Many public relations professionals know the struggle of competing for a journalist’s attention. Reporters get inundated with pitches, and getting your message to their desk is only half the battle. Check out our five top tips for convincing a media contact to cover your story.
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Tailor your pitch to the journalist.
Intentional pitching is key – reporters can see straight through mass emails that aren’t targeted for their specific audience. In the Muck Rack State of Journalism 2020 study, journalists cited a lack of personalization as the number one reason they reject media pitches (34%). Be sure to read up on the reporter’s writing history and topics covered. Is your pitch relevant to this writer’s beat? Keep in mind that tools like Cision can help you research and organize reporters in a certain area covering certain subject areas. Spend a few minutes looking at the reporter’s social media as well; what do they share and what kinds of stories appear important to them?
Tip! Try to reference a previous article they’ve written if it makes sense with the pitch. It’ll show you know your stuff!
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Keep it short.
There’s a sweet spot for pitch length – 92% of journalists recommended capping pitches at two to three paragraphs. However, don’t be afraid to shorten to just two or three sentences! Brevity is key: what is the story and why should the reporter care?
Try to avoid buzzwords – although they may seem like an easy way to grab your reader’s attention or prove newsworthiness, they tend to be a peeve point for reporters.
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Nail the subject line.
Journalists’ inboxes are usually very crowded. How do you catch a reporter’s eye without resorting to tricks or gimmicks?
You can include just enough details to make people want to open your email (such as asking a newsworthy question in the subject line), or you can include a teaser of the news you’re providing. Either way, make sure your subject line is relevant and provides some indication of what to expect. Some recommend using the journalist’s name in the subject line, and others find success using “TIMELY” or “TIME-SENSITIVE” (but we recommend reserving that for truly time-sensitive stories).
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Get the timing right.
Media pitches should also come in 4-5 days ahead of a reporter’s deadline. Although journalists operate on a five-day work week, their deadlines for publication and print could occur before Friday. For example, if the week’s issue goes to print Thursday morning, then their deadline could be Wednesday at 3pm.
Try to give a full 4 or 5 business days notice on stories. That means reaching out to the reporter on the Thursday or Friday before their next publication.
You want to ensure your pitch is conveniently timed for the writer, but be sure your pitch is also conveniently timed for your story!
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Be polite.
After you pitch, be prepared not to hear back – but don’t fear the follow-up email or call! Be assertive, but polite; remember that you want to make the reporter’s job easier.
Be accessible and ready to answer questions – journalists work on tight deadlines! Why is the story interesting? What’s new about it? Why will the reader care? Can this story be told digitally? What is the desired timeline of publication? Are you providing an abstract?
