How to Pitch Your Firm’s Story to Entrepreneur Magazine

Are you wondering what it takes to get your firm featured in a national business publication?

In a recent interview with Start Up Lucky, Amy Cosper, editor-in-chief,  shared some tips for getting your firm’s story into Entrepreneur Magazine.

But before we get to the tips… Do you need to be a VC-funded or sexy-gadget company to be considered an entrepreneur for this publication? Not according to Cosper—even though these companies are frequently featured. Cosper offered that being an entrepreneur is “not about making millions and millions of dollars. It’s about the spirit with which you go about doing it.”

And, if you take a look at a few sample articles that feature services firms, you’ll see what she means:

• Designing From Scratch
• Work Less (It’s Good for Business)

OK, back to the tips:

• Keep the pitch short and simple to get attention, says Cosper. “State your business or mission statement in three sentences or less.”
• A pitch sent to Cosper via Twitter, or a”twitch” (Twitter+pitch) as she calls it, is very effective: “I love pitches.” While she may not respond to all email pitches, she does respond to Twitter pitches.
• What they’re looking for: a good story—one that’s compelling, relevant, and timely. A timely topic is one that reflects the zeitgeist, or spirit of the times.
• Biggest pitch mistake she sees: companies that send “a 3,000-word dissertation” and “anything too long and prose-y.” Those pitches will get lost in the shuffle.
• Best pitches? Really short and to the point. Tell her your story in three sentences or fewer. (See the theme here?)
• Finally, don’t be afraid to approach them with your story. They’re always looking for story ideas, says Cosper.

If you give this approach a try, let us know. Did it work?