How to Write Pitches That Land Free Publicity

How to Write Pitches That Land Free Publicity 2016 Guide My Brand

Hey there, superstar! I ve got an idea of how you re feeling right now... You re tired of seeing everyone else landing speaking gigs, podcast interviews and tv appearances. After all, you re an expert in your own right and every bit as qualified to get out in front of the world and share your knowledge. But... you have no idea how to start landing those opportunities. I get it I ve been there. Unfortunately, I didn t have any idea what I was doing when I started pitching myself for these types of opportunities. However, after years of using myself as a guinea pig and getting on national television shows, radio programs and speaking all over the country, I ve distilled my process down to one simple winning formula. And today, I m sharing it with you! Inside this guide, you ll find my winning pitch formula and examples of several pitches I ve used to land myself and clients tons of free publicity.

The Formula Regardless of whether I'm pitching for a speaking engagement, guest blog, podcast/radio interview or television appearance, I start with the same basic formula... because I've tried it, and it's what works! It combines four main elements into my pitch letter: Surprising/shocking/interesting question or fact related to my topic An outline of my topic My credentials related to the topic Audience takeaways The ask You'll see the formula in action in the pitch examples that follow, but here's the basic breakdown: I start my email with a surprising/shocking/interesting question or fact related to my topic. Most people you'll be pitching receive numerous pitches every single day, so you have to grab their attention in your subject line and from the very first sentence of your pitch. Generally speaking, this will be just one line at the beginning of your email. Next, I start a new paragraph and either answer the question or expand upon the fact as I start to flesh out my topic for the reader. Then, I go into my credentials and why I'm the right person to be speaking on the subject. And last, I make the ask. This is important - you need to ask them to take the next step. Let's check out some examples...

Guest Blog Pitch Example Subject: Pitch re: 5 Surprising Ingredients in Your Natural Skincare Products Rebecca, Did you know that organic and natural beauty products often contain a chemical whose primary purpose is to make plastic and vinyl more flexible? Not exactly what most folks are looking for when they make the conscious decision to purchase organic or natural. I was horrified when I learned that, prompted to investigate the ingredients in my skincare products after my thyroid cancer diagnosis in my mid-30s. Today, I spend a great deal of my time educating patients and consumers about what they re really putting on their face, skin and hair. I would like to propose a piece entitled, 5 Surprising Ingredients in your Natural Skincare Products for your Vegan Beauty section. This article would explore five common ingredients in skincare products that are really chemicals masquerading as things like Fragrance. Yes Fragrance is where you ll often find Phthalates, the chemical that is used to soften plastic and vinyl. I would also include a brief explanation of the labels organic and natural and what s usage is actually regulated. I m a board-certified ENT surgeon and also the founder of a medical spa. I created a medicalgrade, plant-based skincare line, Avanti Rx, following my thyroid cancer diagnosis, which gave me the opportunity to learn about the production process and the hidden chemicals found in many skincare products. You can view samples of my written work here: http://drkalpanadepasquale.com/organic-vs-natural-vs-plant-based-skin-care/ http://drkalpanadepasquale.com/three-questions-wish-patients-ask/ http://drkalpanadepasquale.com/time-hacks-people-busy-getting-nothing-done/ Thank you in advance for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Dr. Kalpana DePasquale www.drkalpanadepasquale.com

Television Pitch Example Want to treat yourself to dessert but can t take the sugar, dairy or gluten found in most desserts? Laura Marquis was a sugar addict she even admitted in her recent TEDx talk on sugar addiction that during her days working in a bakery she would throw away defective desserts only to fish them out and eat them later. As if that wasn t bad enough, she d later learn she was both gluten and dairy-intolerant, which is why she felt so miserable all the time. She could have sworn off desserts forever, but instead she researched and tested recipes until she found desserts that were not only easy to make but also sugar-free, gluten-free and dairyfree while still being delicious! Laura Marquis is the owner of a fitness studio in San Diego, Marquis Pilates & Fitness. She s releasing her first cookbook this September, Sweets in the Raw, which features dessert recipes that are sugar-free, gluten-free and dairy-free. We d love to get Laura in to do a segment with you. We ve watched some of your food segments, and Laura made this list of the easiest recipes she has that could be made on the show: * Orange Zest Brownies * Chocolate or Vanilla Bean Macaroons * Peanut Butter Fudge * Peanut Butter Cookies * Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Please let us know if you d be interested in booking Laura for a segment on San Diego Living. You can check out her cooking demonstrations on her YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/ucetsrckx_w9igfeax2b3saw. Thanks, Kristi Kristi A. Dosh Guide My Brand

Speaking Pitch Example The most expensive 30 seconds on television is a commercial during the Super Bowl. With over $4.5 million on the line for each 30-second commercial, the pressure is on for brands that advertise during the big game - and the agencies generating their creative - to capture the attention of the audience. As it turns out, there's a lot we can learn about how Super Bowl ads have evolved over the years and what does and doesn't work in today's marketplace - not only for commercial advertising, but also for marketing ourselves in increasingly competitive professional environments. If you still have availability on your 2016 calendar for speakers, I d love to speak with you further about presenting on this topic to your group. I'm a nationally-recognized expert on the business of sports, having written for such outlets as ESPN, Forbes, SportsBusiness Journal and more. I m also the author of two books on the business of sports. I have extensive experience as a speaker, having spoken to audiences that include the Miami Dolphins, American Association of Universities, Legal Marketing Association and dozens of intercollegiate athletic departments. In addition to my experience as a sports business analyst, I m also a business coach. I work with busy professionals who want to become more visible and embrace their expertise to create a powerful brand for themselves that allows them to control their professional and financial future. The proposed title for my speech is, What You Can Learn About Marketing Yourself From Sports and can be adapted to fit a presentation time of 40-60 minutes, which can be followed by a Q&A session. Please let me know if you have any availability on your calendar for me this year. Thank you in advance for your time and consideration. Thanks, Kristi

