You’ve written the book, built the company, and become an expert in your field. So why does it feel like you’re shouting into the void? The truth is, having a great story isn’t enough; you have to get it in front of the right people. Many brilliant founders and authors I work with feel frustrated by the media, seeing it as an exclusive club they can’t get into. But it’s not about secret handshakes. It’s about strategy. Learning how to get media coverage is a skill, and like any skill, it can be broken down into clear, actionable steps. This guide will walk you through the exact process we use to land our clients in top-tier publications, turning their expertise into headlines.
Key Takeaways
- Strategy First, Pitching Second: Prepare for success by defining clear goals, building a comprehensive press kit, and creating a targeted list of media contacts before you ever send an email.
- Frame Your Pitch as a Story: Earn a journalist’s attention by shifting your focus from self-promotion to storytelling. Identify a newsworthy angle, personalize your outreach, and make it incredibly easy for them to cover you.
- Cultivate Relationships for Lasting Impact: Transform one-time media hits into a sustainable presence by becoming a trusted expert source. Nurture your connections, provide ongoing value, and consistently track your results to refine your approach.
What Makes a Story Newsworthy?
Before you can dream of seeing your name in headlines, you need to get honest about what makes a story worth telling. The hard truth is that your new product launch or company milestone, while exciting for you, isn’t automatically interesting to the rest of the world. To capture a journalist’s attention, your story needs to have at least one of the core elements of newsworthiness. Think of it as a checklist for your idea: Is it timely and connected to a current event? Does it have a significant impact on a large group of people? Is it unusual, surprising, or a first of its kind? Does it have a strong human-interest element that can teach or inspire?
A story with real impact might be new data that affects an entire industry, while a story with human interest could be the personal journey behind your company’s mission. Timeliness means linking your story to a season, a holiday, or a trending conversation. The unusual or surprising element is what makes people stop and say, “Wow, I didn’t know that.” The goal is to shift your perspective from “this is what I want to promote” to “this is a story their audience will care about.” The press isn’t here to give you free advertising; you have to earn their attention by offering something of genuine value. When you can frame your announcement through the lens of what makes it relevant to the public, you’re no longer just promoting yourself—you’re contributing to a larger conversation.
What Do Journalists Actually Want?
Let’s be direct: journalists want compelling stories that will resonate with their readers. They are gatekeepers for their audience, and their primary job is to inform, entertain, and engage the people who trust their publication. They are also incredibly busy, often receiving hundreds of pitches a day. Your pitch needs to stand out by making their job easier.
This means providing a story, not just an announcement. They aren’t looking for a sales pitch; they’re looking for a narrative with a clear hook, interesting characters, and relevance to their beat. When you craft your pitch, show that you understand their work and respect their time by giving them something that feels like a discovery, not an obligation.
Find Your Media-Worthy Angle
Every business has a story, but it’s rarely the business itself. You have to dig deeper to find the specific, newsworthy angle that will hook a reporter. For example, the existence of your company isn’t a story. But a program your company runs to provide tech skills to underserved youth? That’s a story. Releasing a new book isn’t a story on its own. But the groundbreaking research inside that book that challenges a long-held industry belief? Now that’s a story.
Think about what makes you unique. Do you have proprietary data that reveals a surprising trend? Do you have a strong, contrarian opinion on a topic everyone is talking about? Finding your angle is about isolating the most compelling and human part of your work and putting it front and center.
Get Your Timing Right
A brilliant story can get completely lost if the timing is wrong. Pitching your news during a major global event, a national holiday, or on a Friday afternoon is a surefire way to get ignored. Pay attention to the news cycle. Is there a larger conversation happening that your story can contribute to? Tying your pitch to a current event or a trending topic—a practice known as newsjacking—can make it feel more urgent and relevant.
Conversely, be mindful of what’s happening in the world and in your industry. If your main competitor just announced a massive layoff, it might not be the best day to pitch a story about your record-breaking profits. Strategic timing shows that you’re not just self-promotional but also a savvy and considerate source.
