Did you break the next great news story? Is your brand doing something really incredible that just needs to be shared with the world?
In this blog, our Digital PR Strategist, Lauren Roberts, will teach you how to pitch your story to the media. Review some really great story pitch examples that no editor could resist!
What You’ll Learn
- Core Elements of a Story Pitch
- Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Story Pitch
- 4 Examples of Effective Story Pitches
- 4 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Pitching
Our Expert Insights on Story Pitches
When you pitch your stories to the right outlets, it’s really amazing what can happen for your brand. Marrying a great digital PR campaign with an undeniable content marketing strategy is one of the best ways to get the attention your brand or business deserves. With so much content out in the world today, why not add your positive, relevant, and valuable information to the pile?
What Is a Story Pitch (and Why Does It Matter)?
A story pitch, also known as a media or journalism pitch, is a type of proposal that involves reaching out to journalists, editors, and other media outlets to sell a particular story angle explaining how a potential story could resonate with that outlet’s audience.
As MuckRack puts it, this pitch is “a concise, personalized message meant to spark a journalist’s interest.”
These pitches are different from press releases that businesses publish for wider outreach to audiences, often in the form of an announcement.
The best PR pitch examples of consumer and journalist outreach demonstrate how these pitches help build relationships with outlets and their respective communities while also boosting brand visibility through meaningful connections.
Core Elements of a Story Pitch
However, you can’t just give ideas to journalists willy nilly. If you want to grab their attention, you need to craft a well-written story pitch.
The first step in crafting an unforgettable pitch is understanding the core elements of a successful one. A great pitch will include:
- A great hook that captures the audience’s attention
- Undeniable relevance that shows how the story fits with the journalist’s beat and their target audience
- An example of timeliness and why it matters right now
- Immense value to the audience using unique insights, data, or angles
- Supporting material that helps establish your brand as a topical and industry authority
- Author attribution to appeal to Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines, specifically by demonstrating expertise
- A compelling call to action that encourages your audiences to connect with you for additional information or convert to leads
You can’t expect a journalist to care about your story just because you think they should. You have to show them why it matters and make them care.
Pre-Pitch Preparation: Research, Audience, and Timing
Now, let’s get more into how to write a media pitch with the right preparation. The following steps will make this process easier:
1. Understand the Journalist’s Beat and Recent Work
The first step to take is to get a feel for the journalist’s writing and the kind of stories they cover. Read past articles and see what kind of angle the journalist or publication goes for and figure out how your brand’s story can fit within that work based on topic, tone, and messaging.
2. Identify Audience Fit and Publication Priorities
You will also want to consider the target audience of that journalist and publication. Your story should reach people who fall within your target audience, especially a niche audience that you may not be able to reach as easily through other channels.
Think of it as a kind of influencer marketing, as your ideal audience might come to trust your brand more if they associate it with a journalist or outlet they follow.
In determining whether the audience is the right fit, try to identify the publication’s priorities to better align your journalism pitch to speak to them. For instance, the publication might focus on a particular common pain point among its audience that your business works to resolve.
3. Learn the News Cycle and Timing
If you decide that a publication or journalist is a good fit for your brand, try to figure out the best time to reach out with your pitch. Nailing the timing based on the news cycle can help you determine how to get an in and when to send your pitch to become a part of the next cycle.
4. Begin Angle Ideation and Brainstorm
When you’re ready to start actually producing your story pitch, take time to pinpoint the perfect angle and brainstorm various ideas.
There are plenty of ways to ensure your story fits into the publication and journalist’s beat, with example angles including:
- Newsjacking and tying your story to current events and trending searches
- Establishing your brand as a thought leader with data-driven stories featuring the latest statistics and reports
- Seasonal content connecting to a particular holiday or time of the year
- A local angle that helps your story connect with a specific community
5. Incorporate Links, Data, and Assets Inventory
For the purpose of building your network of backlinks, be sure to include a link to a page you want to boost in rankings, ideally with a good corresponding keyword as anchor text.
Also, include all data, including reports that your business has drafted, if applicable.
If you have an inventory of pre-approved assets for stories, it’s important to include these, such as images and branding elements you would like the story to include.
Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Story Pitch
Now that you understand what goes into it, let’s talk about how to write a pitch. This is the same step-by-step process that I use when I have an interesting story or press release to pitch to outside media outlets.
Step 1: Research the Journalist and Publication
We all hate unsolicited, irrelevant sales pitches, right? Journalists aren’t exempt from that feeling!
Instead of simply sending your pitch out to anyone with an email address, refer back to your research. Lean into what you’ve learned about the news cycle and angle ideation to help you get started.
When you’re ready to dive in, here’s four different ways you can get started:
- You can get down and dirty and do the research yourself with a good old-fashioned Google search.
- Hire an agency to pitch article ideas to journalists for you.
- Use online digital PR platforms like Prowly or Meltwater to connect you with journalists who might be interested in your story pitch.
- Enlist the help of online communities such as Connectively or Qwoted.
However you find the journalist and their publisher, be sure to take the time to personalize your outreach. Journalists receive pitches all of the time and can usually tell when you’re copying and pasting your heart out.
Step 2: Craft a Compelling Subject Line
Once you’ve found the right person to send it to, you have to get them to open your pitch email. That’s where creative subject lines come in!
Here are four ways to spark curiosity and relevance that will make it hard for your recipient to hit the trash button:
- Start with a provocative question. Something as simple as “Could this be the next Meta?” could get the attention of your selected audience.
- Offer exclusive insights. Try something like “I have the inside scoop on [SUBJECT]” or “Did you hear about this [NEWS]?”
- Add an unexpected element. This could be a surprising statistic or fact that is included in your story pitch. For example, 93% of journalists will ignore this headline!
- Align with current trends or events. This will make it obvious that your email needs to be opened immediately.
Step 3: Write a Strong Introduction
Gone are the days of starting an email with “Dear Journalist, I am so-and-so with X brand…” Journalists are reading so many pitches that you need to make yours stand out! Hook them from the start with a few incredibly written and well-crafted lines.
Step 4: Build the Story Angle
Cut the fluff! Get to the point and explain your angle clearly and concisely. Explain why your story matters to your reader and why you need to be the person to tell it.
Step 5: Provide Supporting Details and Data
No one likes a story without some facts! Be sure to add in relevant and supporting data, research, or a case study to strengthen your pitch and drive your point home.
Step 6: Call to Action
Once you’ve presented your sample story pitch, it’s time to give the next steps. Encourage the journalist to respond with questions or to request more details.
Keep that line of communication open to cultivate a positive, professional relationship with the journalist reading your pitches. They may not need this story, but you could be the first one they call for a similar one in the future!
7 Examples of Effective Story Pitches
So, now that you know how to pitch a story to an editor, do you want to see some story pitch examples? Here are some of my recent favorites!
Story Pitch Example 1: Trend-Based Pitch
Check out this pitch based on current events and trends:
Notice how they included a trend (modern day marriages) and tied in data to support their pitch? It proves the timeliness and the accuracy of their story.
Story Pitch Example 2: Data-Driven Pitch
Remember when we talked about supporting your pitch with numbers and data? Here’s a great example of a data-driven pitch from Theresa Bass.
Notice how the letter includes the statistics to back up their story in a clear and concise way. It gets the point across without overwhelming the reader with lots of numbers and data.
Story Pitch Example 3: Human Interest Pitch
Who doesn’t love a great human interest story? Whether it’s an uplifting community story or a behind-the-scenes look at an important situation, journalists love to tell the stories of everyday people.
In this story pitch example, this writer told the journalist exactly what the story was about and why it mattered. She also provided examples of her work, which helps to show why she is the right person to tell this story.
Story Pitch Example 4: Product Launch Pitch
One of the best times to seek attention and publicity is during a big product launch.
In this story pitch example, the writer jumps right into the story – the launch of their new outdoor dining area. She explains why the journalist might be interested in the story and shares a strong CTA – “Feel free to give me a call so we can schedule a time to meet.”
It’s clear, to the point, and shows why the journalist should be interested in the story.
Story Pitch Example 5: “Short and Sweet” Pitch
The following is one of the best PR pitch examples for consumer connection, as it shows that you can build a relationship without saying too much.