Podcast Pitch Example [NOTE: I tweak the formula slightly for podcast pitches, because I think it's important to show the host upfront that we listen to the podcast and know what kind of guests they want.] My client Amanda Goldman-Petri is a fan of your podcast, and we think she d make an excellent guest. My understanding is that you like guests who can share actionable online marketing tips with your audience, and Amanda has an incredible story to share about how automated webinars have allowed her to worker smarter, not harder. Amanda is an expert on automated webinar funnels, and her client results are the proof of the pudding - they ve banked as much as $2,500, $5,000 and $16,000 as newbies and enjoyed conversion rates of up to 100% on their webinars. Amanda regularly uses webinars in her own business, Market Like A Nerd, having implemented a system that turns $60 into $100 on demand and keeps her calendar full with 100+ calls each month. Market Like A Nerd generated a whopping $120,000 in its first 90 days and is now serving clients in 19 countries. Amanda would love to come on your podcast and share her five-step system for creating an automated webinar system that generates leads, phone calls and sales in a way that allows entrepreneurs to work smarter, not harder. This actionable advice will have your listeners hosting more effective webinars in no time! I think Amanda s story would be a natural fit for your podcast, and your audience will walk away with actionable steps they can start implementing immediately. She is also happy to share the interview and spread the good word about your podcast to her loyal "NerdPreneur Community" of 10k entrepreneurs. Please let me know if we can book a time for Amanda to join your podcast. Thanks, Kristi Kristi A. Dosh Guide My Brand

HOW TO WRITE A GUEST BLOG THAT GETS ACCEPTED BY EDITORS Whether your pitch for a guest blog has already been accepted or you re writing on spec (meaning you have to write the blog post before an editor will tell you whether they will accept your piece), there are some simple rules you should follow when you write any guest blog. Not only will your piece get accepted, but the editor will be excited to work with you again. These are the EXACT steps I ve followed to land blogs with outlets like Forbes, Fast Comapny, Levo, Men s Health, Woman s Day, Parents, Bustle, Golf Digest, and more. 1. Read at least ten blogs in the section where your piece will be placed. Trust me, in this respect you stand out by fitting in. Each outlet has its own voice, and you can get a good feel for the audience by reading what s already been published on the site. 2. Use the search feature to look for any blogs even remotely related to what you want to write. Search every term you can think of around your idea. If you find something similar but are still adamant about your topic, find a unique angle. And if you haven t pitched your piece to the editor yet, acknowledge the other piece in your pitch and explain how/why yours will be different. Pretending you didn t notice the other article will do more harm than good. 3. Mimic a headline style you see used frequently on the blog. For example, lists are popular on most sites. 4. Note whether the majority of the blogs are written in first person or third person. Stick with the majority. 5. If you haven t been given an assignment yet with a set word count, take a look at the average length of blogs on the site and stick within that range. Cut and paste the blog into a program like Word if you have to in order to determine the length. 6. If there are other blogs on topics that are related to yours, find ways to work those links into your copy. The editor will LOVE this. Not only does it show you re familiar with their publication, but it has huge value for the site because it keeps people reading and clicking around the site. You can even point it out when you pitch your piece or send in your draft Also, I included links to several other pieces on Entrepreneur.com that went more into more depth on issues I mentioned. 7. If you re going to link to a piece on a third-party website, first make sure there isn t something on the site where you re writing you can link to (see #6). Editors do not like to link to other sites when they can link to their own writers. Be a team player. And never link to a competitor s site. It s a lot of work, but it s totally worth it if you know how to leverage the guest blog once it s published!

About Me I m Kristi Dosh, and I help entrepreneurs and authors position themselves as experts and become more visible for that expertise so they can achieve their business and revenue goals. What do I know about becoming an expert and getting more visible? I began my career as a corporate attorney who happened to have a little blogging hobby. Since I began that blog eight years ago, I ve landed two book deals, countless guest blogs, feature articles with major publications like Glamour and Men s Health, dozens of (paid!) speaking engagements all over the country, and numerous national radio and television interviews. I even got hired away from my law practice by ESPN to be a sports business analyst five years ago, and now I write for Forbes. So, ya know... I sort of get what it takes to be visible and how to leverage that to snag awesome opportunities. I work with a wide variety of entrepreneurs and authors, ranging from a doctor with a skincare line to a cookbook author. But all my clients have something in common they all came to me because they d hit a plateau in their business and didn t know how to continue to uplevel. The cure for this common ailment? Getting yourself in front of more potential clients and customers and showing them what you do! Learn more: www.guidemybrand.com! Or join my free, private Facebook group: The Visibility Workshop. Because it doesn t matter how good you are at what you do if no one knows you do it.