Stronger Voices x Metro – Pitching to Journalists

Despite the inspiring work your organisation does, it can be hard to get the word out into the media. It can be difficult to know how to approach journalists and how to build media networks, but people need to hear your story!

Join us on 15 March at 10:00am for this two-hour masterclass, delivered in partnership with Metro. In this session, hear from the journalists themselves on what journalists are looking for, how to craft a strong attention-grabbing pitch and how to move beyond the initial pitch to build relationships with the media. We’ll even go into the small details, like what time of day is the best to make that initial contact, to ensure that you’re confident in your ability to get your story picked up.

In this masterclass, you’ll learn:

• Things to consider before pitching a story – how pitches differ between publications, types of articles, and what to research in advance
• What you need to write the perfect pitch – the formula for a strong pitch and building relationships with journalists
• Answers to common questions about pitching – is there a certain time of day that’s best to pitch at? When can I chase for a reply? Can I target multiple outlets at the same time?

Level:

Beginner to intermediate

About the trainer

Jess Austin is Opinion and First-Person Editor at Metro.co.uk, looking after the site’s op-eds, which cover News, Politics, Lifestyle, Tech, Sport and Entertainment. Before joining Metro.co.uk in 2018, Jess worked at HuffPost UK as Blogs Assistant, where she liaised with authors and edited Lifestyle, Parenting, Style, and Tech pieces.

Jess is passionate about giving a Platform to underheard and underrepresented voices on the issues that matter most to them. She is always looking for unique perspectives on the biggest news stories of the day.