Crafting a Winning Media Pitch Example: Best Practices for 2024
In today’s fast-paced media landscape, capturing a journalist’s attention and securing media coverage is more challenging than ever. How can you create a winning media pitch that stands out among the crowd? With the right strategy, a well-crafted media pitch example can help increase your brand visibility and engage new customers. In this blog post, we will explore best practices for crafting a successful media pitch in 2024, from understanding the key elements to building relationships with journalists and measuring the success of your efforts.
Short Summary
Media pitches are essential for businesses and PR professionals to gain media coverage in 2023.
To ensure a successful pitch, focus on newsworthiness, relevance, personalization & conciseness when crafting the story.
Track both quantitative & qualitative metrics to measure success of your pitching efforts.
The Importance of Media Pitches in 2023
The importance of a great media pitch cannot be overstated in 2023. With a rapidly-changing media landscape, media pitches remain indispensable for businesses to attain coverage, augment brand visibility, and captivate new customers.
A well-crafted media pitch can make the difference between a journalist covering your story and your email ending up in the trash folder. By learning how to write a media pitch effectively, you can increase your chances of making a lasting impression on journalists and securing valuable coverage.
Key Elements of a Successful Media Pitch
To create an great media pitch, it is crucial to focus on four key elements: newsworthiness, relevance, personalization, and conciseness. By incorporating these components into your pitch, you can capture the attention of journalists and increase the likelihood of coverage.
In the following sections, we will delve deeper into each of these elements and provide tips on how to effectively implement them in your media pitching efforts.
Newsworthiness
Newsworthiness is the backbone of a great media pitch. Journalists are constantly on the lookout for timely, interesting, and unique stories that appeal to their audience. To ensure your story is newsworthy, consider factors such as timing, proximity, significance, human interest, conflict, novelty, and impact. Moreover, avoid pitching stories based solely on the existence of a company or the presence of a CEO in a particular area, as these factors do not contribute to a story’s newsworthiness.
When crafting your pitch, connect your story to relevant news pegs or current events that journalists are covering. This not only demonstrates your understanding of the journalist’s beat, but also shows that your story is timely and relevant. By focusing on newsworthiness, you increase the chances of journalists deeming your news story worthy of coverage and ultimately improve the success of your media pitch.
Relevance
Relevance is another crucial element of a well-written pitch. Researching journalists’ interests and recent coverage helps ensure your pitch aligns with their needs and provides value to their audience. By pitching relevant media contacts, you can tailor your story to the journalist’s beat and increase the chances of coverage.
To make your media pitch relevant, consider leveraging current events or trending topics that are related to your story. This can help expedite the journalist’s research process and make your pitch more appealing. By focusing on relevance, you can improve the overall effectiveness of your media pitching strategies and increase your chances of success.
Personalization
Personalization plays a significant role in creating a lasting impression and setting your media pitch apart from the countless generic email blasts journalists receive every day. Addressing the journalist by name and tailoring the pitch to their interests can make a world of difference.
To personalize your pitch email, familiarize yourself with the outlet or journalist’s beat, conduct research on their previous pieces, and grasp their writing style. Compose several variations of the story that emphasize what is most relevant to the outlet, and consider mentioning a recent article they published that could be related to your pitch’s topic.
Remember, a personalized PR pitch is more likely to capture the journalist’s attention and increase your chances of coverage, compared to a cold pitch. Crafting a fruitful pitch can make all the difference in getting your story noticed.
Conciseness
Journalists are busy people, which is why conciseness is an essential component of any pitch. Keeping it short and to the point, ideally between 100-200 words, demonstrates respect for the journalist’s time and ensures ease of readability.
When crafting your pitch, focus on providing a clear value proposition and a brief description of your story, while avoiding excessive jargon or unnecessary details. Remember, your goal is to pique the journalist’s interest and provide key insights that make them want to learn more.
By maintaining conciseness in your media pitch, you can improve your chances of capturing the journalist’s attention and securing valuable press coverage from a media outlet with a well-crafted press release.
Crafting an Engaging Subject Line
The subject line is often the deciding factor for journalists when determining whether to open an email or send it straight to the trash folder. Crafting an engaging subject line is a crucial step for capturing the journalist’s attention and encouraging them to read your media pitch.
To create a clear, concise, and intriguing subject line, consider what would immediately grab the journalist’s attention and pique their curiosity. Keep it relevant to the journalist’s recent coverage and use persuasive language that entices them to learn more about your story.
By crafting your email pitch a killer subject line, you increase the chances of journalists opening your pitch email and considering your pitch for coverage.
Building Relationships with Journalists
Establishing long-term connections with journalists and regional outlets is vital for PR professionals to ensure ongoing coverage and boost the likelihood of successful pitches. Building relationships with journalists can be achieved through engaging with their work on social media, attending relevant events, and being responsive to their needs.
By nurturing these relationships, you not only increase the chances of your current pitch being considered, but also lay the groundwork for future pitching opportunities. Remember, a strong connection with a journalist can lead to more successful pitching, increased coverage, and a mutually beneficial partnership for both parties.
