Creating a One-Stop Shop Story for Reporters

Selling a media pitch to reporters can be tricky work. Reporters are usually busy and will tell you they “don’t have time,” but if you give them a compelling story tied up in a tight little bow, perhaps they might reconsider. Here are a few tips on how to appeal to reporters by serving the whole story on a silver platter.

Of course, before you start pitching follow our tips to ensure you have the best pitch possible. Make sure your story is compelling and credible and your pitch is concise.

• Consider the audience.
• Make sure the pitch is concise.
• Correct grammar is imperative.
• Write a compelling subject line.

Once you have created the perfect pitch and checked it twice, it’s time to take the steps to make your story a one-stop-shop for the reporter.

Tips for Creating a One-Stop Story for Reporters

Have it all in one location

If at all possible, make sure the reporter has everyone they’ll need to interview for the story in one spot. For instance, if you are pitching a medical story, you would want the patient, their doctor and an outside expert all set and ready to be interviewed at one location. This not only ensures that lighting, background and sound are similar, but it will also be easier to pitch an all-in-one story to busy reporters.

Fact Sheet & News Release

Include a fact sheet with any and all additional research. Make sure the research is credible and concise. The goal here is to make sure the reporter has little (if any) outside research to conduct on their own.

• Pull stats related to your topic.
• Provide opposition research and rebuttals
• Collect FAQ’s reporters might encounter.

Have Support Material Ready

Have shot concepts or even actual footage or photographs ready for the reporter so he or she can be in and out efficiently.

A picture is worth a thousand words. For reporters (especially TV reporters) before and after pictures, videos of the scene, or action photos can help illustrate the story making it easier for the reporter’s post-production crew and more compelling for the viewer.

For example, if you are compiling a one-stop-story for reporters featuring a business owner and how he got started, some good pieces to have ready might include, pictures from his college graduation, photos of him in front of his first office, or maybe a video from one of his first interviews or commercials.