Hey PR pro, what’s your pitch’s ‘fedora’? Some suggestions…

I am always amazed at the power of  a fedora hat to make women sexier. I cannot explain why I feel this way, but there’s no doubt that tiny details can really accentuate appeal.

This is especially true in the world of media relations.

When you pitch someone a story idea, you’re chances of success are far better if you sex it up a little.

You need to ask, ‘What is this pitch’s fedora?’

Here are four things you can think about to ensure your pitch is as sexy as it needs to be.

1) There’s a bunch in a name. When you ask Rob on a date you don’t call him John. Likewise, when you ask Madeleine out you don’t call her Elise. When you pitch, use the journalist’s name (the correct one) in the subject line. There a zillion posts on subject line writing for PR and even more viewpoints. I have no idea where you stand on this, but my own experience is that including the journalist’s and outlet’s name in the subject line is very helpful.

2) Pitching is a bit like asking someone on a date. You gotta resist the temptation to be a blowhard. Keep the initial email to under 2-3 short paragraphs and/or 175 words. You’re storyidea is amazing, I know. But pitch based sexiness is all about brevity.

3) We are visual beings. Whether you’re some dude staring at hot chicks in fedoras or a journalist thinking about whether to pursue a story, visuals matter. Why pitch without a photo or two included? Why omit video if you have it?

4) The monogamous/exclusive pitch is best. Embargoes are like marriages, they get broken. The embargo is the PR version of trying to sleep with every girl or boy at a party. Exclusives work better since embargoes, like divorces, are a shitshow to clean up.