If your media campaign has been perplexing you, maybe youre not thinking right. What I mean is maybe youre not thinking like a journalist. The problem with many campaigns is that we pitch our stories with a focus on our books, when the truth is we should never (ever) sell our book and a book should certainly never be the focus of our pitch, we should only sell what our book can do for the reader.

When I pitch stories to the media, I find the best way to get them interested is to give them what they want. Now this might sound pretty simple but for many of us, its not. Were very wrapped up in our books, our message, and our mission and weve little time left over to discern the formula for a successful pitch. The formula isnt complicated, but it does require that you do your homework.

Pitch a timely topic

The media needs stories. It may not seem that way if youre not getting your stories picked up but its true. They need them and many times, they need them now! By pitching a timely topic youre helping the media do your job and in so doing, youre getting ink or airtime. When I say a timely topic, I mean check your calendar and see whats coming up and what people will be talking about.

Whether its Fathers Day or Valentines Day, if its on the calendar you can be sure someone will be covering it in the news. I recommend that you take your calendar and start searching dates that you can spin your topic on. Its what AME refers to as a `book hook, a positioning tool to let you hang your star on an upcoming event in the media.

Pitch a newsworthy topic

If the media is covering it and you can comment on it, then by all means let them know about you. The media is looking for stories and experts who can elaborate on or offer a new slant to an existing topic. If theres something going on in the news that ties into your book and you have something to say, then by all means, say it. Let the media know youre interested

Pitch appropriately

Sometimes you have a great pitch, a terrific tie-in and a superb book hook but still, no one is picking up your story. Could it be that youre pitching the wrong people? If youre not sure then you should do your research. The worst thing you can do for a campaign is take your story to someone who wont listen. And if you dont know who to pitch, ask. Often the best person to ask is the receptionist. Most times the person manning the phones knows whos taking pitches, hot topics theyre looking for and often, when to pitch them.

Follow-up

This is where a lot of us fall short. We send out pitches and then thats it, we hope and pray that someone will call us and beg us to be on their show or interviewed for their article. Most times this simply isnt true. If youre pitching one reporter its likely that ten other experts in your market have pitched the same person. After weve sent an email pitch, well usually wait two to three days and call them to see if theres an interest. If we mailed a packet, well time our follow-up to approximately three to five days after the package arrives.

Every email you send could be ruining your marketing campaign.

This last bit of advice might be the most crucial to your entire marketing effort. Why? Because long, lengthy emails wont get read and certainly wont get noticed, and many times, they might get you a one- way ticket into an email trash bin. Remember the above the fold rule, which is an old newspaper term. Everything of importance is always above the fold of the paper, and your emails should be the same. Keep your pitch to the top half of an email; dont make a reporter or producer scroll through your message to find the hook. Keep your message short and to the point and remember, never ever sell your book - always sell what the book can do for the reader, listener, and viewer.

Thinking like a journalist isnt that tough, we just need to remember what theyre looking for, and how they want to get their information. Give them what they want, when they want it and how they want it and youll find an increasing number of your pitches making the grade!