Nicole Silberstein is the Editor In Chief at Retail Touchpoints.
On this episode of Coffee with a Journalist, we’re joined by Nicole Silberstein, editor in chief at Retail TouchPoints. She shares how she keeps a zeroed-out inbox, what makes a pitch actually stand out, and how she and her team sift through nonstop retail news to find the stories worth telling. We get into the nitty-gritty of PR pitches, sourcing experts who aren’t just selling something, and why a subject line can make or break your shot. Nicole also walks us through her day—from breaking news to podcast prep—and reflects on how AI is reshaping the newsroom. If you’ve ever wondered how to get on a journalist’s radar (and stay there), you’ll want to hear this one.
Click below to listen to the full conversation and read below for highlights from the interview:
How Nicole Handles Her Inbox
[00:03:47] BB:
It is always a time to be alive. Yes. Yeah. Yes. Nicole, how is your inbox, then—especially as editor-in-chief?
[00:03:55] NS:
All right, so I am a zero-inboxer. I didn’t know that I was this thing—I didn’t know the term for it until I listened to your show. I’m 100% just a natural-born zero-inboxer. I can’t stand to have unread emails in my business inbox. My professional—yeah. I’m like, oh. Sorry, yeah—my personal inbox could go up to the thousands, but professionally, I’m checking like every half hour.
[00:04:26] BB:
Yeah.
[00:04:26] NS:
It doesn’t mean I respond immediately.
[00:04:29] BB:
Exactly. But it’s the key—the unread. The unread is the important part.
[00:04:33] NS:
Yes. And just making sure you’re not missing anything urgent, I think, is part of it. But also just knowing that you have that one thing constantly under control.
[00:04:43] BB:
Yes. I think it is a control thing. And for people who love the control, it’s like—oh, it’s so satisfying to be like, zero. It’s at zero. Yes.
[00:04:50] NS:
Especially because there’s so much you can’t control. And this—you can.
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Recent Subject Lines That Nicole Has Loves
[00:08:25] BB:
Yeah, yeah. Perfect. Okay, good. How about pitches you have loved of late? Nicole, did you tell us?
[00:08:34] NS:
I pulled up a few, because there's one that has stuck with me, and I knew—I was like, I have to share this one. It all starts with the subject line, right? That’s what gets you to open the email. Just listen—I'm going to pull this one up for you.
[00:08:50] BB:
Perfect, perfect.
[00:08:52] NS:
Listen to the subject line.
[00:08:53] BB:
So good.
[00:08:54] NS:
"Meet the Robin Hoods of Retail: A 65-Year-Old, Third-Generation Family-Owned Closeout Business." I mean—the Robin Hoods of retail! I just thought, I’m definitely going with that. Alliteration!
[00:09:06] BB:
It has a good ring to it. So that touches on what we’ve been hearing more and more on here: just write the subject line almost like the headline—or as the headline.
[00:09:16] NS:
Yeah, yeah.
[00:09:17] BB:
Because you're like, oh yeah, I can use that.
[00:09:19] NS:
Right. It is very much like a headline—make it interesting, but get the right keywords in there.
[00:09:25] BB:
Yeah.
[00:09:26] NS:
You know?
[00:09:26] BB:
Yeah.
Rapid Fire Pitching Preferences
[00:19:31] BB:
Yeah. Oh God. Well, Nicole, let’s finish up here with our little rapid-fire questions—just to get those all done. Let’s see what we say. Video or phone interview?
[00:19:43] NS:
Video. 100%.
[00:19:45] BB:
Especially in this time and age—revolution!
[00:19:48] NS:
For me, in speaking to people, there’s just so much… You know, remember the conference call days? I don’t know why anybody would want to go back to them. The talking over each other, like—“Oh, are you there? Wait, I think—” You know. Horrible. Horrendous. 100% video.
[00:19:45] BB:
Bullet points or paragraphs in pitches?
[00:20:00] NS:
I like a combo. I need, like, an intro—and then some bullets.
[00:20:13] BB:
Okay. Short or long pitches?
[00:20:18] NS:
Medium. I need enough meat to know what I’m getting into, but I don’t need you to write the story.
[00:20:25] BB:
Images attached or a Dropbox zip file?
[00:20:32] NS:
I don’t care—as long as you send me the images when you pitch. Especially if it’s a more news-focused thing, because you don’t want to waste time. You don’t want to wait or have to request.
[00:20:43] BB:
That’s right, that’s right. Yes, I know. Then the back and forth and the thing—it’s just...
[00:20:48] NS:
And it holds up the whole story. And then, you know...
[00:20:51] BB:
Yeah.
[00:20:51] NS:
Now it’s the afternoon.
[00:20:52] BB:
All right. We already talked about email being the space. Okay, so we’re good. We talked about multiple follow-ups. No more than—would you say two? No more than two?
[00:21:01] NS:
I could go to three. I could go to three.
[00:21:04] BB:
I think that’s aggressive, even. Okay, so then—direct or creative subject lines? It sounds more like you want direct, but it has to hook you.
[00:21:12] NS:
Yeah. Yeah. I would say that perfect SEO combo of: give me the elements I need, but also make it interesting.
[00:21:19] BB:
Exactly, exactly. Okay, and then—press release or media kit? Do you have a preference?
[00:21:26] NS:
Press releases I find useful. Media kits—if I need it all, I’ll either track it down or request it.
________
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