Effective Media Relations: 10 Pitching Best Practices
My foray into media relations was back in 2013. Part of my job was finding spokespeople for photo ops and approving press releases mentioning our not-for-profit’s corporate partners. News cycles and what constitutes media has changed a lot in the last 10 years. Yet, a well-timed, well-told story still plays an important role in any communications strategy.
What follows in this article is how I approach building a multi-channel communications strategy and 10 best practices for pitching to help you secure the earned media you want. It's for professionals working in public relations (PR) and media relations, whether you're in-house or handling clients.
The Role of PR and Media Relations
PR manages how people perceive and talk about a brand. Done well, PR shapes public image, builds credibility, and generates demand. PR pros achieve this by focusing on a core set of key messages and sharing stories across channels like the company website, newsletters, social media, events, and more. This might seem repetitive, but it’s strategic – consistency is an integral part of branding.
Media relations is a subset of PR. If PR shapes the story, media relations is a megaphone. Media relations focuses on one key channel: the press. You pitch story angles to producers, editors, and reporters with the goal of securing coverage (without paying through advertising). Media relations isn’t about getting reporters to write a story your way. Rather, it’s about providing what they need to write for their audience.
Making Your Story Count in the Media
The lifeblood of the media industry is good stories. Your ability to earn media coverage for the company you work or your clients for depends on conveying why your story matters. It might matter because of who you are (your platform and credibility), but most people can’t rely on reputation alone. Then it comes down to what you say and how you say it.
If you want to secure top-tier national coverage, you need to find something interesting to say beyond company updates with no clear tie-in to broader news. How risky are you willing to be? There’s no right or wrong answer, but your job is to find a balance between what might spark attention and what’s appropriate, and decide when to share it. In other words, you must advise your clients or company on what’s newsworthy. News is information about recent events or developments that’s timely, relevant, significant, and of interest to the public.
Partnerships, awards, and product launches are great for company morale, but typically stand little chance of standalone coverage. Though, it’s possible to frame an announcement or piece of information in a way that’s part of a larger trend, theme, or event for a higher chance of getting picked up. Here are some ideas:
Use data or polling from your business to say something interesting about the marketplace;
Personify your announcement with someone who experiences the impact of your news; and
Stand out with an interesting media kit.
Even still, a strong pitch doesn’t guarantee coverage. Think about it: an outlet’s mandate is to deliver information that matters to its audience. A good editor won’t run a story that’s of no interest to anyone other than those at your company. This applies whether you have a relationship with the reporter or not. This is why having a Rolodex of media contacts isn’t the be all and end all.
The hook is the value you’re bringing to the audience. If you can’t come up with a hook, or even a proposed headline, then you probably have a topic, not a story.
If I don’t think there’s a newsworthy angle, I recommend other tactics. It’s a missed opportunity not to look at other PR channels. Your audience can be both your best advocates and biggest detractors depending on how you communicate with them, and owned and shared channels are great for distributing announcements.
The Hidden Value of Press Releases in Brand Communication
There was a time when people thought every big announcement warranted a press release. With news more and more online, people debate its relevance. Though, there’s more to a press release than making an announcement. It’s an opportunity to support SEO efforts (a topic that may be more passé than the press release), generate backlinks, and drive referral traffic.
A press release can be a jumping-off point for a content campaign that spans customer testimonials, blog posts, social media posts, and email marketing. It can also be a way for the sales team to engage leads and customers.
While I’m selective about what I pitch, and I won’t put everything out on the newswire, what I’m saying is I think press releases are still important for reasons unrelated to the media. I think it’s a format that still works in a channel strategy, regardless of whether it gets picked up.
Posting press releases (or release-style news announcements) on your company website creates a repository of information and messaging that you control and can point people to through your own channels. Posting them on your website regularly also creates a narrative of what you’re up to that can be helpful when reporters do come looking.
Having said that, I’ll continue to focus on earned media because I think it’s the most misunderstood. Let’s dive in.
10 Media Relations Pitching Best Practices
Know your industry - Knowing your industry helps you to make the most of new developments. Having your finger on the pulse of reactive news, whether it’s a regulatory change, new technology, or new consumer behaviour trend, can help establish you as a thought leader and drive brand awareness-focused campaigns. Knowing your industry also helps you pinpoint which outlets, reporters, and influencers to target. Tip: Set up Google Alerts for industry-related keywords and the types of stories you want to be the first to know about.
Understand the media - Each outlet has its own focus, audience, and style. Some are all about national breaking news, while others focus on analysis or feature long-form storytelling. The ability to spot potential stories goes hand in hand with reading the news. How can you craft effective pitches if you don’t know what journalists are covering, what the hot topics are, or where the conversations are heading? Tip: A press release for a niche or trade publication can include more industry jargon and acronyms than one for the mass market.
