How to pitch Inc. Magazine

Inc. is a major business magazine guiding CEOs and owners of small- to mid-sized companies toward success. It delivers real solutions for today’s innovative company builders and provides hands-on resources covering market-tested finances, sales, marketing and technology. Each issue offers real-life examples of strategies, case studies and successes and failures to show its readers new ways their businesses can improve and grow. Large and small organizations turn to Inc. to make sense of the ever-changing business world. An appearance in Inc. is a great opportunity for publicity, networking and finding new business avenues.Inc. magazine publishes analysis of a variety of topics and tools, including everything from top business strategies to the best productivity hacks, aimed to inform and educate its target audience of CEOs and small- and medium-business owners and help the audience succeed in the business world. Inc. magazine is looking for stories containing new ways for its readers to benefit. The magazine picks only stories about business experiences (strategies, mistakes, successes of your business or failures), rather than a product. Always focus on benefiting your readers by adopting an alternative point of view for your story. Angle your story so that readers benefit from what you have learned and can apply it to their own businesses.

Here are some do’s and don’ts to consider in order to get your pitch answered by Inc. journalists:

• Know the journalist’s professional interests. Find a new angle that may appeal to those interests.

• Do your homework and review the most recent articles the journalist wrote. However, don’t assume that one article implies a lifelong commitment to that topic.

• If necessary, adopt a different point of view to get the journalist’s attention.

• Don’t bother sending straight profile stories of your business. Inc. journalists don’t have any interest in what you do; they want to know what you learned, mistakes you made and experiences you gained while you did it.

• The best pitches to Inc. consist of only a few sentences.

• Focus on providing value to readers: What can they learn from your experience and knowledge?

• Don’t claim that your story is one of a kind. If your story is unique, you don’t need to tell them that; they’ll see it.

• Read a few different issues of the publication to make a relevant pitch.

• It is vital that you understand what sections of the magazine cover what topics so that you understand where your story might fit the best.

• Unlike other business publications that prefer you contact the person responsible for your topic, Inc. wants you to email your pitch to the specific email address pitches@inc.com.

• Inc. journalists don’t like follow-ups, so don’t do it. If your pitch is of any interest to them, they will contact you.

• Don’t pitch your goods and services. Inc. is more interested in the ways you provide your goods and services.

• Inc. is looking for alternative angles and exclusive content about unique business strategies.

Inc. has a huge global reach, and the resulting exposure could be great for your company’s publicity. Tailoring your pitch to fit Inc. writers’ needs is very important to get your material published in this world-leading business magazine.

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Yulia Dianova is a public relations professional who is skilled in building relationships with target audiences. She provides counsel to organizations that seek PR help to further their growth and reach their goals. Yulia earned a master’s degree in public relations management from University of Maryland University College. She is fluent in Russian and is always looking for a new challenge.