Pizza Today - April 2022 - 14

MAN ON THE STREET SCO TT WIENER
on slow news days, and they must fi ll the
pages with something - why not with
your pizzeria?
Once you fi nd who you want to pitch,
send them a tight e-mail with the who,
what, where, when and why of your story. If
your story is time-dependent, like an anniversary
or event, make sure the date is clear.
You can't go wrong with sending it a few
weeks in advance; just make sure you follow
up, otherwise you'll get lost in the pile.
If a journalist schedules a visit to your
Press On
D
on't you get frustrated when an
article comes out about a rival
pizzeria? Doesn't it burn when
another " Best Pizza " list ignores your
existence? Do you feel completely helpless
when it comes to all matters of press and
public relations? Getting media attention
is a daunting project, especially when
you're busy dealing with your shoddy
ovens, dough issues and the broken refrigeration
unit. It takes time and persistence,
but once you get the ball rolling PR
eff orts can be a great asset.
Th e fi rst thing you want to do is decide
what story you want to pitch. Your local
newspaper probably won't publish a story
about your pizzeria just because it exists;
they want an angle. Maybe it's your pizzeria's
25th anniversary or you've created
an incredible new menu item. Community
events are great opportunities to attract
media attention. When Slice Out Hunger
ran the Pizza Across America campaign in
February, we provided pizzerias with a story
to pitch to local media outlets about participation
in a nationwide campaign to support
hunger relief eff orts. Small independent
pizzerias got press coverage because of it!
Next, you'll want to pitch your story to
the right person. Check out the bylines
of articles about other local businesses,
particularly restaurants. If you're pitching
to TV, look for the producer's contact info
online. You can check LinkedIn, Instagram,
Twitter, etc. Journalists don't hide
their contact info because they want to be
found. Th eir job is to write stories and fi ll
airtime. Th e newspaper gets printed even
pizzeria, be sure to give them the best
possible experience. Plan a couple shots
so they have options when they show up.
Know the talking points of your story (the
who, what, when, where, and why) so you
won't be caught off guard by questions. If
you're camera-shy, pick someone who isn't!
You control everything that happens in
front of the camera, so take advantage.
Most importantly, be easy to work with.
Make their job a breeze and they'll come
back to you when they need a story source
in the future. Don't turn into a primadonna
just because you're in front of a camera.
Make sure the crew is comfortable and
happy so they'll want to come back.
If this all sounds like a lot of work,
you're right. Th at's why you have the
option of hiring a publicist. If you do,
you'll gain access to their contacts...so
make sure you choose someone who has
plenty of experience and has placed stories
you covet. Keep an eye out for red fl ags
like bad communication skills in e-mail
and over the phone. If they're bad at communicating
with you, imagine how they
are with media producers.
An article or TV segment about your
pizzeria will benefi t you for years. Online
publications don't go away, and they'll
help boost your website's SEO if they link
to you. Th e right quote can serve your
website and menu, and the right clip will
give potential customers a glimpse into
the deliciousness that awaits when they
cross your threshold. ■
SCOTT WIENER is the founder of Scott's Pizza Tours in New York City and SliceOutHunger.org Instagram: @scottspizzatours
14 / PIZZATODAY.COM / APRIL 2022

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Pizza Today - April 2022

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