By Steve Greenberg
Each time after I appear on television, inventors, small business owners and PR professionals hunt me down and ask if I can put their product in my next segment.
As the author of Gadget Nation, I appear semi-regularly on the TODAY show. I also do “gadget tours” and showcase inventor products on local television stations across the country.
I appreciate hearing from people who have innovative new products. Over the years that’s how I’ve found some of the best gadgets for my segments.
Yet earnest inventors need to understand that not every product pitched can make it into every segment. That said, there are things you can do to make your pitch more powerful for anyone in the TV, radio, print or Web media.
First, get to know who you’re pitching. Watch their segments. Read their articles. See if your product truly fits what they are about.
For a television gadget segment, I’m looking for products that are fun to demonstrate and easy for viewers to instantly understand.
I only get about 15-30 seconds to showcase a product. If the pitch you send takes three paragraphs to explain, then it’s probably a product I have to pass on. When I e-mail TV show producers about my segment, I only get one line per product to “wow” them. If they are not wowed, the product is dropped.
Even print reporters want the pitch short and sweet. Reporters and others in the media often receive dozens of pitches a day. They can’t spend a long time going through wordy, complicated copy. If they want or need more information, trust me, they will ask for it.
When pitching your product, include a photo, your contact information and just a few sentences about the product. Is it the “world’s first ever” or the “smallest” or maybe the “least expensive” whatever? Offer something that makes your product “news worthy.” What’s the “wow” feature? What problem does it solve? Why would viewers care about it?
Also make the subject line in your e-mail interesting. Something like “Double Your Closet Space For Under $20” is eye-catching. Don’t waste the subject line with “Hi” or “You really need to see this.” And I would suggest that you include the product’s price and where consumers can buy it.
Because my medium is television and video, I gravitate towards products that are visual and fun to demonstrate. Products that move or let the hosts interact with them usually go right to the front of the line.
If your product has an easy to demonstrate feature, let me know. Send a photo that shows it being demonstrated. Even better send a link to YouTube so I can see your product in action.
All of my television segments, articles, and blogs have a theme. One week it could be bathroom gadgets, the next week it might be garden gadgets.
Usually the producers pick the theme. The themes change and finding the right products for each theme is part of the challenge.
TV segment are only as good as the products showcased. If I have fun, interesting products then my segment will be fun and interesting. If my segment is entertaining and informative, then I’m invited back to that show to showcase more products from inventors.
Pitching Greenberg
Interested in pitching Steve Greenberg your product? Sign up on his Facebook fan page “Steve Greenberg Innovation Insider” and follow him on Twitter @gadget_nation.
These are where he posts upcoming segment themes. If you see an opportunity that fits your product, let him know.
Editor’s note: This article appears in the June 2010 print edition.
