An App for Pitching

Issue #929 June 30, 2015
Publisher: Joan Stewart

“Tips, Tricks and Tools for Free Publicity”

In This Issue

An App for Pitching
Who’s Viewed Your Profile
Publicity for Your Podcast
Hound Video of the Week

This Week in the Hound House:

My sisters and I are still reminiscing about their weekend visit to Wisconsin and the glorious weather. The highlight: A two-hour ride on Lake Michigan aboard the Denis Sullivan, a re-creation of a typical 19th Century three-masted Great Lakes schooner. We even helped hoist the sails. We’re all gardeners and loved the mini herb garden onboard, used daily by the chef who prepares meals for the crew.

1. An App for Pitching

Don’t get too excited when you hear about UPitch, an app that helps connect journalists with the Publicity Hounds who are pitching them.

This article in PRNewser says it’s similar to Tinder, the online dating app that matches couples based on their physical attraction to each other.

Like Tinder, UPitch lets journalists swipe through the anonymous pitches on their mobile phones until they find one they like. If they don’t like a pitch, they swipe left. If they find one they like, they swipe right and follow up.

I haven’t tried this yet, but I’m suspicious. Here’s why.

The best way to pitch is to research the person you’re pitching long before you contact them. Then, and only then, send a customized pitch that’s perfect for their audience.

UPitch sounds too much like the “spray and pray” pitches and press releases that make me rant.

Am I wrong? If you’re a journalist or blogger, would you use something like this to find news to cover?

Hit Reply and tell me what you think about this.

2. Who’s Viewed Your Profile

What do you do when LinkedIn emails you to tell you who has viewed your profile?

Do you look to see if you recognize the names, and then close the email and go about your day?

If so, you’re missing a chance to start the relationship by letting them know you know that they’ve viewed your profile. You can mention that you saw theirs, too, and invite them to connect.

Or, if you’re already connected, you can send an email and suggest a way you can help each other.

“Who’s Viewed Your Profile” is the most popular feature on LinkedIn. It’s part of the session I’ll be teaching on the third annual “Publishing at Sea” cruise Jan. 24-31 to the western Caribbean. I’ll explain how to connect with publishers, agents, reviewers, readers and influencers on LinkedIn. Today is the last day to take advantage of the $300 early-bird discount.

Questions about the cruise? Call, text or email Judith Briles at Judith@Briles.com or 303-885-2207.

3. Sell Your Book to Hollywood

More than 80 movies released last year were based on novels.

Some of the most popular include Gone Girl, The Best of Me, Unbroken, Still Alice, The Hundred-Foot Journey, and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1.

Hollywood needs fresh content to produce movies and television shows for the thousands of cable stations and online media outlets.

Will your book or story be next?

Find out how to get in the running during a free telephone seminar on Thursday, July 2, hosted by Steve Harrison. He’ll be interviewing a Hollywood insider who helps hundreds of published and unpublished authors and screenwriters bring their projects to the screen.

You’ll learn the Number One mistake authors make when approaching Hollywood about turning their book into a movie (if you don’t do this one little thing right, you’re doomed from the start…yet it’s so easy to correct).

Steve’s guest will share the formula veteran screenwriters use to catch a buyer’s attention and allow them to instantly visualize how your story will look on the screen.

4. Hound Video of the Week

Thanks to Publicity Hound Wendy Raebeck who lives on Kauai, Hawaii, for this video of a German shorthaired Pointer (like my Bogie) eating in an elegant restaurant. The dog even yawns on cue. Watch what happens when the waitress brings the check.

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