Catching a media moment before your motivation runs out
Pitching to the press and getting media coverage is one of those things you know you should do, like flossing and wearing sunscreen every day, but actually doing it can feel overwhelming. Good news: pitching to the press isn’t as terrifying as it sounds. Journalists aren’t like villagers with pitch forks (unless they don’t like you!), but if you do want to get in their good books, it’s handy to know these three things:
- What you’re even supposed to write about
- Who might pretend to care if you bribe them with a good angle
- How to spot an opportunity before it dies of old age
Let’s break it down before you spiral, or give up and go back to doomscrolling.
First, is it actually news? Or is it just news to you?
Before you fire off your ‘exciting update’ about moving offices or a new stapler, stop. Just because something is interesting to you doesn’t mean the rest of the world (or the journalist you’re about to annoy) will care.
When deciding what to pitch, ask yourself:
- Is this relevant right now?
- Would a stranger give a damn?
- Does it connect to something bigger happening in the world?
If you’re a small business, local press and niche industry sites are your sweet spot. (CNN is not waiting breathlessly for your candle launch, sorry.) Big brands? You’ve got a shot at national. Everyone else? Stay in your lane.
How to make friends with journalists without being weird about it
Journalists get hundreds of pitches a day. They’re not ignoring you on purpose. They’re just busy doing the jobs of five people. Most media pitches are atrocious (true story). Be better.
Know who you’re pitching to.
- Read what they actually write about
- Be relevant. Don’t send your fitness app launch to a tech critic who only covers AI doomsday pieces.
- Follow them, engage like a normal human (not a LinkedIn stalker)
When you pitch to the press
- Do make it about how you can help them. (They need it!)
- Don’t make it about your desperate need for attention. (They’ll know.)
Pro Tip | If you build a real relationship before you need something, you’ll look less like a media-hungry goblin later. Most media teams are running on caffeine, fumes and one overworked editorial assistant. Befriend them, not only do they become your inside man, but they’ll rise up the ranks and be the big boss one day. Bide your time and play the long game.
How to find media opportunities while avoiding a meltdown
Don’t just sit there manifesting coverage. Go find it.
- Search #journorequest on social media (yes, Twitter is still useful for something).
- Use media request services like HARO or ResponseSource.
- Offer yourself up as a
sacrificesource when journalists are actively looking for people like you.
You get Bonus Points if you can offer a spicy take that bucks the status quo. Journalists love a good ‘Expert slams industry nonsense’ headline. Clickbait gold. Winner.
Writing a press release that doesn’t make editors cry into their coffee
Here’s the deal:
- Keep it short. One page max.
- Nail the headline. If it doesn’t make sense immediately, it’s DOA (dead on arrival).
- Lead with the good stuff: who, what, when, where, why and how. First paragraph, no exceptions.
- Structure it like a news story, not dairy entry. (Editors will cull with sheer abandon from the final full stop to fit their word count – consider yourselves warned.)
- Include a strong, hi-res image unless you want your email to be immediately deleted. A great image might carry the whole story – it’s been known to happen.
Ugh, fine. If you absolutely must include extra info, because your story has, like, layers to it. (Yeh, we know, there’s always a bit of a back story.) Shove it into a ‘Notes to Editor’ section. Do it neatly. Quietly. And don’t expect them to read it. They probably won’t.
Make it stupidly easy to cover you
Have a media kit on your website. Don’t argue. Just do it.
It needs to include:
- Hi-res images
- Short, punchy bios
- Contact info
- Past press coverage to prove you’re not a total amateur
Journalists are lazy busy. If you make them work too hard to feature you, they WILL just feature someone else. Probably either someone annoying or your arch nemesis. Can you live with that?
