9 Tactics to Follow Up With Journalists After Sending a Media Pitch
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9 Tactics to Follow Up With Journalists After Sending a Media Pitch
Navigating the delicate art of media follow-ups requires a strategic blend of persistence and respect. This article distills expert insights into actionable tactics for effectively engaging with journalists post-pitch. Learn the nuances of adding value, balancing communication, and choosing the right follow-up approach to make a lasting impression.
- Add Value in Follow-Up Emails
- Balance Persistence and Respect
- Offer Immediate Value in Emails
- Use Pattern Interrupt Approach
- Provide Useful Information
- Follow Journalist's Preferred Contact Method
- Choose Appropriate Follow-Up Channel
- Follow Up Briefly and Respectfully
- Persist with Brief and Respectful Follow-Ups
Add Value in Follow-Up Emails
As the Editor-in-Chief of Sprouts News, I've found that the best way to follow up with journalists is by adding value, not just checking in. Instead of a generic "Did you get my pitch?" email, I send a brief, personalized follow-up with something extra-like a new angle, a fresh statistic, or a trending hook related to the original pitch. For example, "Hi [Name], I noticed [recent news/trend] that ties perfectly into my earlier pitch about [topic]. I thought it might spark some interest!"
This approach shows I respect their time by offering something useful, not just nudging them. I also keep it short and give them an easy out, like, "If this isn't a fit, no worries-just wanted to share!" It's persistent but polite, and it keeps the conversation open without being pushy.
Balance Persistence and Respect
Following up with journalists after sending a media pitch is an art in balancing persistence and respect. Initially, I prefer to wait a week after my first email to allow them ample time to review my pitch. If there hasn't been a response, I'll send a polite follow-up email, highlighting any new developments that might enhance the story's appeal or relevance. This approach shows the journalist that there's ongoing interest and momentum behind the story, without being overly intrusive.
It's also productive to monitor any interactions the journalist might have with your initial pitch, such as opening the email or clicking on any included links. These actions can serve as soft indicators of their interest level. When following up, always acknowledge their busy schedule and express your willingness to provide additional information or clarify any potential queries they might have. This respect for their time and workload not only fosters a positive relationship but also increases the chances of your pitch getting noticed amidst the many others. Ultimately, maintaining a friendly, professional tone and recognizing the journalist's needs will leave a lasting impression, paving the way for future interactions.
Offer Immediate Value in Emails
One thing to note about journalists is that they're always on a time crunch. They value their time greatly, so ensuring my pitches are short and sweet is very important. Because of this, I also try to add value to every message I send, whether it's a quote that fits perfectly with a story they're working on, contact information for a relevant expert, or an offer to source more quotes for them for another story they're working on. You should never just send an email that they can't immediately drive value from.
However, even with value-adding emails, they can still end up with no response. Since I know journalists are always working on projects, I try to give them a few days or even weeks before I follow up. A lot of the time I won't receive a response back, but I see that they eventually published the pitches I sent them. It's all about respecting their time and knowing when you should do the media monitoring yourself rather than relying on them to inform you when things go live.
If I notice a journalist used the insights I sent them, but I haven't received a response from them yet, I'll follow up and say, "Hey, I saw you published the insights I sent you. I'm glad you enjoyed the quotes! Let me know if you need more for another story you're working on." Reminding journalists that you were the one to give them valuable insights will help keep you top of mind when they work on future stories.
However, if I sent an email that has received no response and I see that they haven't used the insights or contacts yet, I will follow up on LinkedIn. I find that this approach gets through to a lot of journalists whose inboxes are always swamped by emails. A simple LinkedIn message is straight to the point and often gets noticed through all the other noise in their inboxes.
I think it's also important to be real. Journalists value honesty, they can smell a sales pitch from a mile away, and that will greatly hinder your success with them. Be yourself and speak to them conversationally. They really appreciate connecting with a human, not a sales bot. Try to put yourself in their shoes and think about how you would want to be approached. I find that adding a few "lol," "haha," or ":)" makes messages seem a bit more informal and friendly. They barely have time to write their articles; they definitely don't have time to sit around crafting a professional email too. Overall, it's important to always bring value, respect their time, and be real.
