So you’ve got the greatest company imaginable, but now comes the tricky part of getting noticed. How do you let people know about your ideas? Your great leaps in business? Or how your company is reaching from the bootstrapped phase to a thriving enterprise?

The answer to that is pitching.

Pitching has the ability to be the bridge between you and the audience you are hoping to reach, but it doesn’t come easy at first.

Pitches are an art form and something that over time you develop your own unique craft for. At times, it may feel clunky and uncertain with cold pitches, but give yourself permission to learn. Just as you started a business from nothing, pitches often start out the same way with a simple outline and an idea.

The goal of pitching

Your goal in pitching is to break down the barrier between your company and the publication you are reaching. Think of yourself as the bridge that can create meaningful connections with media and showcase your brand’s story, product, or event in a way that reaches the right audience, at the right time.

What you need before you pitch

There are a few items you may want to check before you write the perfect pitch.

Double-check for accuracy

It can be easy to grab an email from a fellow entrepreneur to make a new connection with a publication, but make sure that the information is accurate and up to date! Often editors write for multiple publications or have jumped around with changes in the industry, so double check that email address before you click send.

Gather brand assets

If you don’t have a press page on your website already, it can be easy to add a page with all the updated brand assets that include your company information, relevant images the media can use, as well as your contact info. If you do not have a dedicated page, you can always connect to an external service that stores files that publications can easily access.

Get your key points straight

It sounds simple, but every pitch you send should be focused on your end goal. Throwing a long list of ideas of what the publication could do when it comes to talking about your business is not the best strategy for getting a reply. Write down three to five main points you want to include in your email and keep it focused.

Update Your Info

Have you checked your email sign-off lately? Double-check that your information is accurate, up-to-date, and include any relevant professional information below that may help the editor learn more about you.


Get the who-what-when-where-why in order

Once you’ve got the key points that you want to pitch, check your who-what-when-where-why. Why are you pitching to the publication? What is the outcome you are looking for? From there, you can work backward to ensure you are reaching out to the ideal publication with the right audience. If you can’t answer why you are reaching out, then the editor won’t be able to answer that for you either!


Before you plan your pitch, ask yourself these questions:

What does the publication primarily write about?
What subject does this writer or editor focus on?
What email subject line would catch their attention?
What is my point in contacting them?
Does the tone of my email respect their time and expertise?
Do I have a plan to follow up?
Does this story impact their audience?

Respect time with research

You wouldn’t walk into a hardware shop to ask about a baking recipe, and the same works for the pitching world! Don’t send a pitch to a publication that does not focus or even write about your industry. A little research can go a long way when you know who you are talking to and what industries they write about. Focus on valuable publications that can elevate your company and your work as an entrepreneur, as well as impact their audience. Publications are a business too, so they will keep a sharp eye on the benefit of exposure for their brand, as well as yours.

Get your timing in order

Depending on the publication, there will be editorial calendars that editors and journalists are trying to meet. Knowing when you should pitch to a publication is just as important as the why, but that will take more research to determine timing for each individual publication and what your company’s needs are for an article release date. Keep a master calendar of major holidays or upcoming events and try to set certain dates for pitching ahead of time to ensure the right timing.

How to write a pitch worth reading

Think about what you would click on if you had a full inbox of headlines. Would yours stand out in that list? Would your audience be interested in the topic? Here are a few steps you can take to write the ideal pitch to get noticed by publications.

Step 1: Write a headline that is worth clicking on (draft several ideas and pick the best one to include in your subject line)

Step 2: Start with a personalized greeting that is unique to the person you are reaching out to (don’t forget they are human too!)

Step 3: Write a 1-2 sentence introduction of who you are and how you found the publication (this is where research helps you to add some pizazz with flattery about their work)

Step 4: Write 3-5 sentences or bullet points explaining the value of your pitch and be clear about what you want. (if you are not clear, consult the above questions again)

Step 5: Finish your pitch with a request and be clear about what you want them to do (make their job easier)

Step 6: End with gratitude and thank them for their time (be grateful for their consideration)

Be aware and plan ahead

Pitching can often feel like a cycle of disappointment, but with the right techniques, it doesn’t have to! Your ideas and growth as an entrepreneur have the ability to inspire others and create meaningful change.

Part of pitching is knowing what conversations are happening in your industry and how you can be a part of them. Did you read an article about an entrepreneur having a similar industry issue as you? Do you want your product to reach a wider audience in prominent publications? Then join the conversation online and reach out to relevant editors and publications to create a mutually beneficial media relationship.

From there, it is all about drafting the perfect pitch that catches their attention and delivers your important message to the right people.

What techniques help you as an entrepreneur write pitches? Write a comment below!