Tips for pitching with Becky Barrow, Editor of Sunday Times Money
On Wednesday 9th December, I got up bright and early to attend the last Gorkana Breakfast Meeting of 2015, which was with Becky Barrow, Editor of Sunday Times Money.
Becky, who joined the Sunday Times last year after nine years on the Business section of the Daily Mail, was passionate, eloquent and incredibly knowledgeable. She knew her audience and knew exactly what she looked for in a story, so we’re going to share some of the insights.
Firstly, when talking about the Sunday Times readership, Becky said the average reader was a well-informed, wealthy professional – who was also charming and grateful for the tips produced in the section. A nice bunch!
The section is made up of the Have Your Say letters, investment tips, the Fame and Fortune interview, among other things including personal stories.
Here are her tips for pitching stories to her
Becky began by saying that money is not a dry subject, it’s about real people and personal stories and that case studies are at the core of the section. People need to know where to get good financial advice and Becky is making the Sunday Times Money section the place to get it. She was also keen to point out that the financial crisis is entirely different from personal finance. She tries to avoid financial jargon and when it’s unavoidable, will make sure it’s explained in full.
A lot of readers’ letters make up stories in the section, providing relatable content that can really help others. One of Becky’s favourite stories was around children who had been cut out of their parent’s will and, interestingly, this was almost solely women. Again, this was a story helped by readers’ letters.
If you want to pitch for the Fame & Fortune section then you must ensure your client is relevant at the time and well known. Oh, and don’t pitch someone who’s already been featured as this just isn’t their bag, unless it’s the Queen.
They are always looking for new experts to comment but if you pitch your client make sure it’s subtle and isn’t sales-y.
Becky Barrow can be found on Twitter at @beckymbarrow
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