Here’s a cold, hard PR truth:
You can send 50 pitches and spend 20 hours chasing journalists — and still get zero coverage.
This is exacerbated because most people pitch blind. They blast out generic emails to whoever they think might care. Even seasoned PR teams fall into this trap.
Before you pitch, do your homework.
- Google keywords tied to your story and see who’s already writing about it.
- Look for journalists with ties to your industry, city, school — anything that gives them a reason to care.
- Don’t wait until after their article drops to reach out. By then, it’s too late.
One of the most common mistakes people make is pitching a journalist right after they’ve published a story they wish they were in. That email usually looks something like this.
“Hey [First Name], I just read your article regarding how business leaders can prepare themselves under the new administration. My client XXX is an expert in this field, please let me know if you’d like to speak to them!”
Sadly, that journalist is the least likely person to cover you right now. Your pitch is already too late. My journalist friends tell me that they get messages like this all the time, “If they could have emailed me three weeks ago, this would’ve been a perfect fit.”
Of course. You’re not clairvoyant, so how could you have known?
One way to get around this challenge is do a little digging on your competitors when you are building your rolodex. Look at where they’ve been featured and which reporters are quoting them. Then reach out to those journalists — not with a pitch, but with an intro. Let them know who you are, what you do, and what topics you can speak to. Offer yourself as a resource.
Even better? Share a quick thought on the piece they just wrote — something smart, relevant, and helpful. You’re not angling for a quote right away. You’re showing them you know your stuff. That way, when they’re working on their next story, you’re already on their radar.
Spotlight Communications, LLC 