Pitching a Story Idea Through Email

It means that you've probably got less than a second to get their attention, and they probably making that judgment from the subject line, not the email itself.

So you'd better write a great email subject line, or all of your work hits the trash bin!

So how do you write a good subject line?

1. Avoid the things that classify email as junk. Things like sensational claims, no subject line, lots of exclamation points, etc. create the immediate perception that this is junk.

2. Avoid the terms that are frequently used in junk email - words like...well, if we put them here, this email will never get through your filter systems, but if you open up your trash folder in your email program, I bet you'll see dozens of great bad examples.

3. Don't use words or phrases like: "Press Release", "Media Release", "Info for you", "Story Idea", or your company name. These seem to be instant deletions. Instead, try doing a one line story pitch in the subject line. How's that for an attention getter?! They're more likely to open it.

While these are only the minor rules, there is a lot more to keep in mind when crafting the email news pitch. Not all of it can be covered here. But, we can certainly point you in the direction of the special report that can cover the whole of the material.

Special Report #26: How to Make Your Story Pitch Stand Out in the Email Jungle
This teaches you all the little nuances that help an email get read by journalists and help you to build your PR prowess. You can order this report for only $9. Just use the link above and you can be writing email pitches that are perfect in very little time.

Tags: Email