Does The Media Think Your Pitch Is Bullshit?

Your book may not be getting the level of news media coverage that you believe it deserves. There can be numerous reasons for this – you pitched the wrong media outlet or the wrong person at that outlet; there simply were better books or more qualified experts to choose from; bad timing; other news is dominating their attention.  But perhaps you are not getting media coverage because the media thinks you are full of crap.

Yes, your voice messages, emails, or mailed press release may simply sound too blustery, too commercial, and too good to be true.  Sometimes you can cross the line between hype and substance.  The media wants to be excited about something, but it doesn’t like to be a part of BS, unfounded claims, or assertions that sound too outrageous or controversial.

How do you know if your message to the media strikes the right balance in content, tone, and style?

Start by auditing our pitches, to see if you use:

·         Language that sounds like you’re selling a book vs. sharing an interesting news story idea.

·         Too much hyperbole.

·         Words that sound extreme.

·         Headlines that sound unreal – and unproven.

·         Facts or stats to bolster your pitch that come from unreliable sources.

The media is on high alert for fake news.  Now more than ever they are vetting experts and scrutinizing the messages that they let appear on their shows, in their publications, and online.

The media is also sensitive to pitches that could:

·         Lead to a story that generates lawsuits.

·         Cause advertisers to object to the editorial content.

·         Contradict the politics and ethical standards of a media outlet’s ownership and editorial brand.

·         Cause angry protests.

The media also wants something new.  Make sure your pitch doesn’t merely rehash past coverage or stories that have hit their expiration date.  Stay ahead of the news cycle and anticipate trends and upcoming calendars to figure out the optimum time to reach out to the media.

The best pitches will:

·         Offer solutions to problems.

·         Reveal actual news.

·         Add depth to things already being discussed in the news.

·         Touch upon sex, sports, money, health, politics, religion, parenting and jobs because that’s what people care about.

·         Raise concerns or fears over something that could impact many people.

·         Provide name-recognition insights/views to an issue.

Do your best to pitch the media – but avoid sounding too good to be true!

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Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog 2017©. Born and raised in Brooklyn, now resides in Westchester. Named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs