Everyone wants to feel like they have purpose and have done something worth notoriety–and let’s be honest, it feels good when we get recognized for our hard work! The truth of the matter is, sometimes that’s easier said than done. No two publications are totally alike with different editors and submission guidelines to follow, so I totally get why pitching to publications can seem like an overwhelming task. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be. Being someone who is both at the forefront and backend of media pitching, I like to believe I have a pretty good idea of how to get noticed by publishers–so if you’re looking for some advice on how to pitch your story to a publication, keep reading on.

1. Have accomplishments worth featuring
   First, and perhaps most importantly, publishing companies want to feature stories that will sell–which means if you want better odds of approval, you need to have accomplishments worth writing about. This can be anything from a problem you have overcome to a good deed you did–whatever it is, make sure you’re focusing your pitch on why it’s worth a feature.Good example: You logged how much trash you picked up along the highway this year and why you felt it was important to do so.
   Bad example: You recycled your trash today.
2. Join publisher’s “call for submissions” lists
   Not all publications have open submissions, and even when they do they likely get too many submissions to really give yours a good chance. Instead of wasting your time sending in your pitch to publications that won’t give them the time of day, join their call for submission lists and wait for them to notify you when they need content submissions.
3. Reach out to the editors directly
   Bypass the “general” mailbox by trying directly for the editors’. Most publications have a masthead with their editors listed, sometimes even their direct email. If not, try connecting with the publication on LinkedIn and reaching out that way–at the very least, it will put a face to your name and make your message even more personal.
4. Start small
   Let’s face it, we all want a feature in Forbes and Yahoo! Finance–and sometimes you can pay for a feature–but don’t set the bar too high when you’re just starting out. Reach out to a couple of your local publishing firms such as your town’s newspaper or magazine and pitch your story to them. It’s much more likely that you’ll be published in a local newspaper before a large publication, and eventually, your small features will be great evidence to share with larger publications that you’re worth writing about.
5. Work with marketing agencies
   Last but certainly not least, if you don’t find yourself having the time to dedicate to pitching your story to publications, hire a marketing agency to do it for you. Not only do some agencies write press releases for you, they likely will already have a list of publications they have relationships with to send it to and that, in turn, should increase the likelihood of you getting a feature.