Some might say that a great news story has always followed the same formula: if it’s newsworthy enough, journalists will publish it. However, as the working conditions for journalists have changed, how you pitch your story has become a crucial factor in getting it covered. In this blog post, you’ll learn how to pitch to journalists effectively and maximize your chances of securing valuable media coverage—one of the most powerful forms of brand visibility.
Let’s talk about journalists.
What do they want? What makes them tick?
The answer is simple: a great story.
However, the sources of these stories can vary widely, and therein lies a common challenge for PR and communication managers. Often, PR professionals miss the mark by not pitching their stories in ways that align with journalists’ preferences.
Fortunately, journalists are clear about what they do prefer.
This blog post will focus on how to pitch your story to journalists in a way that meets their needs—helping you pitch like a pro and get your story covered.
Psst. Looking for practical tips on crafting your pitch? Read our blog post on How to Write a Press Release and download our free press release template.
Pitch Your Story: How Journalists Prefer To Be Approached
According to a 2024 survey of 1000+ journalists worldwide, there is a formula for how and when they prefer to be pitched to:
- Use 1:1 email for direct communication.
- Keep your pitch under 200 words.
- Timing matters: While specific weekdays are less crucial, many journalists prefer receiving pitches on Mondays.
- Send your pitch before noon.
- Follow up only once and within 3-7 days.
However, even with these guidelines in mind, many communication and PR professionals struggle to make successful pitches. Here’s why:
Why Most Pitches Fail
The primary reason journalists reject a pitch is not typically related to timing or length. Instead, 73% of journalists cite irrelevance to their coverage area as the primary reason for rejecting a pitch.
Most pitches they receive either
- don’t align with their coverage,
- are too promotional, or
- lack newsworthiness.
With the average journalist receiving more than 30 pitches per week, the sheer volume can become overwhelming. In highly competitive fields like Lifestyle, Entertainment, and Technology, journalists may receive over 300 pitches per day, while less saturated areas like Jobs, Animals, and Climate see about 10 pitches per day.
To stand out without contributing to news fatigue, the key is to personalize your pitch. This approach will help you build better relationships with journalists and other media contacts.
Let’s explore how to do it.
How to Personalize Your Pitch (with the Help of AI)
In the past, personalizing pitches required building close relationships with journalists over time. While journalists are careful to protect their integrity and prioritize newsworthiness over personal connections, relationship-building has been essential to ensure being the first to publish a news piece.
Although this is still somewhat true, you no longer need to know journalists personally.
Instead, you can quickly understand their interests by focusing on the topics they cover—with the help of AI.
Additionally, you no longer have to spend hours researching reporters to ensure their contact information is up to date or familiarize yourself with recent articles to reference in your pitches.
Now, AI-powered PR tools streamline this process, making it faster and more effective for everyone involved.
Here’s How to Do It:
1. Avoid Generic Email Addresses.
First and foremost, always send your email or pitch to individual journalists rather than generic news site addresses. Pitches sent directly to journalists have a 26% higher chance of being opened.
2. Access Your PR Platform.
Use the “Pitch” tool in your PR platform to create your pitch. (For instance, in Mynewsdesk’s PR platform, you can add your press release/story to your pitch email by clicking “+ Add Story”.)
3. Choose Your Recipient.
The tool will automatically match your story with relevant journalists based on your press release and their past articles, providing URL links for easy reference. A match made in heaven!
Example:
“Hello John,
I’ve been following your work and particularly enjoyed your recent article on new software technology trends in last week’s edition of the Software Technology magazine. Given your expertise and focus on this topic, I wanted to share a news tip that I believe will resonate with your readers…”
Your AI-Powered Pitching Tool Will Help You:
- Identify Relevant Journalists: Focus exclusively on those who cover your specific area, ensuring your pitch reaches the right audience.
- Reference Past Coverage: See listed topics that journalists have covered previously, enabling you to make informed and relevant references in your pitches.
- Distribute and Follow Up: Distribute and track your outreach by monitoring when your pitch is opened and when your story gets published.
By leveraging these tools, you can reduce the volume of irrelevant pitches and ensure higher quality and relevance—targeting only the journalists who are most likely to pick up your story. This is a significant improvement over the outdated practice of mass emailing long lists of press contacts.
… and Nail the Right Subject Line
Did you know that two out of three journalists decide whether to open an email based solely on the subject line?
A survey by Fractl found that 80% of writers prefer to see your content title or a clearly defined pitch in the subject line.
The majority of publishers agree that effective subject lines should be:
- Descriptive: Clearly convey the topic of your pitch.
- Specific: Provide details that highlight what makes your story unique.
- Tailored to Their Coverage: Align closely with the journalist’s area of expertise.
By writing a compelling subject line that meets these criteria, you can significantly increase the chances of your pitch email being opened—the first step toward getting your story covered.
Curious about Mynewsdesk?
Pitching is our niche. In fact, 72% of our customers get their press releases covered by the media—a statistic we’re incredibly proud of!
With Mynewsdesk, you get access to one of the largest global journalist networks, with over 1 million media contacts (all managed in full compliance with GDPR, of course).
Our AI-powered platform automatically matches your press releases with relevant journalists who have previously covered similar topics. Add them to your recipient list, including their names, email addresses, and potential reach. PR made super easy.
See how Mynewsdesk works or try it for free. Welcome inside!
