As a work-in-the-trenches publicist, I do a lot of “smiling and dialing” and emailing with reporters and freelance writers to pitch story ideas. I get a bit of an adrenaline rush as I make my pitches. You could call it the thrill of the hunt.
A couple days ago, I saw a ProfNet lead that was perfect for one of my clients. I responded immediately with a pithy, powerful, and persuasive pitch with high hopes. The next morning, I got a cordial reply from the writer, thanking me for my submission and declaring her intentions to pass.
Disappointed, I did the power pout for a moment. Then, I thought, “What the heck.” I’ll try again. I thanked the reporter for her quick reply and then shared a personal story to bring the pitch I sent prior to life in even greater detail. And, while I was at it, I took the opportunity to mention that I work with two other clients with products that would be be great fits for the national women’s magazines for which she writes regularly.
Guess what? She loved my personal story, added it to her feature, and indicated interest and plans to write about my two other clients. This just goes to show that tenacity counts for a lot in the pursuit of quality media placements. My clients – Seattle Chocolate Company, Olympic Hot Tub Company, and Affirmagy, among others — have fabulous stories to tell and equally fabulous products that people everywhere need to know about.
The lesson here is that if you really think your story has wings to fly, don’t be afraid to go deeper and try again. Do it in a nice way that adds value and new perspective without making demands. You just might find — as I have — that this approach delivers great dividends — including “big ink” and quality relationships with freelance writers who are happy to see my name in their Caller ID or email in-box.
And now it’s time to get back to the media relations trenches for more “smiling and dialing”, emailing, and the pursuit of big ink.