What follows below are examples of pitches that you can use to inspire your DIY PR team, modify to use on your own, incorporate in your own outreach and more. Each pitch has a different theme, and we've spun it into a a few ways varying industries and experts could use it.
We'll be updating these examples periodically, so check back for inspiration on getting the press hooked on your greatness.
Each pitch is broken down into the following categories:
CONCEPT:
STRATEGY:
EXAMPLE:
Here are examples of those this formula can work for you:
CONCEPT: Tip Sheets
STRATEGY: Give a set amount of tips regarding something you are an expert in that is timely and seasonal. In other words, X tips for XXX
EXAMPLE: 5 Tips for Beating the Heat; 10 Ways to Lower Your Taxes; 6 Ways to Work Less, Play More; 8 Ways to Whiten Your Teeth; 4 Simple Ways to Increase Your Productivity, etc.
CONCEPT: Pitch the Season: Summer (can be modified for other seasons)
STRATEGY: Summer Vacation Travel –find a way your expertise or product can help the millions of Americans traveling this summer.
EXAMPLE: Must Have Road Trip Items for Summer Travel; Safety Tips for Summer Road Trips; How to Travel Stress Free this Summer; 5 Great Summer Road Trips in the XXX Region; Expert Advice on Traveling with Pets this Summer; Travel Expert Shares Best Vacation Bargains of the Summer, etc.
CONCEPT: Tie a story to your company’s anniversary or the founder’s birthday.
STRATEGY: Host social media/online shopping promotions or create an actual local news story (or do both!) to celebrate your company’s anniversary or your founder’s birthday.
EXAMPLE: Facebook: XXX Company Celebrates 1st Birthday: Free Shipping on all Weekend Purchases; Online: XXX CEO Celebrates Birthday by Paying for YOUR Shipping; Local Company XXX Celebrates 3 years serving the best pizza in town; Despite recession, local XXX company thriving and celebrating 5th anniversary with local block party and discounts; Coffee Shop Celebrates Birthday with Free Coffee All Day Long, etc.
CONCEPT: Help viewers/readers save money.
STRATEGY: Share expert tips on how to save money on goods and services.
EXAMPLE: Met Life shares 8 ways to save on Life Insurance; Small Business Expert Offers 10 Start Up Tips to Save Money; Cut your Grocery Bill in Half; Spend 100.00 less a month on your Beauty Routine; 10 Ways to Reduce Your Spending in Less than a Month; Expand Your Wardrobe while Shrinking your Budget etc.
CONCEPT: Help readers/viewers combat fear/crisis/tough situations.
STRATEGY: Whether a serious or more “fluff” segment, you as the expert will help people avoid or deal with sticky situations of all kinds.
EXAMPLE: How to deal with the 6 most common clothing stains; Social Media 911: 5 Situations to Avoid when Growing Your Brand on Social Media; Women’s Top 10 Fashion Crisis, Solved; Communication Crisis: How to Get Along Better with your Spouse.
CONCEPT: “Piggybacking” your story/expertise/product onto movie releases/blockbusters.
STRATEGY: Figure out what the hot movies of the season are, find a way to connect your story/brand or expertise to the movie and the hot topics surrounding the movie theme.
EXAMPLE: Are “Friends with Benefits” A Bad Thing (from relationship expert); Recipes from “Julia & Julia” anyone can cook in a small apartment; Inspired by The Hangover: What Really Happens on a Bachelor Party Weekend/Rated PG Ideas for a Bachelor Party from XXX Event Planner; Inspired by Bridesmaids: 5 Bridal Shower Ideas you can DIY; Local Teachers Way in on New Movie “Bad Teacher” , etc.
CONCEPT: Link your story/product/expertise to the education calendar & education in general.
STRATEGY: Share expert tips & products picks for back to school, off to college, general schooling tips
EXAMPLE: 5 Ways to Personalize your Dorm Room with XXX Interior Design Expert; How to Help Your Child Study Better; Ways to Keep Your Brain Sharp After 40; Summer Study Tips for Kids; 10 Items your New College Student Needs to Pack for the Dorms; How to Handle Homesick College Students, etc.
CONCEPT: Career Change Stories (local or national brands)
STRATEGY: Share the interesting/dramatic highlights of your career change from XXX career to XXXX career.
EXAMPLE: How XXX went from Wall Street to Jewelry Design by following her passion; From Homeless to a Millionaire: the true story; What viewers/readers can learn from a local teacher who started her own business from her passion; From Laid Off to Hiring: How a local business woman changed her life and her business, etc.
CONCEPT: Do/Learn/Change XXX in one week/month/day
STRATEGY: Share ways viewers/readers can do XXXX in just XXXX timeframe.
EXAMPLE: Change your eating habits in one week; Learn how to design a website in 15 minutes; Learn to Dance in just 30 Minutes a Day with new Dance Video; Quit Smoking in 5 Days thanks to Local Doctor; Bring the Romance Back into your Relationship in One Weekend; Cook a 3 Course Meal in 45 Minutes with Tips from XXX, etc.
CONCEPT: How Not To…
STRATEGY: Give readers or viewers tips on How Not to XXXX
EXAMPLE: How not to: gain weight on vacation; overpay on your car maintenance; get a bad haircut/style/color; dress too old for your age; have a bad hair day ever again; get into petty arguments at home, etc.
CONCEPT: Secrets of an XYZ revealed (great for experts and service professions)
STRATEGY: Share tantalizing secrets about your profession that will inform/be interesting to readers/viewers
EXAMPLE: Secrets of a: celebrity stylist revealed/personal assistant/first year small business owner/online blogger/airline host regarding how to get better service and upgrades/trainer to the stars/local exterminator, etc revealed.
CONCEPT: Share “secrets” about a certain subject/topic
STRATEGY: Be the expert of a segment in which you reveal “secrets” that will help viewers or readers lives be better/happier/easier etc.
EXAMPLE: The secret “fountain of youth” vegetables revealed by XYZ nutritionist; The secret to a happy marriage revealed; The secret tricks you can use to attract new business; The secrets lurking at local beauty salons they don’t want you to know about; The secret ingredients you can add to your meals to spice up your love life, etc.
