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Updated pitching guidelines

with 3 comments

Over the last few months there’s been a significant increase in the number of pitches I’ve received, especially for Digital Business. So I thought it would be worth putting up some up to date guidelines for how to pitch story ideas, or how to pitch content for stories I’ve been commissioned to write.

The Independent on Sunday

Generally the best section for technology and telecoms stories is the “Business Interview” slot, although there’s also some scope for analysis or features, and news stories.

  • For interviews, the editors will generally only consider CEOs (or sometimes chairman or founders) of companies, though there might be some scope for others, such as chief scientists. As a rule, the paper will not cover VPs or country/regional managers. It helps if the company’s a well-known name in the UK, and if they are listed here, so much the better. In the pitch, give some idea of what they are willing to talk about and why they are likely to interest readers.
  • For analysis pieces, there does need to a strong topical hook — usually it’s best to discuss the story over the phone first. Deeply technical stories are unlikely to work.
  • For news, it needs to be an exclusive. Exclusives are a great help with interviews, too.


    FT Digital Business

    OK, OK calm down. The wait is over.
    It’s actually been incredibly hard to decide exactly how to advise people to pitch.

    To start, deadlines. The official guidance from the Digital Business website is that background information and offers of interviews should be with the writers six weeks prior to publication. That’s usually four weeks ahead of the copy deadline on the synopsis. The deadline on the synopsis is not the deadline for submitting PR content. I will not even read submissions after the copy deadline – they will be deleted. Sorry. The later you leave it, the less likely I am to be able to include your interviewee.

    Second, pitches. A few people have said that the process of creating written submissions is time consuming. So, the best way to pitch is to:

  • Step 1: send a very brief email indicating your interest, with the name and job title of the spokesperson or persons, availability, and any background you have (white papers, bios, cuttings – better still links to these). Please don’t send any pictures or anything over 500KB.
  • Step 2: I will then email sources on a ’short list’ asking for a paragraph or two setting out their point of view. This shouldn’t take too long to compile.
  • Step 3: I will then email or call those people I want to speak to, to set up an interview. I won’t quote from ‘canned’ comment in any case. If I can contact the exec directly, that saves time.

    Third, don’t call to ask if I’ve received any of this. I read all submissions. Calling just cuts into the time I have available to respond.

    A couple of general pointers

    If you are pitching a company, please include the URL. Quite a few people don’t do this, and search engines are not infallible.

    If you are putting forward an executive for interview or comment, please either include a short bio (no pictures please) or a link to one. At the very least include their full job title and geographical areas of responsibility.

    Usually I won’t be able to quote UK/EMEA or other regional officials, nor marketing officers/corporate comms types for features. Don’t gamble that by leaving this information out of the pitch, I will somehow bend the rules. I will check, and it wastes everyone’s time.

    For Digital Business, it is pretty much a hard and fast rule that we don’t quote country or regional execs, or marketing types. The supplement has a global readership.

    If this is unreasonable, unworkable or even helpful, please leave a comment or email me at the usual address.

    Stephen

    • Written by stephenpritchard

    February 27, 2009 at 4:32 pm

    Posted in Admin, Journalism, PR & Marketing

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    3 Responses

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    1. Hi Stephen,

      These pointers were very helpful. If only other reporters would follow your lead, the world would be a better place.

      -Dave

      Dave Struzzi

      March 13, 2009 at 5:09 pm

      Reply

    2. Hi Stephen, yes this is indeed useful. Thanks!

      Robin

      March 16, 2009 at 10:53 am

      Reply

    3. Totally agree…this kind of information is like gold dust to us freelancers in particular.

      Ali

      March 31, 2009 at 1:27 pm

      Reply

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