Forbes contributing writer Sujan Patel has received many pitches over the years, but this one stood out in particular:
According to Sujan, this pitch “included enough information to pique my interest, but was short and sweet enough to retain my attention. It also included a clear call to action.”
Story Pitch Example 6: The Perfect Value Proposition
Some of the best examples of media pitches focus on a value proposition that illustrates what’s in it for the journalist and their audience.
This public relations pitch example from a Senior PR Coordinator, Mary Brynn Millburn, shows how you can position yourself as an industry leader and expert in your pitch based on previous experience.
It also opens up the floor for the proposer to serve as an expert on any relevant article that might come about in the future.
Story Pitch Example 7: Support With a Report
Another media pitch email example that provides rich data with a comprehensive report is the following:
This sample email pitch to an editor from Content Marketing Promotions Specialist Matthew Zajechowski incorporates data in a survey to supplement the pitch, clearly demonstrating expertise and research that could contribute to a story.
Pitch Follow-Up Strategy and Cadence
After making a story or journalism pitch, follow-up is important to help secure the relationship and story with the journalist and publication.
To begin, follow up with another email within two to four days of the initial pitch. If you don’t hear back within a couple of days after this follow-up, send one last one as the final email.
In your follow-up emails, get the tone right and incorporate brevity, staying polite and direct while reinforcing the value your story will bring to the publication.
Keep your follow-up shorter than the initial pitch, as short as a few sentences and potentially adding new information along with a quick reminder.
Consider this sample email pitch to an editor after an original pitch, which includes a brief and friendly reminder to serve as a kind of gentle “nudge:”
4 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Pitching
Now that you’re more familiar with how to pitch your story to the media, let’s talk about what not to do. Avoiding these common mistakes will help you get your story out in the world.
- Don’t overwhelm the journalist. Sometimes, too much information is not a good thing. Give them exactly enough to understand the story, why it matters, and how to move forward.
- Don’t send generic, mass pitches. Journalists get a lot of pitches every day. They can sniff out a generic pitch a mile away. If you’re shopping your story to everyone with an email address, why would they want to engage with this non-exclusive content?
- Don’t ignore the journalist’s beat or previous work. Typically, journalists specialize in a particular subject or beat. Make sure that your pitch aligns with their work. Sending a pitch about voting in Minnesota to a Philly food magazine just wastes everyone’s time.
- Don’t skip following up. There’s no shame in following up. Journalists are busy people and their inboxes are super full! It might very well be that they didn’t see your message. As you craft your follow-up, do it properly and be polite so you don’t overwhelm the journalist or overstay your welcome in their inbox.
Frequently Asked Questions About Story Pitches
1. What is a story pitch?
A story or journalism pitch is a specific and concise narrative with the goal of persuading journalists, media, and customers to connect emotionally with a brand message, idea, or product.
2. How do you write a story pitch?
When writing a story pitch, you should research the journalist and respective publication to get a feel for what kind of outreach would work best, develop a compelling subject line for pitching a reporter based on an article from that publication, and write a strong pitch complete with an introduction and a call to action.
3. What makes a good story pitch?
Good story pitch examples feature a strong introduction that hooks the audience, relevance that connects the story with the journalist and the target audience, an example of timeliness and why the story matters, and clear value to the audience with angles and data.
4. What are some examples of effective story pitches?
There are plenty of great media pitch examples out there, such as:
- Offering a behind-the-scenes look at a company
- Proposing a relevant report that establishes you as an industry thought leader
- Pitching an emotional story about a connection you made with a customer through your offerings
5. How long should a story pitch be?
In most cases, story pitches are not very long, keeping things short and sweet at around 100 to 200 words.
Improve Your Digital PR with Ignite Visibility
Whether you’re looking to share the results of your recent study or share news of your latest product launch, Ignite Visibility’s expert Digital PR department can help you do it right!
Thousands of businesses across the United States have trusted our Digital PR experts to:
Connect them with media outlets and bloggers
Handle their media outreach and relations
Pitch stories and content to journalists and editors
And more!
Are you ready to harness the power of story pitches and rock-solid digital PR?
Request a free proposal today!
