Sending a perfect media pitch can feel like a balancing act. Structure and timing are everything. To avoid becoming a mere drop in an ocean of emails, here are nine media pitching tips directly from journalists, according to PR software Muck Rack’s research.

Tell stories instead of just stating facts.

Imagine you’ve finally got a good pitch ready to send to the media. You’re well prepared, and now it’s time to get that phone call done. Despite hitting it off with the media contact, your contact ultimately declines to run the story. What happened? You did everything right; you had the main point and some facts to go with it to give context.

When it comes time to give the breakdown of a story in writing, news releases are usually sent. Long and filled with information, they’re viewed as the best ways to get a story to the media. But are they really the best way? Your legal team and, most importantly, reporters don’t like them when they’re for medium or smaller stories. Reporters prefer having information to base their own writing off of instead of simply publishing a news release. If the people actually working with your news releases don’t like them, then what should you do?

Recently, I attended a PRSA chapter’s Media Roundtable event where 12 journalists from different outlets and backgrounds gathered to give insight and best practices to public relations professionals. While all journalists have their own preferred way for you to pitch them – and it depends if their outlet is print, online, or broadcast TV – there are some similarities that PR pros should know.

Your company’s culture is what defines your organization. It sets the tone for how your employees work and how the public views your company. Your company’s culture can determine whether a potential customer chooses you over your competitors.

When it comes to public relations, the term “media” relates to different channels a brand might use to communicate.

Axia Public Relations focuses on earned media, shared media, and owned media. We prefer calling it news, social, and web since people are more familiar with those terms. Your company’s PR campaign should include all three categories.

Strategic insights provide valuable data to direct tactics and objectives for your public relations campaign.

Axia Public Relations specializes in news media, social media, and web media. Your company’s strategic PR plan may include all three categories.

Recently, an overseas company contacted our public relations agency looking for earned media coverage in the United States for its coupon bargain retail website.

Rethink media relations’ role in your communication strategy

Earning media coverage for your company is more difficult than ever. Newsrooms are smaller and journalists cover multiple beats and report for multiple platforms. Additionally, there are more opportunities for advertising. It’s time to rethink media relations and understand its role in your overall communication strategy.

What's newsworthy?

Recently, someone asked me, “How would you define the word 'newsworthy?'” Great question; allow me to elucidate.

News elements 
What makes a story newsworthy? Pay close attention to these 10 elements of newsworthiness to see which apply to your particular announcement. These elements are also called "news values" because they give a story news value. Good news stories have more than one of these elements to help increase earned media coverage.