In a time where there is a constant flood of newsworthy moments, it can be difficult to successfully pitch stories to editors and reporters who are overworked at understaffed outlets. According to Muck Rack, each day, reporters may receive up to 20-30 pitches from PR professionals, so it is vital to send content that stands out.
A strong pitch, and outreach effort, can convince reporters to cover newsworthy issues from a new perspective or to recognize that a topic has not been thoroughly covered by the media. Ultimately, a well-crafted pitch will lead to stories that improve your client’s reputation, expand reach and strengthen relationships with key audiences.
Here are some tips for pitching stories that we have found helpful:
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- Craft your subject line. With media professionals receiving an ever-increasing number of pitches each day, creating an eye-grabbing subject line is critical to receiving a response. Without immediately piquing interest through a subject line, your pitch may never be opened or read. Just as book titles catch the attention of readers, a subject line must also make a journalist want to know more. Your subject lines must demonstrate why your pitch deserves their time and consideration.
- Write succinct pitches. Be direct and get to the point. This will ensure that busy reporters are able to glean the highlights of the pitch more quickly. Removing unnecessary facts and figures from your pitches can assist the reporter to see the broader story without getting lost in the specifics initially. Essentially, try to be as concise as possible while also creating an interesting narrative that will assist a reader to envision the final story.
- Cultivate your media list. If your pitch is not getting to the right person or outlet, your story will not receive the coverage that it deserves. Research the reporters and outlets covering the topic of your story idea. Journalists appreciate it when you show you are aware of their beat and their recent stories. This can help you to create a more tailored media list. Building out a targeted media list with a variety of outlets and relevant reporters will maximize the chance of getting a bite from the media
- Follow up on your initial message, but don’t be a stalker. Journalists constantly receive emails, so sending an additional message about your story after a few days can bump you to the top of their inbox. In your follow up email, try to provide additional information or further contextualize your story as timely and newsworthy. Additionally, calling to follow up can bring your pitch to the reporter’s attention and provide you with valuable feedback on your proposed story that can be used to strengthen your current and future pitches. While making the call is the first step, what you say when you call is the critical step. Quickly recap the story idea in the message you leave. Make sure whatever you say is interesting and relevant to the story, rather than just saying you are “following up on an email.” Due to persistence, we have been able to place many stories that did not receive an initial response. If you haven’t gotten a response after 2-3 follow ups, either reshape the pitch or move on.
Overall, pitching stories is a multi-faceted process which requires patience, consideration, and adaptation, but if done correctly can get great results for you and your clients.
