of the item. Include digital media, as well as weekly and daily publications on your outreach list.
In addition to Breast Cancer Awareness stories, you can also promote that you are supporting BCA by sending out a newsletter in early October, as well as post your offer on your social media channels.
