If you’re sending press releases to the media, you might want to think again. Entrepreneur Editor In Chief, Jason Feifer, shares how to pitch your business to the media.
Jason Feifer is the editor-in-chief of Entrepreneur magazine and the host of the podcast Pessimists Archive. He previously held editing roles at Fast Company, Men’s Health, Maxim, and Boston, and has written about business and technology for the Washington Post, Slate, New York, and others. He lives in Brooklyn, and is on Twitter at @heyfeifer.
Icebreaker
I don’t have a sense of smell, which means food has no flavor to me.
Think Like A Journalist Quote
I try not to second-guess editors; they’re the clients, and I have no expectation that my strip is going to make it into every paper every day. –Gary Trudeau, cartoonist
Success Quote or Tip
I’m not interested in success stories. I’m interested in problem-solving stories.
Think about the kind of stories you like to read.
Career Highlight
Jason has thought of himself as a generalist. He started as a community reporter. He hated it but wanted to be a writer. He quit and started freelancing from Massachusetts. When he moved to Boston he started working at Boston Magazine. Then got a job at Men’s Health in NY.
When It Didn’t Work
When Jason worked for a community newspaper he hated the job but he didn’t know that his boss knew that. He got a stern talk from his boss about morale because of what Jason was projecting due to not liking the job. Find out what he learned when he quit and how it helped his career.
Don’t hold it against the environment you’re in, instead, make a change.
Ask yourself is there something I can learn and accomplish here?
Top Tips How To Pitch Your Business To The Media
- There is no one right way when approaching media.
- Approach with the right frame of mind and core values of the publication.
- Jason Feifer doesn’t like to be pitched on Twitter.
- The question every reporter has to answer to Editor: why now? Why should we write about this story now? Why is it timely? Why is it relevant now?
- What does the magazine think its reader is: the pitched story must be relevant to that reader.
- The story isn’t about you. The story can be about something that you’re part of or a trending story that mentions you.
- Tell me the interesting thing that you’re part of and why it should be covered.
What is one piece of technology, video or multimedia equipment, or app that you just can’t live without?
Tiny Scanner app and GiphyCam app
One book, documentary, blog, podcast, or Internet Channel to watch?
Contact
Entrepreneur Magazine
Jason Feifer website
Mentioned In This Episode
PR Episodes
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