Read This Before You Send Your Next Media Pitch

It might seem harder than ever to get credible journalists to tell your story.

That’s because, in many ways, it is.

Nearly half of all journalists report that they are covering five or more beats, according to Cision’s 2021 Global State of the Media survey.

More than half report that they get more than 50 pitches a week – with nearly one in five saying they get more than 150 pitches.

These numbers make me very happy that I’m no longer working as a journalist.

But they also help validate the fact that PR professionals can be more successful if they take a personalized approach to media relations.

While others are deluging reporters and editors with off-topic pitches and failing to give journalists what they really need to tell good stories, good PR pros can stand out and get meaningful coverage.

Here are four ways you can do that:

1. Get to know the reporters you’re pitching – Most journalists in the Cision survey say the bulk of the pitches they receive are off topic. And more than 3 in 5 say that PR folks can be most helpful by understanding their target audience and the type of stories they cover.

This takes a bit of work up front, but it pays off in huge ways when you to it right. You can learn a lot about the type of stories they cover – and how they tell those stories – just by reading, watching, or listening to them.

But whenever possible, you can also ask them what makes an idea stand out.

Not all reporters will take the time to do that. In fact, many won’t.

But when they do, pay attention. Then, limit your pitches to only include stories that align with what they are looking for.

You’ll be stunned at the type of coverage you get.

We’ve been able to get one prominent columnist at a national daily newspaper to include our clients in three different columns in the past year – all because she told me what she looks for in a pitch.


2. Give them a head’s up – Clearly, journalists are busier than ever. Many are producing multiple stories per day across multiple beats.

With that in mind, don’t wait until the last minute to send them your announcement or release and then expect them to cover it.

If you know you have a big report or announcement coming, identify who you REALLY want to cover that news, offer them the information on embargo, and help them get what they need ahead of time.


3. Create a well-written (and useful) press release – We’ve been hearing for years that the press release is dying. And, for a time, our agency believed that we shouldn’t create news releases unless they were absolutely necessary.

But we’ve changed our thinking on this to reflect the changing reality.

The fact is that today’s journalists are so swamped that they are relying on news releases more, not less.

Nearly 4 in 5 reporters in the Cision survey say they want to see news releases – largely because they can pull key facts and quotes quickly.

We’ve found that sending an email pitch that includes a cover note and a release that is written in clear, jargon-free language is the best path for getting reporters to engage. When possible, we paste the release right into the body of the email so they don’t miss the attachment.

Then, we make sure it’s also posted online so that it can be found later by journalists who might be looking for information about the topic in their own reporting.


4. Don’t let them down – News releases help you get you in the door – and can sometimes lead to quick coverage.

But if you’re not available for follow-up questions, can’t produce expert sources on deadline, or can’t provide additional materials such as graphics and photos to illustrate the piece, you’re missing a huge opportunity.

And you might not get another one.

If you’re making an announcement, make sure you have all of your bases covered before reaching out. That includes being available for follow-up questions, having experts lined up and ready to be interviewed, and providing visuals to illustrate the story.


The Takeaway
Effective media relations has always been about viewing your work as customer service. In this case, the customer is the journalist – and your job is to deliver useful, newsworthy information.

This is especially true today.

If you can provide stellar service – and provide journalists with what they need, when they need it – your pitches will start jumping to the top of their piles.

And they’ll start coming to you.