The Art & Science of Media Pitches

Media pitches. What are they and how do you write them.

It’s a brief email, to a reporter, in an attempt to get a journalist/editor or media outlet interested in your news/story so that they decide to cover it. It’s that simple.

Media outlets receive hundreds of pitches daily and it’s essential to have a well structured and captivating pitch to be recognized.

My #toptips for writing media pitches:
‣ Have a strong, eye-catching email subject line
‣ Must be well written – be brief and to the point
‣ Tailor your pitch to the specific outlet
‣ Hook them with the reason/sweet spot of the interview. The what and the why. Use bullet points to make it even more succinct.
‣ CTA – make sure to suggest an interview with you, this is the most important part
‣ Always proofread – double, triple check the details

When & how often to follow up with media, on your pitch

Like anything, it’s all about timing. That perfect balance between nudging and annoying.

My advice:
‣ Hard breaking news – right away/within an hour
‣ Otherwise, allow 3-4 days from sending the original pitch, to follow up
‣ 2nd follow up – 1 week later
‣ 3rd follow up – 7-10 days after that. If you still don’t hear back – consider the pitch dead