Getting to see their client’s story being published in the front page of a newspaper or a magazine as a cover story is an achievement equal to climbing the Himalayas and this is possible if you follow a systematic approach and reach out to the editors at the right time.
Here are a few tips on how to pitch your ideas to editors:
Grab attention with unique ideas:
The hassled editor would have been dumped with quite a lot of pitches, releases and compelling stories on an everyday basis. To make an impact and ensure you get his/her attention, the content of your article should be different or unique with perhaps a human interest story thrown in. That is the only way to catch the eyes of the editor and the hearts of the readers.
Say it with a story:
Everyone loves reading articles that begin with a good storyline. It triggers emotions and also makes the readers understand better on what the article is all about, thus fetching a greater chance for your article to get published.
For instance, if you intend to write a rather dull topic, introduce certain characters to structure it as a story rather than beginning with a definition.
Know what’s trending:
Keep abreast of what’s trending. It will give you an idea of what you can write about. Just as in the “Burger emoji” case, where the conflict was actually between Apple and Google, other companies like KFC, Pepsico benefited from it by publishing contents relative to the issue which helped them to showcase their brand.
Fit your ideas in the right place, right time:
Pitch your ideas to magazines or newspapers or even e-zines that have dealt with a topic that you have an idea about or is majorly trending. It will be taken up immediately as it is the need of the hour. The “Right time, Right place” phrase is just apt here.
Be precise:
Readers may skip stories that are too long or preachy unless it has a compelling read to it. They look for precision in content. It saves time as well in this busy world we live in.
The subject line:
Even though you may have many interesting elements, writing a weak subject line is like an amazing gift wrapped in a bad way. A strong subject line can deliver what the article is capable of.
All the best in your pitch to the Editor and don’t forget, they have stiff deadlines. So, be concise in your pitch, articulate well and bring in an emotional connect. You can definitely see it being published!
