Monday, June 25, 2012

The big three: mistakes to avoid when pitching


Failing to read the publication you are pitching!
Magazines (and blogs!) have working formulas with pages that are formatted similarly every day/week/month.  Could your idea be plugged on to the page you're pitching as it currently exists? Then it’s likely a good fit. Similarly, don’t expect an editor to cover services or feature experts when their pages are all product-driven. Do your homework first before reaching out.

Forgetting to personalize the pitch.  
Recognize the editor or blogger you are pitching and then launch in with a concise, well-written paragraph or two.  Gone are the days of stiff, page-long press releases. Include in the email a crisp well-lit image and that is enough to pique an editor’s interest. If they want to know more, they’ll go directly to your blog, so make sure that it is fine tuned and ready for press before reaching out.

Sending attachments and high-resolution images. 
Embed one low-res (72 dpi) image into the email instead of sending large files that slow or clog an inbox. Editors don't open attachments. They're just a one-way ticket to trash.

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