Build Your Media Strategy
Before you even think about writing a pitch, you need a game plan. Sending out emails to random journalists without a clear strategy is like throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks—it’s messy, inefficient, and rarely gets you the results you want. A solid media strategy is your foundation. It shows journalists you’re a professional who respects their time, and it ensures every piece of coverage you earn actually helps you meet your goals. Think of it as your roadmap to getting seen and heard by the right people.
Building this strategy involves a few key steps. First, you need to get your house in order by creating a comprehensive press kit and polishing your online presence. This is your professional storefront, and it needs to be ready for visitors. Next, you have to define what you’re trying to achieve. Are you launching a book, building your personal brand, or attracting investors? Your goals will dictate your entire approach. Finally, you’ll need to do your homework to identify the specific journalists and outlets that are the best fit for your story. Taking the time to build this foundation is the single most important thing you can do to secure meaningful media coverage. It’s the core of the work we do when creating our client PR strategies.
Assemble Your Press Kit
A press kit, or media kit, is your secret weapon for making a journalist’s job easier. It’s a digital folder that contains everything a reporter might need to write about you, all in one convenient place. When a journalist is on a tight deadline, having these assets readily available can be the deciding factor in whether they cover your story or someone else’s.
Your press kit should be a one-stop shop. Include a professional bio (both a short and long version), high-resolution headshots and lifestyle photos, a summary of your book or company, and any relevant logos. It’s also smart to include links to your social media profiles and a list of previous media appearances. You can host this on your website or have a link ready to share via cloud storage.
Organize Your Digital Assets
Let’s be real: the first thing a journalist will do after reading your pitch is Google you. Your online presence is your digital first impression, and it needs to be polished and professional. Start with your website. Is it up-to-date, easy to navigate, and does it clearly state who you are and what you do? Make sure your contact information is easy to find.
Next, review your social media profiles, especially LinkedIn and any other platforms relevant to your industry. Your profiles should be consistent with the brand and story you’re pitching. A messy or outdated digital footprint can undermine your credibility before you even have a chance to tell your story. Take a look at how our team at Leverage with Media presents themselves online for a little inspiration.
Set Clear Coverage Goals
Why do you want media coverage? If your answer is just “to get my name out there,” you need to dig deeper. Vague goals lead to vague results. Getting specific about what you want to achieve will help you target the right outlets and measure your success. Are you trying to drive sales for your new book, establish yourself as a go-to expert in your field, or attract new clients?
Each goal requires a different approach. If you want to be seen as a thought leader, securing a byline in an industry trade publication might be more valuable than a brief mention in a national outlet. If you’re driving ticket sales for an event, local media is your best bet. Knowing your endgame helps you focus your efforts where they’ll have the most impact, turning press mentions into tangible business results.
Identify Your Target Media
The “spray and pray” approach to pitching is a waste of everyone’s time. Instead of blasting your pitch to a massive, generic list, your goal is to create a small, highly-curated list of journalists who actually cover your area of expertise. The best way to start is by seeing who is writing about your competitors or others in your field. Read their articles, watch their segments, and listen to their podcasts.
Create a spreadsheet to track the reporters and outlets that are a perfect fit for your story. Note their name, publication, beat (the specific topics they cover), and contact information. Pay attention to the kinds of stories they tell and tailor your pitch specifically to them. This targeted approach shows you’ve done your homework and dramatically increases your chances of getting a positive response. You can see the kinds of targeted placements this strategy can land.
Craft the Perfect Media Pitch
Once you’ve identified your target journalists, it’s time to reach out. The media pitch is your direct line to a reporter, and getting it right is everything. Think of it as a concise, compelling sales pitch for your story. Journalists receive hundreds of emails a day, so yours needs to stand out immediately by being relevant, timely, and easy to act on. A well-crafted pitch respects their time and clearly communicates why your story is a perfect fit for their audience. It’s not just about what you say, but how you say it. Your goal is to make it incredibly easy for them to say “yes.”
This means personalizing your message, getting straight to the point, and providing all the necessary information without overwhelming them. A great pitch isn’t just a summary of your press release; it’s a tailored invitation to explore a story you know their readers will care about. It shows you’ve done your homework and understand their work, instantly building a foundation of credibility and professionalism. From the subject line to the sign-off, every word counts.
