Journalists are not looking for companies to promote. They are looking for stories their readers will care about: something new, surprising, important or human. The most successful pitches start from that need. Before writing a single word, ask what is genuinely newsworthy in what you have to share, and for which publication's readers.
Finding a Newsworthy Angle
| Angle type | Example |
|---|---|
| Original data | A survey showing how small firms are responding to a new regulation |
| Trend | A shift you are seeing across many customers before it is widely reported |
| Contrarian view | A reasoned challenge to accepted wisdom in your industry |
| Human story | A customer or employee whose experience illustrates a bigger issue |
| Expert reaction | Fast, informed commentary on breaking news in your field |
| Local impact | How a national issue affects businesses in a specific region |
Product launches and company milestones are rarely news outside trade press unless they reveal something larger.
Building a Targeted Media List
Quality beats quantity. Identify the twenty to fifty journalists who actually cover your subject, by reading their recent articles, not by job title alone. Record what each writes about, their outlet, preferred contact method and anything relevant they have said publicly about pitches. A personalized pitch to the right ten journalists outperforms a generic email to five hundred.
Timing and News Hooks
Timing is often what turns a good idea into coverage. Connect your pitch to something happening now: a new report, a policy change, a seasonal moment, an anniversary or breaking news. Learn the rhythms of your target outlets; monthly magazines plan months ahead, while online news moves within hours. Avoid pitching during major unrelated news events that consume newsroom attention.
What to Offer
- Exclusives: offering one outlet first access to data or a story can secure deeper coverage.
- Expert commentary: make a knowledgeable spokesperson available quickly, with a short note on what they can say.
- Data and visuals: clean charts and the underlying methodology make a story easier to run.
- Access: customers or case studies willing to speak.
Building Relationships
The best coverage often comes from relationships built over time. Follow journalists' work, share their articles thoughtfully, respond quickly and helpfully when they ask for sources, and never waste their time with irrelevant pitches. Be a reliable source of accurate information, even when it does not directly benefit you. Journalists return to sources they trust.
Pitching Etiquette
- Respect embargoes and deadlines.
- Follow up once, then move on.
- Do not ask to approve articles before publication.
- Correct errors politely and only when they matter.
- Thank journalists after coverage.
Writing the Pitch
Keep pitches short and front-load the story. The first sentence should tell the journalist what the story is and why it matters to their readers now. Follow with two or three sentences of supporting detail, what you can offer, and your contact details. Personalize the opening to show you know their work. Avoid attachments in first emails, long company backgrounds and marketing language. A pitch should read like a helpful tip from a knowledgeable source, not an advertisement.
Reactive Opportunities
Not all coverage comes from your own ideas. Journalists frequently look for expert sources at short notice, through requests on social media, sourcing services and direct contacts. Monitor these requests, respond quickly with a concise, useful answer and a clear statement of your expertise, and only respond where you genuinely qualify. Reliable, fast responses build relationships that lead to more opportunities.
Measuring PR Success
Look beyond the number of articles. Assess the relevance of the outlets to your audience, whether key messages appeared, referral traffic, links earned, enquiries mentioning the coverage and the relationships formed with journalists. One article in the publication your buyers read can outweigh dozens of mentions elsewhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
Read recent coverage of your topic and note who writes it. Target journalists by the stories they actually cover rather than by job title alone.
Something new, timely, surprising or significant for their readers, such as original data, a trend, a strong opinion, a human story or expert reaction to news.
Offering an exclusive to one well-matched outlet can secure deeper coverage, especially for original data. Be clear about the terms and honor them.
Follow their work, be a helpful and fast source, pitch only relevant stories, respect their time and deadlines, and provide accurate information consistently.