Yoga with snakes (and how not to pitch journalists)
I once did a yoga class with snakes.
No, not for fun! This was for work.
A few years ago I went to a Serpent Healing workshop in London while working as a freelance journalist.
It was a scary, sweaty couple of hours of chanting and poses (including, naturally, Cobra pose). And it ended with me holding a real-life boa constrictor called Shakti.
It was an incredible experience. And it cured my lifelong phobia of snakes.
If you're thinking what on earth....? Here's the article I wrote about it for The Telegraph
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Pitching journalists
What's this got to do with pitching your business story to journalists?
Good question. Well, pitching is competitive. Some journalists get hundreds of pitches a day. Many pitches remain unopened or sadly end up in the bin (sob).
The thing is, you're up against PR agencies who have big budgets and trusted releationships with editors.
You're up against other business owners with quirky ideas.
You're up against... snake yoga.
That's why it's so important to nail your pitch.
If you've had pitches rejected by editors in the past, here are three possible reasons why.
🗞️ It didn't contain a story
You know that your business is amazing.
Let's say you run a successful financial advisor firm - and you pitch your local paper to tell them about just how amazing your business is.
But your pitch is met with radio silence.
The problem? You haven't explained what the story is.
Journalists need to offer value to their audience. They won’t run a free advert for your business. They're looking for news, expert advice or a human interest angle.
I'm not saying you need to bring in the boa constrictors. But your pitch needs to grab a journalist's interest and be newsworthy.
Top tip: Think about what's new, different or quirky about your business. Are there any trends you can offer expert comment on?
📣 Too much waffle
Even if you've crafted the most beautiful pitch, if it's too long, it probably won't get read.
Journalists are busy, so you need to get straight to the point.
Top tip: Keep it brief and clear. Cut the waffle and jargon. And summarise what the story is - and why it's useful/important - in the first sentence of your pitch email.
🤷 It wasn't relevant
A pet peeve of journalists is being sent pitches about subjects they don't write about.
Do your research to find out which journalists and publications cover the subject you're pitching about.
Top tip: Try searching Google for previous articles and have a quick peek at journalists' social media - LinkedIn is excellent for this.
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Want to see your business in the media?
Want to learn more about pitching?
The best way to learn about what journalists are looking for pitches is by asking one 🙂 👋
• I’m an NCTJ-qualified journalist with more than 25 years’ experience
• I’ve worked in regional and national newspaper newsrooms
• I’ve written for titles like The Guardian, The Telegraph and Daily Mail Online plus Woman and Good Housekeeping magazines
If you’d like to see your business in the press, why not get in touch? Email linda@lindaharrison.co.uk or message me via my Contact page
Or subscribe to my newsletter for insider PR tips.
P.S. Prefer a different way to support my business? Please share this blog post with any business owners - or anyone who suffers from Ophidiophobia (a fear of snakes) - who might find it useful.
