We have sent the press release to our list of media contacts, but we need your help to get this story covered in local stations across the US. We have done our best to make it as easy as possible for you to reach out. We have a PDF of the press release prepared, detailed instructions on how to find contact information for your local media, and email templates you can simply copy-paste to send.
If you’re comfortable appearing on your local news in an interview, use the last email body option with “interview offer.” The reporter will most likely ask you what you make/sell – so in addition to being really helpful for spreading the word about our fight, it can also get the things you make/curate in front of some local eyeballs!
Please email the Press Release PDF to the newspapers, tv news stations, magazines, etc in your area. Use your judgment for which ones are most likely to want to cover this story.
How to find contact information for your local media.
What do you read or watch that is local to your area? Get creative. In addition to news channels and newspapers, are there local magazines? Local radio shows and podcasts?
Google the name of the show, channel, or publication along with the name of the city or area it’s located in. Go to the website. Look for a “contact us” page, an email listed for press releases, or an editor@ email. Most of the time it’s at the bottom in the footer of the website; sometimes you’ll find it in the header instead. If it’s a contact page, check to see if there’s a separate contact method given for news tips. That’s what this is!
If you’re looking for contact info for a specific journalist, Google their name along with their publication or show name. This should lead you to their profile page on their publication’s website, which often has a way to contact them listed. You can also try Twitter or Linkedn. Journalists tend to be very good at keeping up on their inboxes!
How to reach out
When you reach out via email, you’ll want a subject line that pops out and gets noticed in a very busy inbox. It’s standard to put “Pitch:” in front of a simple title that lets the journalist know what you’re talking about, in a glance.
Copy-Paste Subject Lines
Pitch: Etsy sellers fight for their privacy rights
Pitch: Etsy sellers fight back against requirement to share financial data
Interview Pitch: Etsy sellers fight for their privacy rights
Use your judgment for which version would be most likely to appeal to the journalist you are contacting.
Open your email by introducing yourself. If it’s a channel you watch, or a paper you read, mention that in your introduction. You can switch out the first sentence in our copy-paste message below for something like:
Hi (journalist name), I’ve been (watching/reading) (show/publication name) for (time period), and I really enjoy your (show/publication/articles)!
Copy-paste email – press release only
Hi _____, and thank you so much for your coverage of ___. I live in (city) and I’m an Etsy Seller. I have a news tip for you. Etsy is forcing me to use a third party (Plaid) to verify my bank account. Plaid has faced lawsuits over privacy violations, and their privacy policy states that they can collect and share my private financial information. Along with over 1500 sellers that have signed our petition (so far), I am fighting for a better option. Right now, Etsy tells me that I must take this step and connect my bank account to Plaid within __ days, or they will stop paying me and suspend my shop. Are you interested in covering this story? I have attached a press release which gives more information. Thank you, (your name)
Copy-paste email with press release and interview offer
Hi _____, and thank you so much for your coverage of ___. I live in (city) and I’m an Etsy Seller. I have a news tip for you. Etsy is forcing me to use a third party (Plaid) to verify my bank account. Plaid has faced lawsuits over privacy violations, and their privacy policy states that they can collect and share my private financial information. Along with over 1500 sellers that have signed our petition (so far), I am fighting for a better option. Right now, Etsy tells me that I must take this step and connect my bank account to Plaid within __ days, or they will stop paying me and suspend my shop. Are you interested in covering this story? If so, I’m available to talk about what happened, and why we're fighting for a better option. Looking forward to hearing from you, (your name) (contact info)
Please remember to attach the press release to your email(s) before hitting the send button! Download it here:
Media Tips
If you’re interested, inside the members-only section of this site is a media training module, with tips on how to prepare for a media interview. It’s geared more towards the #EtsyStrike than this action, but there are also a lot of general tips in there and talking points about the Indie Sellers Guild. To access the media training module, join us if you haven’t yet (it’s free!), and login. You’ll find it in the Members-Only menu.
Thank you for helping get the word out about this violation of our privacy rights!
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