october-2009

PITCH THE RIGHT PERSON: Half the
battle of getting publicity is putting your
idea in front of the right decision-maker.
For magazines, study the masthead to see
which writers cover beats relevant to your
company. If they’ve written a story you’ve
enjoyed, Gaines suggests sending an email
letting them know and asking if you can
stop by for a brief meeting next time
you’re in town.
“It’s a great way to begin a relationship,”
says Gaines, who also recommends sending
pitches to the editor-in-chief, who will
often have an assistant route stories to
appropriate staffers.
For TV and radio, pay attention to
reporters who cover particular types of
stories and call the stations to find out who
produces the segments. However, if it’s a
time sensitive pitch, don’t delay sending
it just because you don’t know the perfect
contact. “You can pretty much pitch anyone
in a TV newsroom,” Duperon says.
If you’re making a big publicity push,
invest in a directory of media contacts,
such as Gebbie Press’s 2009 All-in-One
Media Directory ($195) or Harrison’s
Guide to the Top National TV Talk and
Interview Shows ($347). Other paid services
include Bulldog Reporter’s Media
Pro, BurrellesLuce, Cision, Gorkana and
Vocus. Duperon plans to release her own
National Media Guide this fall.
POLISH YOUR MEDIA PRESENCE:
Even if you’re pitching a product or service,
many media outlets may be more
interested in telling the story of the person
or company behind it. They may assess
your poise as a potential guest based on a
phone call, so rehearse what you’re going
to say, says Joanne Quinn-Smith, host of
internet radio shows “Positively Pittsburgh
Live!” and “Techno Granny,” and
author of the Techno Granny blog. “You
need to leave a catchy voicemail to get the
media person or gatekeeper’s attention,”
she says.
Keep in mind that big print publications
often produce online videos and TV
segments with networks within the same
company, and may assess you in this way,
too. You never know: Oprah may just
want to ask you a few questions.
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