Valley PR Blog

Pitch Me — Geri Koeppel

By Len Gutman on June 25th, 2007 In ValleySource

Name: Geri Koeppel
Title: Freelance Journalist
Outlets: The Arizona Republic, Tempe Town News, South Mountain District News, Phoenix Magazine
Phone: (480) 897-0033
Email: gkoeppel@cox.net

1. What do you do as a freelance journalist?
I submit story ideas to editors, and upon approval, I write and deliver the stories on a contract basis. I take assignments, too, but mostly I am responsible for pitching my own stories. I specialize in food and wine, events, community stories of all stripes, and profiles of people and businesses.

2. What kinds of stories are you looking for?
I like articles that give people a sense of place about their communities. Writing about events, trends, interesting new businesses (key word: interesting) and people with fascinating stories give people ways to connect with the world around them. Think about what’s different or unusual with your client; something that makes me say, “Hey! I’ve never heard that story before,” or something that touches my emotions. If you send me a pitch saying your client just opened a custom cabinetry shop, for example, give me an angle that I can sell to an editor so I’m not just pitching a free ad. Tell me your client is part of a trend and give me statistics. I might do a “roundup” piece with other businesses around town as well, but chances are your client will get the best play.

3. What’s the best way to approach you with a pitch?
Send an e-mail with complete information, including where the client and his or her business is located. Especially in the Arizona Republic, it’s essential to know which community editor I might want to pitch. If a client lives in Scottsdale but the business is in Mesa, I can pitch to both editors. Also, outline the contacts you have lined up for me to interview. This means both your client and their customers or outside experts.

4. What recommendations do you have for PR professionals?
Be detail-oriented. I fact-check my information with the source, but I would estimate 7 of 10 press releases I receive have errors, from incorrect phone numbers to misspelled names of clients (yes, it’s happened more than once).

Get good pictures. The Arizona Republic, in particular, does not have the staff to send out a photographer to every story anymore now that they have so many products they publish. They rely on “handout” photos from the PR professionals. Invest in a decent digital camera or hire a good photographer, and if you promote events, get pictures each year so you can send photos the following year. Make sure to get names. Do not get “crowd shots” or posed shots – candid action shots with no more than three people in the frame are the best. The better your pictures, the better chance you will have of getting your story picked up. Even a nice head-and-shoulders photo of your client is better than nothing.

Pitch early. Magazine deadlines are months in advance; so are some newspaper deadlines for certain sections. Please do not call me on Tuesday and tell me about an event on Friday.

I could go on. Please mark your calendar to attend the Society of Professional Journalists’ annual PR Summit on Aug. 4 to learn more from media professionals. More to follow in this blog as we nail down details.

5. What’s the strangest/weirdest pitch you’ve ever received?
It wasn’t from a PR person, but it’s funny: A reader called me at the East Valley Tribune to tell me he grew the largest orange he’d ever seen in his life (and he was an older gentleman). He wanted me to write a story about it, but he had already eaten it! He said he was so full after half an orange, he couldn’t eat lunch.

One of the most irritating (and I guess you could say strangest, in a way) pitches ever was from the marketing director for Dos Gringos when they opened the Bada Boom Pasta Room and Tanked Fish Sushi Bar in Ahwatukee on Warner Road near 48th Street. She sent out releases saying the restaurants were in Chandler, and even put it on the web site. When I called to correct her, she argued with me! (I live in Ahwatukee.)

At one point, she relented and said, “Well, it’s in one of those county islands down there somewhere.” I had to inform her that Ahwatukee was, in fact, in the city of Phoenix. Finally, she admitted she’d never even been to Ahwatukee. I called the owner, who apparently got it cleared up. The marketing director sent out new releases later that day.

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