PR

The following guidelines will provide information on how to promote yourself as a Coach.me coach to local and specialty media.

Key areas that will be covered include: Media research - how to find the right outlets and contacts Writing a pitch letter How and when to follow up Guidelines for media interviews

MEDIA RESEARCH

There are two different types of media that make good targets for a story about your experience/expertise as a Coach.me coach: local media (daily newspaper, weekly newspaper, local business journal, local radio show) specialty/vertical media (web sites, podcasts, blogs and magazines targeting a specific audience, such as Paleo enthusiasts, musicians, people who practice meditation, fitness lovers, etc.)

When creating a media target list, start by compiling a list of your local media outlets and then think about the blogs/podcasts/magazines that you follow in the area that you coach. You can also do a general search, such as “top meditation podcasts.” The more outlets on your list, the better your chance of securing a story.

Once you’ve come up with a target list:

Ask yourself if you know anyone at the publication or if you know someone who has been interviewed by the journalist. If you do know a journalist, email or call them to find out who the best person would be at the outlet for you to pitch your story. For example, if you know a sports writer at the Fresno Bee, get in touch. If your friend is willing to do an introduction to the right reporter, that would be best. Second best would be to use that person’s name in your subject line, such as “Mark Swann referral: Intro to Coach.me.” If you know someone who has been interviewed by a reporter or podcast host, you can ask them for an introduction or permission to use their name as a referral.

Once you’ve identified a target outlet, the next step is to find the right person to pitch. This takes some good old-fashioned research. At a daily newspaper, look for a beat reporter in your area of expertise (if you are a fitness coach, go to the publication’s web site and look for a health/lifestyle reporter, if you’re a productivity coach, a business columnist might be the best match). Weekly papers don’t have staff that is as specialized, so look for someone who writes profiles of local businesspeople or human interest pieces. For podcasts, the founder/host is the best person to reach out to, unless the web site directs you to a producer.

Once you’ve found the person you think is the best match for your story, you need to find their email address. Some sites make it easy, including a link to the reporter’s email at the end of their story or as part of a by-line. If not, look for a “contact,” “about us,” or “staff” link at the bottom of the web page and see if you can find the address there. Another place to search is Twitter - a number of reporters include their email address in their Twitter profile. In addition, some publications have a standard email format, such as firstname.lastname@publication.com. If you spot a pattern, you can use that format. Some podcasts have a contact form that they request that you use, which is fine. If you are having a hard time finding an address, another option is to call the publication’s main line and ask for the reporter’s email address.

WRITING A PITCH LETTER

Following are guidelines to writing an effective pitch letter via email. The pitch has been broken down by sections, and you’ll find examples at the end as well as a sample turnkey pitch letter that you can customize.

1. Subject line

Journalists and bloggers receive dozens of pitches a day via email, many of which are never even opened. Having a clear, concise subject line that gets the writer’s attention is critical.

Do: mention if you were referred by a friend or another journalist explain why you are getting in touch include the company name if the writer is familiar with the space reference a past article if appropriate

For example, If you are a productivity coach and a writer did a story on tech overload, this would be a good subject line: Your 6-12 story/How to use technology to be more productive

(With a subject line like this, you’d then want to lead your letter with a reference to the past story: “After reading your June 16 story about tech overload, I wanted to introduce myself and Coach.me…”)

Don’t: use the word “urgent” write in ALL CAPS try to tease the writer with a vague subject like “story idea”

2. Opening/first paragraph

The email should always begin with a personalized greeting such as “Hello Mark.” When a site specifically requests that mail be sent to a general Tips or News address, you can still personalize by saying “Hello, Indianapolis Business Journal editors.” The goal here is to be friendly and to make it clear you haven’t sent out a blast email.

Once a journalist opens your mail, you have just a few lines to hook them into reading the rest of your pitch. You also need to be clear, early on, as to why you are writing, what action you want, and why this story/subject is relevant to the journalist/blogger.

For example, here is the opening to a pitch to a productivity podcast host:

Hello Hal,

I'm writing to introduce you to Tony Stubblebine, the founder of Coach.me, who I think would be a great guest for the Achieve Your Goals podcast. Featured last month as a Best New App by Apple, Coach.me has helped millions of people achieve goals ranging from productivity to fitness to stopping drinking to meditation.

Here is an example of a pitch to a site helping people in recovery:

Hello Tim,

I'm writing to introduce you to Cecily Kellogg, a Philadelphia-based digital writer who is also one of the most popular sobriety coaches on Coach.me (featured this month as a Top New App by Apple). Herself sober for 19 years, Cecily has helped dozens of clients work on reducing or stopping drinking, while other coaches work with clients whose goals range from curbing addictions (no drugs, no porn, no sugar, etc.) to productivity to fitness to meditation. I think your Sober Nation readers would be interested in her story and how Coach.me is helping people get and stay sober.

You can also include a one-line story or statistic as a hook. If you are pitching a local paper or business journal, be sure to let the reporter know where you are from.

