How to be Featured in Payload

Plus an interview with the CMO of Maxar

Author

Ari Lewis
July 12, 2023

Hi everyone! I'm Ari Lewis, the cofounder of Payload. Welcome to the sixth edition of Marketing From Space, my monthly newsletter on storytelling, comms, and PR in the aerospace industry.

Before diving in, let's run through some updates on the Payload front. Our flagship newsletter now sits north of 18,900 subscribers. We hired Jack Kuhr as director of research. We are getting ready to launch our second DC event later this year (reply to this email if you are interested in sponsoring).

Since my last Marketing From Space dispatch, Payload has announced partnership deals with Addman, Astroscale, and JR Machine. If you're interested in reaching the Payload audience, chat with Brian, our sales lead. If you just want to chat marketing, book time with me.

Now, on to the main business...

In this month's edition...
đź’­ How to Pitch Payload
🎙️ Webinar with CMO of Maxar
👩🏼‍🚀 Space marketing job board
🚀 Quick reads to help you do your job better

The View from Space

Last month I hosted a webinar with the managing editor of Payload, Jacqueline Feldscher (watch the recap here). We discussed how to pitch your news and announcements to journalists, including how to pitch Payload. Some of the important insights from the webinar.

Pitching Strategies

  • Reputable media outlets do not charge for stories (pay to play). Payload will never charge you for editorial content. If a media outlet does that, do not pay. It’s never worth it.

  • Offer an exclusive to a journalist. If you offer an exclusive, it’s a higher chance they’ll cover the story.

  • If you can’t offer an exclusive, offer a news embargo. This gives the journalist time to write the story before it’s announced to the public.

  • Don’t same the send pitch to every person. Show the reporter you did some research when reaching out to them. E.g. if you both went to the same college, mention it.

Building Relationships with Journalists

  • Build relationships with journalists over time. Ask them what stories they are looking for.

  • Don’t just pitch stories about your companies. Pitch topical pieces that you might be featured in. E.g. if you are a satellite imagery company, pitch how satellite imagery is playing a role in Russia-Ukraine conflict.

  • If you outsource to a PR firm, have a strategy. Don’t just hire a PR firm for an announcement and then fire them. Use them throughout the year to develop relationships with journalists.

  • If you do PR in-house (or even if you use a firm), develop relationships as the CEO. If you are top of mind for a journalist, they are more likely to feature you.

And most importantly, why Payload? Payload sets itself apart from other publications by delivering news that is serious yet digestible, consumable, and concise, with a touch of fun. We are the most-read daily newsletter in the space industry.

Webinar with CMO of Maxar

Next month I’ll be hosting a webinar with the CMO of Maxar, Colleen Campbell. Colleen has 21+ years of marketing experience working at companies such as Northrop Grumman, Ogilvy, and Finsbury Glover Hering. We will discuss:

  • Maxar’s marketing post-acquisition

  • In-house vs. agency decision making

  • Maxar’s earned media strategy (Maxar News Bureau)

  • And more…

When: August 1st, 11am PT / 2pm ET

Curated Space Jobs

Image: ABL

Ari's Top Links

Final Thoughts

As always, I'd really love to hear from you. Reply to this email to drop me a line with feedback, constructive criticism, or just to say hi.

Your input really helps me iterate and make this a better experience for everyone. If you have anything to contribute, such as a marketing job, link, interview, or article, email me and I'll work on including it in the next edition.