How to make your pitch resonate among Hispanic Reporters

By Luis Castello
Account Executive

The majority of the 50.5 million Hispanics that currently live in the United States get their news from Hispanic media outlets. According to Nielsen, more than half of Hispanics watch some Spanish-language TV and listen to Spanish-language radio stations while 40 percent read Spanish-language newspapers. The Hispanic population in the United States will only keep increasing, so marketers and PR professionals must learn how to handle Latino media effectively.

Below are four simple tips in case you’re having a tough time getting coverage:

1. Find the connection
Always keep in mind that Hispanic media outlets’ main purpose is to serve Latinos. A pitch will only interest this media if it affects Hispanic communities. If you don’t want Hispanic reporters to delete your email, make your pitch relevant by adding statistical information that shows how your message relates to the Latino population. For example, you can find great statistical and recent information in websites such as Pew Hispanic Center, Hispanic Business and CNN en Español.

2. Do whatever it takes to help reporters
The economic crisis hurt Hispanic media outlets. Most publications and TV stations are severely understaffed and might not have time to feature your story even if they’re interested. If pitching to print, a simple solution is to offer byline articles that the editor can edit if necessary. The reporter not only will thank you for your consideration but might also go back to you in the future if you provided a high-quality article. If you’re dealing with television or radio, remember to always have b-roll available and a spokesperson with impeccable Spanish on call.

3. Share the SWAG
Hispanic reporters love to share free products with the community. If you’re promoting a product suggest partnering in a giveaway, budget permitting. If executed correctly, you will secure a great feature and also help the media outlet retain its followers.

4. Remember that not everybody speaks Spanish
Be mindful of Hispanics that prefer to communicate in English. Many Hispanics in the United States were denied learning Spanish while growing up as way to prevent them from being discriminated, so they might not be fluent in Spanish. When calling reporters, always pitch in the language the phone was answered to avoid uncomfortable situations. Also, offer to send information in both languages to save the editor the cost of translating the material in case they serve a bilingual audience.

Pitching Hispanic media might require more effort, but the 2010 Census results undeniably prove that it must be done. In the long run, the relationship you build with Hispanic reporters will not only bring more exposure to your client, but it will also bring more value to your agency and career.