3. Body

Unless you have had prior contact with a writer/blogger, do not send an attachment. Many spam filters will automatically block your mail, and even if you make it through, people are hesitant to open attachments unless you are a trusted source.

Therefore, the information you include in the body should support your goal for the letter. If you want an interview, the body needs to explain who you are, why you are a subject area expert, and what Coach.me is. Avoid hype and cliches (words like revolutionary, game-changing, etc.).

The entire email should be 4-5 paragraphs max. The body should also include links to more information, including your Coach.me profile.

4. Closing

Thank the journalist. This is also another good place for personalization – something like, “Thank you, Kris, for your consideration.” In your signature, include your phone number, a link to your Coach.me profile, and links to where Coach.me can be downloaded.

After your signature line, you can also include additional information (reference it in the email), such as a top tip and/or a client testimonial (see the second example pitch letter).

Sample pitch letters

Here are several examples of pitch letters that resulted in interest from journalists:

Pitch to the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s tech columnist Subject: Coach.me - Apple app of the week's Cleveland connection

Hello Michael,

I'm writing to introduce you to Coach.me, which is being featured this week as a Top New App by Apple, and to Rob Kovacs, a Cleveland-based musician who is one of the most popular coaches on the site.

Forming new habits is hard to do in isolation - Coach.me (backed by Twitter founders Ev Williams and Biz Stone) offers a combination of free daily reminders, community support and advice. You can also, for 4.99 a week, choose one-on-one coaching. Coach.me has helped hundreds of thousands of people achieve goals ranging from productivity to fitness to stopping drinking to meditation.

Rob has a fascinating back story - several years ago, he developed arthritis throughout his body, including his hands. As a pianist, this was threatening his career. After a year of research, he was able to regain his health through diet and exercise. He now coaches others in two areas: music (practicing and writing) and health (exercise and the paleo diet). This coaching supplements his income and, according to Rob, also greatly inspires him. You can check out his coaching profile and testimonials from some of his clients here: https://www.coach.me/robkovacs.

I'd be happy to put you in touch with Rob, Coach.me's founder Tony Stubblebine, or Cleveland-area people who have used the app to reach their goals. Or, if you'd be interesting in having a coach to help you achieve a goal of your own, I can pair you up.

Thanks, Michael, for your consideration.

Best, Debbie Pfeifer (206) 669-0000 www.coach.me In the App Store: http://apple.co/1OY3kHM

Pitch to Memeburn - a South African tech site

Hello, Memeburn editors.

I'm writing to introduce you to Willem Van Zyl, a director at a Cape Town digital agency who is also one of the most popular productivity coaches on Coach.me (featured last week as a Top New App by Apple). Willem has worked with dozens of clients around the globe, helping them set and accomplish priorities, wake up on time, tame their email in-boxes, and create effective to-do lists.

How does having a coach on your phone work? I think your Memeburn readers would be interested in learning about how hundreds of thousands of people have used Coach.me to accomplish their goals. Willem can also share some of his tips on how to be more productive and get the most out of your day. You can check out Willem's coaching profile here: https://www.coach.me/willemvzyl. I've included some thoughts from Willem as well as a testimonial from one of his clients at the end of this mail.

As background, Coach.me (backed by Twitter founders Ev Williams and Biz Stone) offers a combination of free daily reminders, community support and advice. You can also, for 4.99 a week, choose one-on-one coaching. Coach.me users have achieved goals ranging from fitness to stopping drinking to productivity to meditation.

I'd be happy to provide more information or an introduction to Willem. I can also put you in touch with Coach.me's founder, Tony Stubblebine (based in San Francisco). Thanks for your consideration.

Best, Debbie Pfeifer www.coach.me (206) 669-0000 In the App Store: http://apple.co/1OY3kHM

"Checking your email regularly is a great way to escalate other people's priorities. When we use our inboxes as our to-do lists, we're effectively allowing anyone to add new tasks to our to-do lists at any time. You need to manage your email sensibly so you can work calmly from your own, prioritized to-do list instead of constantly reacting to other people's so-called emergencies."

• Willem Van Zyl

"Since working for myself I started finding it really hard to stay focused during the day. I put off important tasks and procrastinated badly and some days totally avoided work altogether. After three days with Will's advice and support, I had implemented some incredibly powerful strategies, systems and processes into the way i worked, and have to say it has completely changed the way I work. I now produce three times (I've tracked this) more work, consistently."

• Dan (Coach.me client of Willem's)

Sample Turnkey Pitch Letter to a Podcast

Hello (Journalist First Name),

I’m writing to introduce myself in the hopes of being a guest on the (NAME) podcast. I’ve been a (AREA) coach for the past (X) months on Coach.me (recently named a Top New App by Apple) and would welcome the opportunity to share my experiences and tips with your listeners.

I’m (background on what makes you an expert in your area). I’ve coached (a number/dozens) of people around the (country/globe). One thing I’ve found is that (include an interesting fact about what people want to accomplish in this area or what holds them back). In coaching, the most helpful advice I give clients is (TIP). Here’s a link to my profile: (LINK) and I’ve included several testimonials at the end of this mail.

