One of PR professionals' most common challenges is knowing the right way to contact journalists. The majority of the discussion is typically around the first touchpoint—what is the right format, subject line, and content to make your message resonate with your audience.
On our "Coffee with a Journalist" podcast, we bridge the gap between journalists and publicists by offering tips on crafting the perfect pitch. In this blog, we’ve compiled the pitching preferences of some top journalists from our recent episodes.
Here’s how they like to be pitched effectively:
Katie Atkinson is the Exclusive Digital Director of the West Coast for Billboard.
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Email Practices:
Prefers concise subject lines with important keywords.
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Pitch Format:
Favors bullet points and short pitches in emails over DMs.
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Content Preferences:
Prefers press releases and links over attachments.
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Response Etiquette:
Appreciates one follow-up email due to high volume.
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Interview Preferences:
Prefers video interviews for podcasts and phone interviews for written work.
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Schedule:
Reads emails throughout the day and looks for words like "timely" or "urgent" in the subject line when used sincerely.
Anya Meyerowitz is a freelance editor and journalist.
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Email Management:
Manages multiple inboxes, prefers efficient email subject lines.
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Pitch Format:
Favors paragraphs over bullet points, prefers short and direct subject lines.
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Interview Preferences:
Prefers phone interviews and direct attachment of images.
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Availability:
Checks pitches in the morning and early afternoon London time.
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Pitch Tips:
Emphasizes relevance and audience interest, utilizing search volume data to show the topic’s relevance.
Maxwell Millington is an Entertainment Reporter at Axios.
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Email Management:
Prioritizes inbox management and prefers emails from major streaming services.
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Pitch Format:
Favors bullet points over paragraphs and emails over DMs, appreciates Dropbox for images.
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Interview Preferences:
Prefers video interviews for face-to-face interaction.
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Specificity in Pitches:
Appreciates detailed subject lines and relevance to multiple local markets.
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Preferred Content:
Interested in sports, entertainment, and data-driven insights for local markets.
Pilar Guzmán is the Editorial Director at Oprah Daily.
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Email Practices:
Prefers pitches in the email body with accessible visuals and information.
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Pitch Format:
Favors bullet points for data-driven topics, prefers direct subject lines over creative ones.
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Content Preferences:
Values clear, well-informed pitches that show familiarity with the brand.
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Response Time:
Reads pitches early in the morning or at the day’s end.
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Special Focus:
Likes pitches showcasing expert strengths early, particularly those with TED Talk examples for credibility.
Nicole Schuman is a managing editor for PRNEWS.
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Email Practices:
Organizes emails with sticky notes and keeps them in front for follow-up.
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Pitch Format:
Prefers bullet points over paragraphs, direct subject lines, and email over direct messages.
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Content Preferences:
Prefers a media kit with a press release and images, favors one follow-up contact.
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Specificity in Pitches:
Effective subject lines are concise and informative.
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Response Time:
Reads pitches throughout the week, particularly Fridays and Mondays.
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Timeliness:
Appreciates timely pitches, saves relevant but untimely pitches for future use.
By tailoring your pitches to these journalists' preferences, you increase your chances of capturing their attention and getting your stories published. Learn all the ways journalists prefer to be pitched on #CoffeeWithAJournalist.
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Want to land a placement in a top publication like Forbes? Try OnePitch for free, submit your client/brand information, get your curated media list, and start pitching directly on your OnePitch profile.
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