First-place media pitching: tips on getting coverage in the news--first.

• Author: Dean, Amy

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You grab a cup of coffee, sit down at your computer and point your browser to your favorite news website. Your eyes focus on the headline and your gut wrenches. Your competitor is lapping up the limelight. Then, your phone rings. It's the managing partner asking why your firm wasn't included in the story.

Most of us have experienced this scenario. Attorneys are some of the most competitive people on the planet. Winning is what wakes them up in the morning. One of the last things they want to see when they roll out of bed and reach for the newspaper is their competitor beating them at the media coverage game. And, let's face it. You want the media hits as badly as they do.

The desire to win will serve us all well in this highly competitive media market. Most media outlets have been stripped down to the bones. Thousands of companies are clamoring for the attention of a select few reporters who are covering multiple beats. Today, media relations is like being one of a million arrows trying to hit the same target at the same time.

Following are a few of my media-pitching approaches that will give you an edge over the competition during a time when you need it more than ever.

Craft Media Pitches like a Storyteller

Effective media pitching is like great storytelling. Every media pitch needs a cast of characters, a healthy dose of conflict, an escape-hatch from the dilemma and a looming deadline to keep the audience wondering if the protagonists are going to pull through.

Unfortunately, you don't have the luxury of telling your story in a feature film format. Think like the producer of a trailer. You only have a fraction of a second to grab a reporter's attention. Forget about wasting precious time with exposition or niceties. Start telling your blockbuster instantly and pack your opening scene with action.

The story begins with your headline. Make it pop with a visual. The best headlines or email subject lines are short and cast a memorable image in the reader's mind that brings the story to life. (Remember usually the eighth word in an email subject line is cut off.)

Break into the News

I set up Google Alerts on every subject that the attorneys I work with can address. This helps me to know instantly when news is breaking that I can capitalize on. I identify an available attorney, interview her to craft a sound bite and push out her point of view while the topic is still fresh. Pouncing on breaking stories produces...