Friday, May 22, 2009

How to Pitch Editor of Vanity Fair

I found a great article on Ragan.com yesterday about how to pitch the contributing editor, Michael Wolff, of Vanity Fair. Why was it so great? Because the tips came from the editor himself!

Here are some excerpts:

“‘There’s a big difference between a blind pitch and someone I have a relationship with,’ he told Ragan.com. The good news is Wolff has relationships with a number of people in the PR and communications field ‘who are talking to [him] all the time.’ ‘Some of them are among my close friends,’ he said.”

“If your client is hot for immediate coverage in Vanity Fair, don’t bother reaching out to Wolff. Sharing an idea with him takes time. ‘It’s a matter of someone saying to me, ‘What are you thinking about?’ Or saying, ‘You should think about this,’ and that may percolate with me over a number of months.’”

Also, don’t try to pitch him without reading his column and knowing what he actually covers, and don’t let your pitch reek of salesmanship.

Bottom line: If you want a chance at coverage, send him a note first and get to know him, then stimulate his thoughts with your product or service.

No comments: