PR pros: 6 questions to answer before you hit ‘send’
How to determine if your pitch is newsworthy and not a waste of a reporter’s time.
Newsrooms and bloggers are constantly flooded with pitches that aren’t even close to being newsworthy. Why are only a few stories picked up and the rest land in the trash or delete folder?
Let’s go back to the old “Journalism 101″ inverted pyramid style of writing news. OK, I’m dating myself here, but these six rudimentary questions will help determine if you have a story to share.
Before you begin writing your pitch or press release, ask yourself:
1. Who gives a crap? If you can answer this question, your response belongs in the headline or subject line. Hint: Relatives and paid employees don’t count.
2. What makes my story outshine the other 372 that crossed the desk of the reporter or blogger today? Hint: Pitch purple snowflakes.
3. Where would my story fit in to this reporter’s world? Hint: Relevance rules.
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