Why the Gonzberg Agency?

The short answer: tons of experience, digital and legacy, from both boom and bust times. Bespoke, integrated teams to fit your needs — lead by Senior Partners.

Nothing willy-nilly. Just better results through proper planning, production, and execution by seasoned professionals who know how — even in a non-linear analog and digital media reality — to keep a sharp eye on the time-tested formula of Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action.

Will it Fly?^®

You have a great business, you have news, and you just hatched a great idea for how to generate some real press. But, considering that journalists must sift through hundreds of pitches a day, have you covered all the bases to make sure your idea gets the attention it deserves?

The following is a best practices checklist that will help you determine the chances of your news getting picked out of a journalist's daily pile.

(You should also develop a comprehensive plan, an online pressroom, a media list, a relevant editorial calendar, a press kit, and a press release.)

Section Objective: To ensure you determine the best methods for distributing a media pitch according to best practices.

Have you determined the methods by which each of your contacts prefers receiving pitches?

If you have not nailed down a contact preference for each of your journalists, have you made sure to focus on email as the primary means of contacting them?

Besides not pitching journalists by phone (unless urgency is required), to avoid coming across as a stalker, are you making sure that you only follow up by email once?

Educational Brief for Methods of Contact

Section Objective: To ensure you have configured a media pitch according to best practices.

Since reporters typically get 200+ pitches per day, have you made sure your media pitch is truly unique?

Is the pitch in plain text format only, with no attachments or graphics embedded?

Have you made sure the pitch is not more than two to three paragraphs long?

Have you designed it to pique the media contact/reporter's interest?

Does the pitch address the reporter as "Dear Mr./Ms. XX" or "Hi [First Name]" depending on the formality/informality of the context?

Did you provide your name at the end of the pitch and include your contact information (more than one method), or another's, particularly if traveling?

Aside from spell-checking, did you also carefully proof your pitch several times as well?

Have you made sure that someone else has proofed your pitch and checked for errors?

Educational Brief for Overall Formatting

Section Objective: To ensure you have developed the content according to best practices.

Does the pitch get to the point/purpose in the first sentence?

Is the subject line of your pitch intriguing enough to make the reporter want to open your message and read more?

Does your pitch have a "call to action" (such as meeting up at a trade show)?

To show that you have their interests in mind, does your pitch open with a line such as, "I thought your readers might be interested in...X"?

Does your pitch cover why this reporter should care about your company or product?

Have you read the publication, found out who covers similar topics, and generally done research, so you're not approaching the media blindly?

Does your pitch: have real news value, build a relationship and showcase your company as a resource?

Have you researched the reporter enough to personalize/customize your pitch to a particular reporter's interest?

In contacting reporters about previously published pieces on your competitors, have you mentioned (in the opening paragraph) using your company as a resource for future articles?

Educational Brief for Content

Section Objective: To ensure you have applied the right style in the pitch according to best practices.

Have you made sure your pitch sounds as professional as possible?

To avoid alienating the media due to exaggeration, are you being honest about the newsworthiness of your current idea?

Have you avoided over-explaining secondary advantages, so you don't take the impact away from highlighting the primary advantages?

Have you briefly recapped the major advantage(s) of your product or service without undue repetition?

Are you sure your media pitch is written or said in a tone that speaks up (rather than down) to the people you are pitching to?

To engage their interest, have you shown the media that you are different and capable of creating the unexpected?

Educational Brief for Style

Section Objective: To ensure you relay your pitch's message effectively when in verbal contact with journalists according to best practices.

Do you have a condensed version of the pitch (20-30 seconds or less) that is suitable to give over the phone, or in person?

Do you have spokespeople who are prepared to give the pitch over the phone when necessary?

Have those spokespeople practiced the pitch using a Q&A document, in order to keep their answers simple and to the point?

Have you and your spokespeople practiced fielding questions, so that you know your story well enough to revise the pitch if objections are raised?

To show that you are considerate, do you always ask if a reporter is on deadline?

To reporters you do not know, are you up front and say "We haven't spoken before," instead of pretending to be a reporter's best friend?

For reporters that you've gotten to know, have you tried to be a little more relaxed in the tone of your voice, so he/she feels more relaxed in dealing with you?

Educational Brief for Verbal Contact

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