Media Pitch Examples and Templates
Utilizing proven media pitch template and real-life media pitch examples can help you craft compelling pitches that resonate with journalists and increase your chances of coverage. Studying successful media pitches (and their subject lines) can provide valuable insights into what works and what doesn’t, allowing you to refine your approach and tailor your pitch accordingly.
Here are several real-world pitch examples that we used at Salient PR to generate interest from media including Forbes, Fortune, Business Insider, and more.
PR Pitch: The Executive Profile
Pitch subject line: How a 27yr old tester-turned-CEO is solving diversity in tech
XXXXXX,
Kristel Kruustük was just 23 when she became disillusioned by how QA testers were treated. She came up with the idea of building a platform that would appreciate the work of testers and elevate the importance of QA within organizations. She shared her idea with then-boyfriend, later-cofounder, now-husband Marko Kruustük and the two entered the world’s largest hackathon Angelhack. Together, they took home first place winning a $25,000 seed investment and their first paying customer.
Profitable from the get-go, Testlio picked up steam with customers like Microsoft, Lyft, Salesforce, CBS Interactive, Flipboard, Strava, and GoDaddy. Most strikingly for a tech company - over 50% of its employees are women and minorities. The diversity reflects their fearless leader who believes her company is in a unique position to make progress on diversity by hiring globally. Testlio’s freelancer network is made up of over 150 testers from 33 different countries assisting customers in 36 different languages. Additionally, in an attempt to eliminate institutional bias the company’s hiring practice involves a rigorous practice test cycle that eliminates 97% of all applicants and ensures talent wins out.
Today, Testlio’s leadership team is over 40% women and Kristel believes they will have parity soon. Their culture is truly global - hundreds of testers live comfortably working when and where they want and for some, Testlio has changed their lives forever. For example, one of the best QA testers in Ukraine was able to earn enough money on Testlio’s platform to leave the warzone currently raging in his country.
Recognized as “one of the most successful female entrepreneurs in the the Baltics”, Kristel is someone I thought you might want to connect with given your expertise and regular commentary on women in tech.
Best,
Justin
About Testlio
Testlio helps enterprises deliver amazing customer experiences by providing a community of highly vetted testers and an end-to-end QA management platform.
Testlio handles QA for many successful companies including Microsoft, Lyft, Salesforce, CBS Interactive, Flipboard, Strava, OfferUp, Voxer, and GoDaddy
Any location, any device, ready by Monday 9am. Testlio works around the clock to get results in 48 hours. Customers hit the ground running on Monday morning.
PR Pitch: The Company Profile
Pitch subject line: Fixing the gig economy
Barry,
Government and union workers get pensions. Startups dish out equity. Public companies grant RSUs. Many companies offer 401K matching. Freelancers… freelancers are the only group with nothing for their financial future. By 2020, it’s estimated that more than 40% of the American workforce, or 60 million people (up from 15M in 2015), will be independent workers—freelancers, contractors, and temporary employees. The workforce is changing rapidly and as someone interested in the future of work and gig economy, I thought you might be up for how one company is tackling it.
Gigster - a platform that connects companies with top software developers - just announced a new take on the freelance economy with Gigster Fund. It provides freelancers with equity in Gigster itself and in the companies they consult on. Gigster fund grows over time and when a liquidity event occurs (IPO, acquisition), Gigster freelancers get paid. Gigster Fund, which is the first of its kind, aims to give digital nomads access to the same financial peace of mind provided to other types of employees. We believe this is the first time that anyone has tried something like this for freelancers.
Let me know if you’d be up for a chat with their CEO to learn more.
Best,
Justin
About Gigster
YC graduate led by Roger Dickey, former CEO of Mafia Wars and backed by investors like Andreessen Horowitz, Greylock Partners, Bloomberg Beta & Ashton Kutcher
Connects companies to elite development teams from Stanford, MIT, FB, Google, Pinterest and more to build apps and products with no hassle or bureaucracy
AI-based platform helps freelancer developers work more efficiently, allowing them to take on more work and make more money
PR Pitch: The Product Launch
Pitch subject line: This Company Is Hacking Your Brain To Get You Better, Faster, Stronger
Hi Timothy,
We’ve all heard the myth that we only use 10% of our brain. But what if I were to tell you that you really could unlock the full power of your brain just by wearing a headset for twenty minutes? As someone who covers the world changing ideas I thought you might be interested in hearing about an emerging technology that has the potential to become one of the most meaningful developments in the next hundred years.
It’s called neuropriming and it involves using gentle electrical pulses to encourage the brain to form new pathways. The U.S. military is actively using it to train snipers and pilots 50% faster. Doctors are using it help people recover from chronic pain and neurological disorders like epilepsy. The company I’m working with (Halo Neuroscience) was started by a neuroscientist from Stanford who found a way to put neuropriming into a consumer headset for athletes.
The results are impressive. On average Halo is shown to increase learning by 50% and overall performance by 10%. The United States Olympic Ski & Snowboard association used Halo and saw a 1.7X increase in performance with their athletes. Pro athletes everywhere from the NFL combine to MLB teams are using Halo to improve their game. Halo released a limited-run of their consumer headsets shipping this fall and they are gearing up to announce a general availability preorder date this fall.