Research Your Contacts
Sending a pitch to the wrong person is the fastest way to get ignored. Before you write a single word, make sure you’re contacting the right journalist at the right publication. This goes beyond just finding a name and an email address. You need to understand what they write about, their specific beat, and their recent articles. A great starting point is to find reporters who cover your industry by looking at who is writing about your competitors or your field. Read their work, understand their perspective, and make sure your story genuinely aligns with their interests. This targeted approach shows respect for their time and dramatically increases your chances of getting a positive response.
Write a Compelling Subject Line
The subject line is your first—and sometimes only—chance to make an impression. A journalist’s inbox is a battlefield for attention, and a strong subject line can mean the difference between your email being opened or deleted. Keep it concise, clear, and intriguing. Avoid generic phrases like “Story Idea” or “Press Release.” Instead, lead with your most newsworthy element. Mention a surprising statistic, a well-known name you’re working with, or a direct connection to a trending topic. The goal is to create a sense of urgency or curiosity that makes your email impossible to ignore. Think of it as the headline for your pitch.
Structure Your Pitch for Impact
When a journalist opens your email, they need to understand your story within seconds. Structure your pitch for maximum clarity and impact. Start with a personalized opening that shows you know who they are and what they cover. Then, get straight to the point. In two or three short paragraphs, explain what the story is, why it’s newsworthy now, and why it’s a good fit for their audience. It’s crucial to focus your pitch on one core story, as journalists appreciate clarity and conciseness. End with a clear call to action, like offering an interview or providing access to more information.
Avoid Common Pitching Mistakes
Even a great story can be sunk by a bad pitch. One of the most common pitching mistakes is sending a generic, impersonal email to a massive list of contacts. Journalists can spot a mass email from a mile away, and it immediately signals that you haven’t done your research. Always personalize your pitch. Other pitfalls include poor timing, like pitching a story that’s no longer relevant, or making your pitch too long and self-promotional. Remember, the story should be about the value it provides to the audience, not just about your brand. Finally, never send large attachments—link to your press kit or digital assets instead.
Master the Follow-Up
So you’ve sent your pitch. Now what? Following up is a delicate art. You want to be persistent without being a pest. The key is to be patient and strategic. According to research from Cision, many journalists prefer you to wait two to three days before sending a follow-up. When you do, keep it brief and professional. A simple, one-line email replying to your original message is often best. You can gently bump the story to the top of their inbox and ask if they need any more information. If you can, add a small, new piece of information to make the follow-up more valuable. If you don’t hear back after one or two follow-ups, it’s time to move on to another contact.
Create a Press-Worthy Event
Hosting an event can be a powerful way to generate buzz, but simply sending out invitations isn’t enough to attract reporters. A press-worthy event is a strategic production designed to create a story. It’s more than a product launch or a company milestone; it’s an experience that gives journalists a compelling reason to show up and report back to their audience. Think of it as creating a scene for the story you want to be told. Does it have a strong visual component? Is there an emotional hook? Does it tie into a larger conversation happening in the news right now?
The goal is to make a reporter’s job easy and interesting. When you provide a clear narrative, engaging visuals, and access to expert commentary, you’re not just asking for coverage—you’re offering a valuable, ready-to-go story. Planning an event with the media in mind from the very beginning is the key to turning your announcement into a headline. Our team at Leverage with Media has helped countless clients turn their key moments into media opportunities, and it always starts with a solid, story-driven plan.
Plan Your Event from Start to Finish
Timing is everything when it comes to securing media coverage. To make your event relevant, try to connect it to a current news trend, a holiday, or a significant anniversary. This gives your story immediate context. When scheduling, aim for mid-morning or early afternoon on a weekday, as these are typically the best times for reporters. Be sure to avoid late afternoons, especially around 5 p.m., when many print journalists are on a tight deadline. Before you set a date, do a quick search for other major local events happening at the same time. You don’t want to compete for attention with a city-wide festival or a major political announcement.
