This is the 14th in a series “50 Tips for Free Publicity”which I’m pinning on Pinterest. Follow me there, and if you like my tips, comment and repin. Just click the button with the red “Pin It” above.
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National Public Radio makes it incredibly easy for smart Publicity Hounds to do their research before they pitch a show.
If you need to get in front of a better-educated, higher-income audience—and your story is a perfect match with one of its many shows—NPR could be your ticket to publicity.
Step 1: Search for Shows
Go to the NPR website and use the search box in the upper right corner. Type in a keyword that best applies to your topic.
Step 2: Research Shows
NPR will deliver to you a list of shows and blog posts that have dealt with that topic. Click on the shows that look like they’d be the best bet for your story.
In many cases, you can actually listen to the show, or a sound bite from the show, and read the transcript. And then decide if it’s a good match.
Step 3: Pitch the Best Show(s).
The easiest way is to use the Contact Us form.
Even though the form allows you 64,000 characters for the body of your message, I doubt that any of the producers would read that much copy.
They probably decide within 10 seconds whether your story is worth considering. Keep the pitch to no more than about 800 characters.
You can pitch multiple shows at the same time, but only those that would be a good match with your topic.
Where to Find More Tips
You’ll also find a very helpful blog post How to Get Your Friends to say ‘I Heard You on NPR’ written by a former NPR ombudsman. The post is seven years old, so double-check names of shows and hosts.
Before you leave the NPR site, it’s worth knowing which reporters, producers, editors, talk show hosts and other staff are waiting to connect with you on the social media sites. Go to the upper right corner of the home page and click on “NPR Social Media.” Right there, it says, “Social media has become an important way for NPR’s journalists and staff to engage with our public.”
So start engaging! This could be a super way to catch a producer’s or reporter’s attention and let them know you’re a great fit for their show.
Also, I recommend following their NPR People list on Twitter.
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Tools to Help You
How to Use Social Media Sites to Connect with Journalists
How to Use Twitter Lists and Directories to Generate Publicity and Build Your Brand