For years, I’ve been speaking, writing and teaching about my interactions with journalists and how they talk about stories needing to “fit” and if you send in a good pitch but it doesn’t work now, it goes into a special file of “where can I make this work?”
It’s happened to me personally. I pitched Vail Beaver Creek Magazine about my medical boot fashions and I never heard back… until a year later when they reached out and said they loved the story when I sent it in, but it didn’t fit at that time. Then, Peekaboo Street, the former Olympic Gold Medal skier, broke her foot and they were doing a story about her and NOW it fit. She was in a boot and they were able to highlight my cool product.
As you may know, I know have a somewhat regular spot demoing cool products on my local ABC morning show, Good Morning Washington. I love doing this because it allows me to share great products I find in the marketplace. As an inventor, I tend to have an eye for products that make life easier or solve problems so now I get to share my expertise. This also puts me on the other side of the fence. I am now the journalist receiving pitches.
As the word is getting out and I put in my own HARO requests, people are sending me really great products. They are awesome but I have to make them fit into a story. I can’t just show seven products. I have to put them together so they flow and follow a theme. It’s really fascinating how it works and it allows me to see how it works from the journalist’s perspective.
Being on the other end now, I totally get it. I wanted to share this with you so you don’t get frustrated when you pitch a great story and it doesn’t get covered right away. It’s like a 1000-piece puzzle that you’re trying to put together. Eventually, you put it all together but it might take some time to find the perfect fit. But a good story will fit… eventually. So, keep pitching and stay front of mind with your target journalists.
If you haven’t joined the PR Challenge yet, please do at www.YourPRChallenge.com. People are having incredible success in there and getting tons of media coverage through HARO and their own pitching. We’ve even had a business collaboration happen as a result of it. Don’t miss out on getting massive visibility, today!
To Your PR Success,