Neuropriming is set to change the world of fitness, medicine, health, and sports. Halo is already working with some of the nation’s top hospitals on researching the use of their technology to accelerate the rate of recovery in stroke patients. Further down the road Halo plans to release a model to improve memory and hopefully aid alzheimer's patients. This technology is the future and Halo’s CEO Dr. Daniel Chao is at the forefront of building what that looks like.
They are gearing up for a the next major consumer release in the next couple weeks. Let me know if I can set you up with an intro to Daniel if you’re interested in learning more about Halo and what they’re doing.
Best,
Justin
In summary, when crafting an effective media pitch, consider incorporating elements from successful templates and examples above to ensure your very next media pitch is engaging, informative, and persuasive. By doing so, you can improve the overall effectiveness of your media pitching efforts and increase the likelihood of securing an article written about your company.
Follow Up on Your Media Pitch
Following up on your media pitch is an important aspect of the pitching process. Journalists often receive numerous pitches daily, and it’s possible that your email may have been overlooked or forgotten. To increase the chances of your pitch being considered, follow up professionally and respectfully, providing contact details and additional information if needed.
Utilize outreach tools to track your open rates and monitor the results of your media pitches. By employing an organized and consistent follow-up process, you can improve the success of your PR strategy and maintain strong relationships with journalists.
Common Media Pitch Mistakes to Avoid
Avoiding common media pitch mistakes can significantly increase your chances of success. Some of the most common errors include sending mass pitch emails out, targeting the wrong journalist, or pitching irrelevant stories. i.e Don’t pitch someone who covers enterprise software a story about crypto & web3. By steering clear of these mistakes, you can improve the overall effectiveness of your media pitch and increase your chances of securing valuable coverage.
Take the time to research journalists and their interests, tailor your pitch to their beat, and ensure your story is newsworthy and relevant. By doing so, you can stand out from the myriad of other pitches that journalists receive daily and improve the likelihood of your pitch being considered for coverage.
Measuring the Success of Your Media Pitches
Monitoring the results of your media pitch is crucial for refining your strategy and improving your pitching efforts over time. By tracking coverage, backlinks, and audience engagement, you can gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of your media pitch and make informed adjustments to your approach.
In addition to tracking quantitative metrics, consider gathering qualitative feedback from journalists to better understand their needs and preferences. This information can help you fine-tune your pitch and increase your chances of securing valuable coverage in the future.
Summary
In conclusion, crafting a winning media pitch in 2023 requires a strategic approach that focuses on newsworthiness, relevance, personalization, and conciseness. By building relationships with journalists, utilizing proven templates and examples, and avoiding common mistakes, you can increase your chances of securing valuable coverage. Remember to measure the success of your pitches and continually refine your strategy to improve your public relations efforts and boost your brand visibility in the ever-evolving media landscape.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a media pitch?
A media pitch is a concise summary of your product or idea sent to journalists for potential coverage. It should be no longer than one paragraph, providing all the necessary details about your story.
The key to an effective pitch letter is to make sure it is clear, concise, and compelling. You should include the most important facts and figures, as well as a call to action.
How do you write pitch letters that media will actually to read?
To write a successful pitch letter, start by doing research and making an authentic connection with the reader. Follow this up with crafting a synopsis of your product or service, then writing a standout bio and closing with a show-stopping subject line.
End your pitch letter by thanking the reader and reiterating your call to action.
What are the key elements of a great media pitch?
A pitch email should contain newsworthiness, relevance to the target journalist's audience, personalization, and conciseness for maximum impact.
These elements should be carefully considered when crafting a pitch to ensure that it stands out and resonates with the intended audience.
Newsworthiness is the most important factor to consider when creating a media pitch. It is.
The second most important factor is personalized pitches. You should know the reporter well enough to open your email with a personalized conversation starter rather than a throwaway generic line.
Great PR pitches are always longer than one or two sentences. If you want a reporter to write a feature article you need to consider if what you're sending is truly a big news story or not.
Keep in mind the journalist's readers. You're unlikely to get a media outlet interested otherwise.
What are some common media pitch mistakes to avoid?
Avoid mistakes like sending mass emails, cold pitches, targeting the wrong journalist, and pitching irrelevant stories.
Don't send a follow up email containing your press release without first getting interest from the reporter. Public relations professionals should immediately recognize when to send a full press release or when a follow up message is more appropriate.
Make sure you have the right media contact for the media outlets that you are targeting. Check their social platforms if you aren't sure. And always use your media list!
How can I measure the success of my media pitches?
Monitor the success of your pr outreach by keeping track of coverage, backlinks, and audience engagement. Regularly review this data to refine your strategy and maximize the impact of your future media pitches.
By tracking the success of your media pitches, you can gain valuable insights into what works and what doesn’t. This data can be used to inform your future pitches and ensure that they are successful.
Curious to learn more about how Salient PR can elevate your public relations? Visit our website to explore our services and success stories.