Use Visuals to Attract Coverage
In a world of scrolling feeds and short attention spans, strong visuals are non-negotiable. Before your event, think about what a TV camera would see or what a photographer would want to capture. Is there a dynamic backdrop, a product demonstration, or a group of people engaged in a compelling activity? Branded banners, interesting lighting, and well-designed spaces can transform a simple announcement into a visually appealing story. Don’t forget about sound, either. Clear audio is crucial for radio reporters and podcasters, so ensure your venue has a quality sound system and perhaps a quieter space designated for interviews.
Integrate Expert Commentary
Your event is the perfect stage to position yourself or your company’s leader as a go-to expert. Journalists are always looking for credible sources to provide context and quotes for their stories. Make it easy for them by having your expert available for one-on-one interviews. You can set up a specific media area or have a publicist facilitate these conversations. By offering direct access to insightful commentary, you provide immense value and increase the likelihood of in-depth coverage. This is a core part of our PR strategy, as it helps build long-term relationships with the press.
Highlight Your Community Impact
A story about a business is often just an advertisement, but a story about how a business impacts the community is news. Journalists are drawn to human-interest angles that resonate with their audience. Think about the narrative behind your work. Do you run a program that helps local youth? Do you support a specific charity or use sustainable materials? Perhaps you have a unique mission to hire veterans or formerly incarcerated individuals. These are the powerful stories that connect on an emotional level and show your brand’s values in action. Focusing on your community impact can turn a standard business event into a meaningful story worth sharing.
Build Lasting Media Relationships
Getting a single media hit is great, but the real power of PR lies in building relationships that lead to consistent, high-quality coverage over time. Think of it less like a one-time transaction and more like a professional friendship. When you shift your focus from “What can I get?” to “What can I give?” you start to build genuine connections with journalists, editors, and producers. This approach transforms you from just another name in their inbox into a trusted, reliable source they actively want to work with. It’s a long game, but it’s the one that pays off the most, creating a network of media contacts who understand your story and are eager to share it.
This relationship-first mindset is crucial because it builds social capital. When a journalist knows you’re a credible expert who respects their time and understands their audience, they’re more likely to open your emails, take your calls, and feature your insights. It’s about playing the long game and establishing a reputation for being helpful and professional. At Leverage with Media, we’ve seen firsthand how these strong relationships become the foundation of a powerful public profile, opening doors to opportunities that a single press release never could.
Know What Journalists Prefer
Journalists are incredibly busy people, often working against tight deadlines and sifting through hundreds of pitches every single day. To stand out, you have to make their job easier. The first step is to understand what they actually need. Before you even think about writing your pitch, take the time to read their recent articles, listen to their podcast, or watch their segments. What topics do they cover? Who is their audience? A pitch that shows you’ve done your homework and understand why your story is a perfect fit for their readers is infinitely more effective than a generic email blast. Remember, your goal is to provide a solution to their constant need for fresh, relevant content.
Become a Go-To Source
The best media relationships are built on trust and mutual value. Instead of only reaching out when you need something, aim to become a go-to expert in your field. You can start small by engaging with journalists on social media or commenting thoughtfully on their articles. Share useful information or unique insights with them, even if it doesn’t directly promote your brand at that moment. When you consistently provide value without asking for anything in return, you build credibility. Over time, journalists will start to see you as a trusted source they can rely on for quotes, expert opinions, or background information, which often leads to organic media mentions.
Maintain Your Professional Connections
Your work isn’t done once the story goes live. Nurturing the relationship is an ongoing process. After a journalist covers you or your brand, send a prompt and personal thank-you email. It’s a simple gesture that goes a long way. You should also share their article across your own social media platforms and tag them. This not only shows your appreciation but also helps amplify their work to your audience. To keep the connection warm, continue to be a resource. If you come across a report or a story idea that you think would interest them—even if it’s not about you—send it their way. This reinforces your role as a helpful, well-connected professional.
Communicate with Value
When you do reach out to a journalist, respect their time by being clear, concise, and valuable. Keep your pitches and press releases short and to the point, leading with the most newsworthy information. Journalists often need images or other media to accompany a story, so make it easy for them by including a link to a digital press kit with high-resolution headshots, logos, and relevant photos. Providing everything they need upfront saves them from having to chase you for assets and makes your story much more likely to be picked up. This level of professionalism is a core part of the PR packages we build for our clients.