I’d be happy to talk about (give topics of interest to you/listeners) and to share tips on how to (goal related to podcast). I can also talk about how and why having a coach on your phone works.

As background, Coach.me (backed by Tim Ferriss and Twitter founders Ev Williams and Biz Stone) offers a combination of free daily reminders, community support and advice. You can also, for 4.99 a week, choose one-on-one coaching. Coach.me users have achieved goals ranging from fitness to stopping drinking to productivity to meditation.

Thank you, (HOST NAME), for your consideration.

Best, NAME EMAIL CONTACT NUMBER

(If you have testimonials, include them here)

FOLLOW UP

So you wrote the pitch, crafted a catchy subject line and then… nothing. In my experience, when I hear back from pitches, about a third of replies come the first day, about a third come two to four days after sending the pitch, and a full third come from reaching out for a second time.

It’s very likely that the reporter either missed your first email entirely or that the mail is now buried in her inbox. If you haven’t heard back from a reporter, you should:

Wait five to seven days after sending your message Find your original message Forward that message to the reporter with brief intro (sample following) include your name and contact number in your signature

For example:

Hello Hal,

I wanted to circle back regarding the following message about Coach.me, the online coaching app, and its founder, Tony Stubblebine. Would you be interested in having Tony as a guest?

Thanks for your consideration.

Best, Debbie Pfeifer www.coach.me (206) 669-0000

Following up once is perfectly acceptable. More than that is not, unless the reporter expressed initial interest and then dropped off. If the outlet you are pitching has several possible targets (for example, several business columnists), feel free to move on to the next if you don’t hear back. In the case of small publications or podcasts with a single point of contact, you can always try again in 4-6 months with a new angle.

SETTING UP THE INTERVIEW

When you’ve heard back from a reporter who would like to speak with you, make sure you are clear on the following:

date, time (including time zone) of the interview who will be initiating the contact format of the call/interview (Skype - video or audio only, phone, etc.) approximate length of the interview

It is helpful to send a calendar invite to the reporter detailing the logistics.

MEDIA INTERVIEW GUIDELINES

Once you have set up an interview, review the following guidelines. Pre-Interview Be familiar with the editor, media outlet, audience Visualize the headline you want as a result of the interview. During the interview, make sure that your answers are building that story Create 2-3 key message points What brief messages need to be included in the article for you to consider it to be a success? Keep repeating these key messages in the interview. When applicable, review statistics/facts that support key messages Stories are great - jot down a few examples of how Coach.me has helped you and your clients Practice answering questions out loud

During the Interview -- Dos

Relax Get an understanding of the reporter’s knowledge level Speak in concise, complete sentences that have a definite ending (no run-ons) Use techniques such as bridging and flagging (reviewed at the end of this document) to get messages across Know when to stop talking Use examples/anecdotes/statistics when appropriate to support points When necessary, say “I don’t know” Make sure you understand the journalist’s question – ask him/her for clarification if you are not sure Remember that the interview is not a quiz This is important. Your goal is not to answer every question that you are asked; it is to stay on target and keep the interview focused on relevant topics that will contribute to a story that conveys your key messages. Often, interviews can stray to tangential topics. See the techniques section for getting the conversation back on track.

At the end of the interview, ask the reporter if there is anything else they need (artwork, additional information, etc.). You can also ask if they would like to talk with someone at Coach.me.

During the Interview – Don’ts

Speak “off the record”

• There is no such thing as off the record, do not divulge any information that you would not want to see in print. Speculate Feel obligated to speak for an absent third party. Reply that you can’t speak for that person/group For example, if the reporter asks you what the biggest challenges are facing Coach.me, you can reply that you can’t answer for the company but would be happy to put them in touch with someone would could answer the question Repeat an accusation or misstatement

Interview Techniques

Bridging – Transitions that allow you to weave a key message into your answer to another, perhaps unrelated, question.

“Yes, and in addition to that…” “but what I really think your readers will be interested in is …”

Flagging – Using language that stresses key messages and conveys to the reporter that this is something necessary to include.

“The key to the success for people who want to be more productive is…” “the most important points to remember are…”

Hooking – A technique to get more information across by answering a question in a way that opens the door for additional information to be given. “That is one of the two reasons I became a coach. The other is...” “X is one of the three most important things I have my clients work on. The other two are…”

After the Interview

Send a follow-up email to the reporter thanking them for their time and providing any additional information they need.

After the Placement Appears

If you are active on Twitter and Facebook, be sure to link to the article. It’s also good form to do a shout-out to the reporter when possible.

Sample Coach.me tweets for an article written by Kevin Allen about decluttering:

The Art of Doing Nothing — @kevin_j_allen unclutters with w/Coach @valedeoro's help http://buff.ly/1Gndbhc

A decluttering experience w/Coach @valedeoro: The Art of Doing Nothing: A Case for Simplicity http://buff.ly/1GCGCOv