Spotlight Communications, LLC

If you’re trying to land a quote in a journalist’s story, it’s critical to stop thinking like a publicist—and start thinking like a journalist on deadline.

One reporter explained it to me this way: When they’re racing to meet a deadline while having to sort through hundreds of pitches in the hopes of finding a quote they can use, they don’t have time to read background or justification for why someone should be quoted. They just want the quote itself. Anything that slows them down or forces them to dig for the key takeaway works against you.

Journalists Are Skimming at 70 MPH

Think of your pitch like a billboard on the highway, and the journalists are driving by at a speed of more than 70 miles per hour. They are flying through messages, eyes darting for what they need right now. If your quote or expert insight isn’t instantly visible, you need to rethink your pitching strategy.

Most people pitch this way:

“Dr. Sarah Jennings is a best-selling author, thought leader, and professor at Stanford University. She specializes in the intersection of neuroscience and decision-making. Here’s what she has to say about the topic…”

Here’s why it doesn’t work: While you or your client may have a great credential, the reporter doesn’t care about who Dr. Jennings is, at least not yet. They just need to know what insight she has to offer.

When I first started pitching, I made the same mistake of thinking that I need to front load my client’s credential in order for the reporter to take them seriously.

Instead, flip it. Give the reporter the thing that’s most valuable first. Prop your expert up second.

“When people are under stress, their brains stop weighing long-term consequences—this is why poor decisions spike during economic downturns,” says Dr. Sarah Jennings, a professor at Stanford who studies the intersection of neuroscience and decision-making.

Bonus Tip: Format It Like a Journalist Would Use It

Journalists want to copy/paste. If your quote is already formatted in the way it would appear in an article, that’s a win. No parentheses. No awkward intros. Just a clean, usable quote followed by the name, title, and a link for reference if needed.

TAKEAWAY!

• Use the 2-second rule. If the key quote isn’t instantly visible, it’s buried.
• Lead with the quote. Credentials can come after.
• Think like a journalist, not a marketer. Help them use you, don’t try to sell you.
• Formatting matters. Clean, copy/paste-ready quotes win.

Remember: journalists are juggling deadlines and an avalanche of email. Make their job easier, and you’ll increase your chances of being quoted in print.