May 7, 2020
PR professionals know that when it comes to pitching regional magazines it takes a customized approach to grab a reporter’s attention. While the pitch on its own may be interesting, it must have a local angle to make it relevant. Our team has recently found success generating spring placements for outdoor living leader Trex Companyin a number of regional media outlets, including seven different local editions of House & Home magazine, showing that with the right approach, landing regional placements can be done with ease. Here are a few tips to follow when pitching regional media:- Know the magazine. As a first step, familiarize yourself with the magazine by reviewing a few issues. Take note of what topics have been covered and what the regular columns are. This will help you ensure that your pitch/story would be a natural fit for the publication. For articles and columns relevant to your client, take note of who writes them and plan to pitch those reporters.
- Set the tone. Reading the magazine will also help you to understand the overall tone of the publication. When writing your pitch, keep the magazine’s tone in mind. Is it more informative and to the point or friendly and conversational? Draft your pitch to mirror the language found throughout the magazine you’re targeting.
- Keep it local. When pitching regional magazines, customization is key. Be sure to include information that keeps your client’s news relevant to the audience and area the magazine serves. For example, when pitching our client Trex, we utilize regional outdoor living trends and highlight local Trex contractors when possible. If you can, offer up an interview with a spokesperson within the magazine’s region.
- Include Images. Always have images on hand that would make sense for the magazine to publish. When pitching Trex to a coastal outlet, for instance, we offer images from deck builds overlooking the ocean. However, when pitching a city-centric publication, we provide images of Trex decking in more urban settings.
Keep these simple tips in mind and you’ll be seeing your client’s name in magazines across the country. Happy pitching!