Measure Your Success
Sending out pitches and press releases is only half the battle. To truly understand the impact of your public relations efforts, you need a clear way to measure your results. Tracking your media coverage helps you see what’s working, what isn’t, and where you should focus your energy next. It transforms PR from a guessing game into a data-informed strategy that directly supports your goals.
Measuring success isn’t just about counting every mention. It’s about understanding the quality of the coverage, the audiences you’re reaching, and how the media is shaping your public perception. By setting up a system to monitor your wins, you can demonstrate the value of your work and make smarter decisions to refine your approach over time. This process ensures your story is not only being told but is also resonating with the right people in the right places.
The Right Tools for Media Outreach
You can’t track what you can’t see. That’s where media monitoring tools come in. These platforms are designed to scan the internet, social media, and broadcast channels for mentions of your name, company, or key topics. Think of them as your personal search engine for media coverage, giving you a real-time look at how your brand is being discussed. Using these tools helps you understand public perception and spot new opportunities for engagement.
Platforms like Cision or Muck Rack offer robust features, but you can also start with simpler options like Google Alerts. The goal is to create a system that automatically flags your media mentions. This saves you from manually searching for coverage and ensures you have a comprehensive view of your media footprint. By using the right news monitoring tools, you can gather the data needed to analyze your campaign’s effectiveness and prove its impact.
Distribute Your Press Release
Before you can measure your coverage, you need to give journalists a story worth covering. A well-distributed press release is a foundational tool for getting your news out there. But distribution is most effective when the release itself is compelling. Keep your announcement concise and to the point to hold a busy journalist’s attention. For example, instead of a vague headline, lead with the most impactful piece of information.
Including high-quality images or other visual assets can also make a huge difference. Visuals save journalists time and make your story more appealing for publication, increasing the chances of it being picked up. When you use a distribution service like PR Newswire, you not only broaden your reach but also often gain access to analytics that show how many people viewed or engaged with your release. This provides your first layer of data for measuring success.
Track Your Media Wins
Once your story is out in the world, it’s time to track your earned media. This refers to any publicity you receive that you didn’t pay for, like mentions in articles, interviews, or reviews. This is where your hard work pays off, and it’s crucial to have a system for logging these wins. We help our clients track their placements to show exactly how our strategy is building their authority.
Create a simple spreadsheet or use a PR software to log each piece of coverage. Note the name of the publication, the date, the author, and a link to the piece. You can also analyze the tone of the coverage (positive, neutral, or negative) and whether your key messages were included. Platforms like Critical Mention can help automate this process, providing real-time alerts and analytics to measure the impact of your media outreach.
Adjust Your Strategy as You Go
The data you collect is only valuable if you use it to refine your strategy. Regularly review your media wins to identify patterns. Are certain types of publications covering you more than others? Are specific pitch angles getting the most responses? Use these insights to double down on what works and adjust what doesn’t. For instance, if you’re getting traction in niche trade publications but want to break into mainstream news, you may need to tweak your story to have broader appeal.
It’s also important to distinguish between different types of coverage. Some media monitoring tools focus on traditional and online news outlets, while others track mentions on platforms like X and LinkedIn. Understanding where your story is gaining momentum helps you tailor your follow-up and future pitches. This iterative process of measuring and adjusting is key to building a successful, long-term media presence.
Take Your Strategy to the Next Level
Once you’ve mastered the basics of pitching and building relationships, it’s time to add more sophisticated layers to your PR efforts. Getting consistent media coverage isn’t just about sending a great pitch; it’s about building a resilient, adaptable, and forward-thinking brand presence. The most successful thought leaders and entrepreneurs don’t just react to opportunities—they create them and prepare for any challenge that comes their way.
