Country Living, Pitch Your Product tips #1

I was there, I pitched and I was chosen! My company, Subscribe To Delight, was a 2007 Pitch Your Product winner - see the Country Living write-up here.

To be one of seven honorees out of the hundreds that applied to Country Living magazine's "Pitch Your Product" event was an incredible experience.

I have decided to post a series of hints & tips to make your "Pitch Your Product" experience the best that it can be.

Part One

First of all, do not be scared. You have a business that you love and are proud of it! A big thing that I noticed pitching is that the editors have great respect for the women who have forged ahead and established a business of their own. Approach this with confidence – no one is a more qualified expert on your company than you!

Remember that Country Living was impressed by your submission - that is why they want to hear more! So be proud and calm. They have already reviewed your paper proposal, looked you up online and are expecting you - all you have to do it show up and fill in the blanks of who "you" are.

Magazines are always looking for fresh content to wow their readers. Stop and think about what makes your business unique. Is it your target audience? What motivated you to start your business? Your vision for your company?
The mental road map you follow for your company could be very interesting to the editors.

A great example from Barbara Baekgaard (of Vera Bradley) is that she named the company after her mother, Vera Bradley. All decisions from that point on were held up to “would mother like her name on this product?”  A fascinating and real example of how her brand decisions were made. Think about how you make decisions and how you want your company to be remembered.

Tomorrow I will give suggestions for preparing your pitch.