As much as the PR industry relies on outreach to the media with whom we have relationships, there’s quite a bit of cold pitching too. And this is where our reputation as publicists tends to get tarnished. Spammy language, impersonal tone, cut and pasted pitches quickly become the source material for many a tweet from journalists imploring the PR industry to do better (just check out the @DearPR account on X for proof.)

I recently stumbled upon a Fast Company article titled “How to send a cold email that people actually want to respond to,” and it got me thinking about how to apply these principles to pitching stories. If you're DIYing your publicity effort, these tips can help you craft more effective pitches.

Introduce yourself through a unique memory or thank you.
Nothing grinds a journalist’s gears like the bland and impersonal “I hope you are well.” When there’s no previous relationship, a better approach is to give context in some way that the journalist’s work has resonated with you or your business. Briefly (and sincerely!) referencing a previous article or social media post and your thoughts on it is a great way to start a conversation.
Make your ask easy to understand and simple to say yes to.
A journalist needs to condense complex information into a readable, easily digestible story, so your job is to convey your idea in no more than two paragraphs. Remember also that they will likely need to get internal sign off on a story, so creating a succinct elevator pitch helps you sell them on the story concept, and helps them sell the story to their editor.
Show you’re human, not just a list of credentials.
Using natural language in a recognizably human tone is becoming increasingly important in this age of AI-assisted writing. Journalists need to feel like this pitch has been custom tailored to their beat and the publication's audience, so anything that you can do that demonstrates your understanding of their work and how your story idea fits into it will increase the likelihood of a response.
Offer concrete help in return.
Offering an interview in a cold pitch can often feel premature, as the journalist usually needs time to reflect on the story idea. Instead, offer outbound links to additional research, a website, or visuals so that they can pursue as curiosity allows.
Follow up and offer something new.
Resist the temptation to cram every single element of a story into the initial pitch, which can overwhelm the recipient with too many details (see #2!). The purpose of the follow up email is to add additional context or new developments. When I’m pitching a story, I will often save specific secondary details of a story specifically for the follow up correspondence. It signals that there’s layers to the story, and hopefully piques interest in discovering more.

Ultimately, effective cold pitching is about building relationships based on mutual respect and understanding. Demonstrating your knowledge, preparedness and a commitment to success will go a long way to turn a cold pitch into a fruitful journalist connection and ultimately, press coverage for you or your business.

Link here to the original Fast C@mpany article (head’s up, it’s behind a paywall)