How To Effectively follow up your Media Pitch

So you have crafted a good story pitch, researched publications and journalists and sent it out, you’re sure that it would be perfect for your audience. Some days have passed and you haven’t received any response, you feel distressed.  Your instincts tell you that maybe, the journalist you pitched was not interested and reaching out to them will be a bother. But your instincts are wrong, you need to follow up if you want your story to get out there. Following up the right way is a challenging yet vital task. It is as important as sending the initial pitch. Here are some important things to keep in mind before sending that follow up message.

Give it some time

Journalist’s inboxes are a black hole for pitches, they receive an overwhelming number of emails each day and they may not be able to respond to all of them. You need to be patient. Sometimes even great and winning pitches get lost in the inundation of emails.

So how long should you wait to send a follow-up message?

There this no specific time frame, but 2 to 3 business days are reasonable. This gives the journalist time to work through their emails. Waiting for too long may make them forget your pitch. Also, you should prolong the waiting period by a few days for each subsequent email.

Be nice

I know it might be tempting to get out-and out nasty when you get ignored but do not be ratty or take it personally. They say that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar.  Being nice and keeping calm can also help you create a positive relationship with the journalist which is a gain for your business or brand.

Avoid sending numerous messages.

As much as you need to be persistent, sending several emails won’t help it makes you bothersome. If your first two messages still go unanswered it means that the journalist was not intrigued. Move on and try pitching another journalist. Also, you should avoid sending the same message over and over again. You can try changing the wording.

Add to your pitch

Instead of just resending the original message, you can revamp it with additional information, offer something new and enticing that was not in the original email. Be creative and try another angle to make your pitch attractive and stand out.  You should also ensure that your story is excellently written because most journalists will do away with a story that does not pique their interest.

Keep it short

Follow up messages should be kept short, clear and straight to the point. Considering the many emails journalists get, it is possible to miss a few or forget to reply to some of them. One or two sentences are enough to bring the issue back to their attention. This also shows that you value their time.

Bottom line: Earning media coverage is not easy. You might send an excellent pitch but media contacts are often slow to jump on stories. If you don’t follow up you might lose your chance of being considered Following up is virtuous PR strategy and a great way to help your story get covered.