Pitch Perfect: How to Stand Out When Pitching Reporters (and Not Annoy Them)
Smarter, better, faster, meaty
It’s been a bit since you heard from me. Buckle up because today we're diving into the art of pitching reporters without making them want to throw their MacBooks out the window. We've all been there, pounding out emails into the void, hoping for a response that never comes. But don’t weep with rage, I've got some tips to help you cut through the noise and get your story seen.
1. Do Your Homework (Seriously, It's Not That Hard)
Before you hit send on that pitch, do a little research. Take time to read some of the reporter's recent articles. Get a feel for their beat and the types of stories they cover. Oh and B2B PR folks, do not pitch a story that a reporter just wrote about your client’s competitor.
2. Keep It Short and Sweet (Nobody Has Time for Your Novel)
Reporters don't have time to wade through paragraphs of fluff to get to the point. Tell them why your story matters upfront, why it's relevant to their audience, and why they should care. Pitching with concise, punchy subject lines is key to increasing response rates. Think super short, like 4-5 words short. Bonus points if you can keep a pitch’s body to eight sentences or less. And use bullets if you’re presenting a source and want to say what they can talk about.
3. Be Personal
Nothing screams "mass email blast" like a pitch that starts with "Dear [Reporter's Name]." This will get you blacklisted, and it happens a lot. Take the time to tailor your pitch. If you see on Twitter they recently vacationed in London and you love pie and mashy, tell them.
4. Don't Be a Nag (Two Follow-Ups Are Plenty)
Almost half (48.6%) of responses to pitches occur within the first hour after they're sent, according to a Propel report that scanned ~500,000 pitches. If you don't hear back after that, move on. According to the analysis, the majority of stories (65.2%) are published within three days of receiving a response to the pitch. Therefore, when you receive interest in your pitch, be prepared to act swiftly.
5. Offer Something of Value (No, Your Product Launch Isn't News)
Newsflash: reporters don't care about your B2B product launch. That’s a blog post or a newsletter ad, pals. Instead of pitching your product or cloud thingie, pitch a story. Offer the reporter something of value — a unique angle about why that product is in demand, a story of a customer using it, or a juicy exclusive.
6. Build Relationships
Always remember that PR is all about relationships for the future. Take the time to get to know journalists via social or email. You may find they have a Substack or host a podcast.
Now go forth and pitch like it’s your job!