How To: Pitch Yourself to a Magazine Editor
How To: Pitch Yourself to a Magazine Editor
by Summer Bellessa,
Ladies Who Launch member, Los Angeles
My e-mail account is flooded every day with endless PR banter and business owners’ personal pitches that claim to have the perfect product/line/expert for my magazine, Eliza. It can be a full-time job just sifting through my inbox. But there are ways to make me stop and look more closely at your e-mail pitch. Add these tips to your communication toolkit.
1. Know the publication. I can spot a mass e-mail in a second, and will delete it just as fast. Start by addressing the editor by name; include an area in the magazine where you can see your product/expert advice/business being featured. If you aren’t sure, you haven’t done your research.
2. Make it easy. I want to know what the product is and why it’s press-worthy. Include the Web site. And it helps to mention any other press you’ve gotten.
3. Make it pretty. Everything you send out, from the press material to your e-mail signature, should represent your company. If your product is elegant, everything should reflect that. If you have high-quality photography that is press-ready, we’re more likely to feature your product.
4. Make it short. Sometimes I only have time to read the first paragraph, so make it tight, entertaining, and informative. If I’m interested, I will e-mail and ask for more information. If you want to attach a line sheet or product shot, make sure it’s low resolution. Even better is a Web site with the exact product/pictures.
5. Follow up. After about a week, send another e-mail to confirm that the editor has received your first e-mail and to see if she needs anything. One is enough. If she hasn’t gotten back to you, it’s because your product/line/service won’t work into any current stories and she has 5,000 other e-mails to respond to. Don’t take it personally.
6. Repeat. When you have a new product/line/idea/spin, try again. Each month or so editors are looking to fill specific pages, and this time it might be perfect.
Other Ideas
* Have a writer submit a story in the style of the magazine.
* Send samples with an engaging note.
* Build relationships with editors/writers.
Summer Bellessa is a member of the Los Angeles Incubator and the founder/editor-in-chief of Eliza magazine.
Ladies Who Launch is asking you … have you had any success pitching to magazine editors? If so, share your experience with us in the Comments section below!
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Our reusable shopping bags, Ecologie Bags, were featured in the September “Fashion” edition of Texas Monthly. Two of the things I stressed in the email to the editor were that we are a Texas company and that we are woman-owned. Both resonated with her. If you are pitching to publications that are regional in focus make sure you tell the editors that you live/work there as that will make a difference. Sounds kind of basic, but until recently I had been sending out press releases that were more generic and haven’t had much luck. As Summer suggests, customization is a big key to getting your info read and covered.
Good luck to all!
Cindy Atmar
President, Ecologie Bags
http://www.ecologiebags.com
Great tips from Summer. Another avenue is a ‘aditorial” That is a paid advertisement disguised as a featured article. Some magazines will allow you to buy ‘advertising’ space and they put it into the magazine with a full page article and picture. it appears that the magazine is writting about you but you paid for it. This is so much more effective than having a 1/4, 1/2 page standard advertisement. Also when calling upon magazines ask about ‘remnant space.’ That is space that might be an odd shape because of other articles in the mag and is not sold yet and the deadline might be drawing near so they will sell it cheap.
Keep plugging away.
Joan Geisler – owner
Joan Gabriel.com
We are brand new at this but we pitched our fashion accessory to our local newspaper’s fashion editor and without knowing it, we actually followed the communication process outlined above. We pointed out that our product was new and unique in North America (a premiere), was a wonderfully stylish yet practical alternative to the models currently in the marketplace with the design exclusive to us and of the highest quality material and craftmanship. We sent in a sample and got a call back. The article is being published shortly so we don’t know how it will go yet but we are so excited!
Suzanne Savoie
Head Idealist
MIKISUe Inc.
http://www.mikisue.com