Tailor each pitch - Researching outlets is a start, but selecting the right reporters and journalists is even more important. Do your homework and look for opportunities to engage with writers on relevant topics by following their LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), and Substack. Build relationships, not just transactions. If you don’t know who you’re pitching to, your pitch could end up in the wrong inbox, or worse, the trash.
Nail the timing - The timing of a pitch can make a big difference in whether it’s noticed. If a national story is dominating the media, hold off otherwise your message, email, or press release may be buried. You can piggyback off national days, regulatory or legislative changes, or industry events to give your company’s profile a boost, but use discretion when it comes to a crisis – you don’t want to be perceived as an opportunist. Tip: The need for good timing doesn’t stop at the pitch. Confirm the segment in an incredibly timely manner. Not real world timely manner, news world timely manner.
Choose the right spokespeople - Identifying spokespeople means picking people who can effectively represent your brand and communicate its messages. Look for people with deep knowledge about key aspects of the business, including industry trends, products, and services. To be seen as an authority, they should be articulate, engaging, and comfortable with public speaking. Tip: Different spokespeople might be better suited for different types of media.
Train spokespeople - Annual internal training or support from a third party is ideal. It’s helpful to hone skills ahead of time instead of doing it on the fly. However, I work at a startup and I know how these things go. At the very least, prepare approved key messages. Tip: Instead of asking to see a journalist’s interview questions in advance, try this: “Can you help give me an idea of what topics you want to address?” This works best when it’s something the reporter has reached out to you about – if you ask about this in response to something you’ve pitched, they’re going to say that they’re going to ask questions in the realm of what you’ve pitched.
Craft a compelling pitch - I’ve included an example below, but my go-to format includes a:
Clear subject line - Be concise, not clever
Short, personalized message
One-sentence pitch - Cover the “five Ws”
Clear offer
Contact number
If you’re including a press release, you can put the content in the body of the email rather than an attachment, so the person doesn’t have to go clicking links to here, there, and everywhere.
Pitching a story about “yesterday’s news” won’t cut it, but there could be an opportunity for your expert to add to the conversation or share a different perspective. Wire services often update their stories as more information becomes available, so there could still be time to weigh in with expert commentary. Tip: Reporters will search their inbox when they’re looking for an expert opinion on a subject they’re writing about. If you do a good job of inserting the right keywords in your pitch you might still win a placement down the line.
Include media - Make your media kit a one-stop-shop for every asset needed to press “publish” – including high-resolution images (portrait and landscape). You can make your news stand out with rich content like graphics and videos. Include the copyright details for any media so the reporter doesn’t have to chase. I also like to put the credit in the picture file name so they send it off to the picture desk with even more ease. Tip: It's generally better to send a reporter a link to your media kit on your website rather than a PDF. A link is more convenient for reporters to access, especially if they’re on a mobile device.
Follow up thoughtfully - If you don’t hear back, one polite, brief follow-up can be effective. Offer additional information or a new angle without being pushy. If an editor or reporter says “no” accept it gracefully.
Be available and responsive – If a reporter shows interest, respond promptly and be available to provide additional information, interviews, or resources. Understand and respect their deadlines. Tip: If your spokesperson has limited availability, they’re not a good choice.
Pitch Template
Subject: Rise in balloon-related injuries
Hi Anna,
I hope you’re well. I’m reaching out on behalf of St. Joseph’s Health Centre, Canada’s leader in pediatric research. Admissions data in our report out today is showing a sharp rise in the number of balloon-related injuries, which could be related to the trend you profiled last week. See page 21 (link).
Our Medical Director, Doug Smith, is available to be interviewed on this topic between 9:00 am - 3:00 pm today (2nd) and tomorrow (3rd). Here’s Doug and the Chief of Pediatrics in our public awareness campaign we’re launching later this week (link).
Let me know if you’d like to discuss further.
Thanks,
Ellen
1-647-123-4567
Conclusion
As you can see, the essence of effective communication lies in understanding your industry, knowing your audience, and mastering the art of storytelling. As PR and media relations professionals, it's not just about pushing out content but strategically selecting the right spokespeople, crafting compelling pitches, and maintaining strong relationships with the media. By adhering to best practices, such as personalizing pitches, timing them well, and leveraging different PR channels, you ensure that your message not only reaches the right audience but also resonates with them.
In the end, the goal is clear: to tell stories that matter, in ways that matter, while adapting to the ever-changing media landscape.