Your media pitches can go straight over the plate. With a little forethought, and a few tips, you can throw fewer balls and more media relations strikes.

Brevity is the soul of wit. Shakespeare could have been giving media relations tips when he penned this gem several hundred years ago. If you can't get to the point in your subject line in 5 words or less, you need to work on your message. Keep the subject line short and aim to pique the receiver's attention. Your subject line should make them want to know and read more. Include the time frame if it is important to the pitch. For instance, the subject line, "Entrepreneurs Storming NC General Assembly Tuesday" gives a sense of timeliness to the journalist.

Be Cool. You're fired up to fire off that media pitch you have just written. Don't. Let it cool off a bit first. Ask for input from others before you send the pitch to the media, particularly if you are trying to use humor or be quirky. You don't want your pitch to fall flat.

Don't Get Too Attached. Don't ever attach word documents or photos files to an email pitch. Did I mention that you should not send attachments? To get past email filters and to avoid annoying your media contacts, wait until they ask for additional information before sending photos and documents.

Be Relevant. Can you see your story within the pages of the publication you're pitching? Is it something the readers or viewers would truly be interested in learning about from the media outlet? While news about you or your organization is naturally important to you, when pitching the media understand that for them prioritize stories that are important to their readers.