Taking your strategy to the next level means thinking like a seasoned publicist. It involves enriching your stories with compelling visuals, preparing for the unexpected, and aligning your message with the natural rhythm of the news cycle. It also requires you to keep a finger on the pulse of your industry, allowing you to contribute to conversations as they happen, not after they’ve passed. These advanced tactics will help you stand out in a crowded media landscape, solidify your reputation as an expert, and turn good results into great ones. Let’s explore four key areas that can refine your approach.
Create Multimedia Content
A wall of text is easy for a busy journalist to ignore. To make your story stand out, you need to think visually. Incorporating high-quality multimedia content like videos, professional headshots, infographics, and even audio clips can transform a good pitch into an irresistible one. These assets don’t just make your email more engaging; they make the journalist’s job easier by giving them ready-to-use materials for their article. When you provide a complete package, you increase the chances of your story not only getting picked up but also being featured more prominently. Always have a folder of digital assets ready to go.
Plan for a Crisis
Even with the best intentions, things can go wrong. A negative review, a social media misstep, or an unforeseen industry event can put your reputation on the line. That’s why having a crisis communication plan is non-negotiable. This plan should outline clear steps for your team to take, define key messaging, and designate a spokesperson. By preparing in advance, you can respond to challenges quickly, calmly, and consistently, maintaining control of the narrative. A proactive approach shows professionalism and helps you protect the brand equity you’ve worked so hard to build.
Develop Seasonal Pitch Strategies
The media operates on a calendar, and so should you. Tying your pitches to holidays, awareness months, or seasonal trends makes your story instantly more relevant and timely. Think about how your expertise connects to what’s happening in the world at a specific time of year. For example, a financial expert could pitch a story on “spring cleaning your finances,” while a wellness author could focus on “beating the winter blues.” Developing seasonal pitch strategies helps you align your message with what journalists are already planning to cover, dramatically increasing your chances of success.
Monitor Industry Trends
To be a go-to expert, you need to be part of the current conversation. Consistently monitoring industry trends allows you to identify emerging topics and tailor your pitches to be incredibly timely. Use media monitoring tools to track keywords related to your field across news outlets and social media. When you see a story gaining traction, you can quickly formulate a unique angle or expert commentary and pitch it to relevant journalists. This positions you as a responsive and insightful source who understands the bigger picture, making you an invaluable contact for the media.
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Frequently Asked Questions
My company is launching something new. Isn’t that a story in itself? While it’s certainly a big deal for you, a launch alone rarely qualifies as news for a wider audience. To capture a journalist’s interest, you have to connect your announcement to a bigger picture. Think about the human element behind it. Does your new product solve a major problem in a surprising way? Does it tie into a cultural trend everyone is talking about? The story isn’t just the what; it’s the why it matters to people outside of your office walls.
What’s the single most important part of a media pitch? Without a doubt, it’s personalization. A journalist can spot a generic, mass email from a mile away, and it’s the fastest way to get deleted. Your pitch needs to prove that you’ve actually read their work and can clearly explain why your story is a perfect fit for their specific audience. Taking a few minutes to tailor your message shows respect for their time and instantly sets you apart from the hundreds of other pitches they receive daily.
How do I follow up with a journalist without coming across as a pest? The key is to be brief, polite, and professional. Give them a few business days before reaching out again. When you do, simply reply to your original email with a short and simple note. Something like, “Just wanted to gently move this to the top of your inbox in case you missed it. Happy to provide any more information!” works perfectly. If you don’t hear back after one or two polite follow-ups, it’s best to move on to another contact.
Should I focus on getting into big national publications or smaller industry-specific ones? This really comes down to your specific goals. If you want to establish yourself as a leading expert in your field, getting featured in respected industry publications can be incredibly powerful for building credibility. If your goal is broad brand awareness or driving sales for a consumer product, a national feature might be more effective. There’s no single right answer; the best strategy is the one that directly supports what you’re trying to achieve with your business.
Besides a good story, what’s one thing I can do to make a journalist’s job easier? Have all your digital assets organized and ready to share. This means creating a simple press kit with a link to a folder containing high-resolution headshots, your professional bio, company logos, and any relevant photos or data. When a reporter is working on a tight deadline, having everything they need in one click can be the deciding factor that gets your story over the finish line. It makes you look professional and incredibly easy to work with.
