For PR and comms professionals, there's nothing more frustrating than having your media pitch rejected or, in some cases, outright ignored. Did your email end up in the journalist's spam folder? Were they just buried with other assignments?
There are a host of reasons why journalists reject pitches, but the most common cause is that far too often, the content being pitched is irrelevant to the specific topic or area that the journalist covers. We know this by simply listening to what journalists have to say when it comes to receiving pitches from PR and comms pros.
Why Relevance is Key to Your Pitch
Two of the most popular media surveys produced each year are the Cision State of the Media Report and the Muck Rack State of Journalism Report. Cision and Muck Rack are well-established names in the PR world, providing various products and services geared towards PR and comms professionals. In addition, both companies produce several valuable reports containing insights into the modern media landscape. This includes digging into what journalists value most when working with PR and comms pros.
As shared in Cision's most recent State of the Media Report, "A consistent theme throughout the survey results was the need for relevant content from the public relations professionals who reach out to them. When asked to describe the "perfect" PR pitch, relevance was by far the most cited factor…".
More than half of the journalists surveyed by Cision said they receive over 50 pitches a week on average. However, only 7% said that the majority of pitches they get were relevant to their audience. As one journalist bluntly stated, "Stop wasting my time with pitches that are completely out of my coverage area."
This sentiment was also mirrored in Muck Rack's latest State of Journalism Report. Nearly three out of four journalists surveyed said that the top reason they reject PR pitches is that they're not relevant to their area of focus. "Look at a journalist's Muck Rack profile," one journalist responded. "Don't pitch them unless the topic and approach fall in line with that journalist's work."
How Media Databases Help Pinpoint Your Targets
So, what's the best way to find the right journalist for your pitch? One of the most common ways PR and comms pros go about this is through the use of online media databases. These digital directories house the contact information and bios of journalists, helping PR and comms pros find and connect with targeted media contacts. Some media databases also include contact info for bloggers, influencers and other media professionals.
Media directories can help save a significant amount of time and resources, especially when it comes to pitches that are time-sensitive. Companies, including Meltwater, Cision, and Muck Rack, all offer extensive media databases, along with a variety of other services that are often packaged together.
Depending on your needs, accessing media databases can be expensive, so it's recommended that you shop around. Most companies will offer a free trial or demo call, allowing you to determine factors such as how many journalists in your niche are available and if their info is up-to-date.
Do Your Research Before Making Your Pitch
There are other occasions when purchasing a digital media database isn't practical. Whether it's not in your budget or your topic falls into a highly specialized niche, taking the time to search online for your target journalists can meet your needs.
As part of your research, it's imperative that you take the time to read through the journalist's bio, review their recent stories, and check their social media activity to ensure that your topic is a good fit before you make your pitch. This is important not only when pitching a journalist for the first time, but also for journalists that you may have worked with in the past. In today's media landscape, it's not uncommon for journalists to change focus areas multiple times throughout their careers.
By ensuring that your pitch is relevant to the topic or area covered by your target journalist, you'll separate yourself from the competition and increase your chances of generating the earned media your boss or client is looking for.
Matt Petteruto is principal of MP Communications.