Use Pattern Interrupt Approach
For me, I think the best way to follow up after emailing a media pitch to journalists is a SHORT AND SWEET, VALUE-ADDED EMAIL about a week later. The majority of pitch emails get lost because journalists receive so many emails a day, so I try to keep my follow-ups brief, contextual, and considerate of their time.
Instead of just asking if they saw my pitch, I'll add something new—whether it's a fresh angle, a relevant statistic, or a timely news hook. This method ensures that my follow-up is not annoying or overly pushy. If I still don't hear back, I may send one more follow-up one week after that, but beyond that, I don't sweat it—I move on instead of risking being bothersome.
Provide Useful Information
As someone who's been in the trenches of startup growth, I've faced my fair share of unresponsive prospects. At spectup, we often work with founders who struggle with this exact issue. One tactic that's worked well for us is the "pattern interrupt" approach. Instead of sending another "just checking in" email, try something unexpected - maybe a voice note or a short video message. It breaks the monotony and often catches their attention.
Another strategy is to offer genuine value without asking for anything in return. Share an insightful industry report or a relevant case study. This positions you as a helpful resource rather than just another salesperson. I remember once sending a prospect an analysis of their competitors' strategies - they were so impressed, they called me back within the hour.
Timing can also be crucial. If you know your prospect's industry well, try reaching out during their busy season with an offer to help. For example, if you're targeting e-commerce businesses, reaching out just before Black Friday with some quick tips can be a game-changer. Lastly, don't underestimate the power of a well-crafted subject line. We've seen open rates skyrocket just by tweaking a few words. Remember, your goal is to pique their curiosity and stand out in a crowded inbox.
Follow Journalist's Preferred Contact Method
My preferred follow-up is a short, thoughtful email a couple of days after the pitch -- never to "check-in," but to pass along something new that may benefit their story and make it the best it can be. You must keep trying, but it has to feel like assistance and not a nag.
There was a recent time when I pitched a media contact on how luxury transportation trends in Los Angeles, as they relate to larger events, are changing. While I didn't get an immediate response, instead of sending a fruitless generic follow-up, I included LAXcar's real-time booking data, showcasing how demand for premium airport transport exponentially increases with events like the Oscars. That little extra detail helped because it gave them a unique, data-driven angle -- and we ended up being selected as a highlight in their article.
If I reach back out and there's still no response, I take that as a cue to move on, but I keep the relationship warm by reading and engaging with their work on social media or checking in with them when I have something of value. Pitches bombard journalists from all angles, so the trick is to be appropriate, direct, and genuinely useful -- and that's how you score a call from them when they need a source again.
Choose Appropriate Follow-Up Channel
I mostly follow their lead based on what the journalist asked for initially -- if they suggest a particular contact method, such as email or LinkedIn, I try to honor that. If they don't make things clear, though, I'll give it a week after sending my pitch, then reach out by email for a quick check-in. I wouldn't phrase it as a "follow-up" as if they saw it but ignored it. I'll add something new: perhaps a compelling statistic, some new angle, or other interesting info that makes the story more relevant. For instance, I pitched a retail trend story to a reporter who didn't respond within a week. Seeing that they were active on LinkedIn, I decided to drop a short note on their LinkedIn page with an update of a million new data points of consumer behavior I had discovered since my initial pitch. That small change elicited an almost immediate response, and the article ran shortly thereafter.
Follow Up Briefly and Respectfully
For me, the best way to follow up with a journalist is to see if they have listed an email address or social media handle. I tend to choose whatever channel they seem most comfortable with -- if they're active on X, for example, I'll send a quick DM; if not, I'll shoot off a polite, concise email. My rule of thumb is to let them breathe for four or five business days before sending that gentle nudge. I ask that the message be succinct, add how and why my pitch may still be relevant, and thank them for their time by not articulating or attaching too much detail. I generally email one or two more times, at most, because you don't want to blow up their inbox. From what I saw, sending a very targeted follow-up gives me a bump in replies of roughly 30% over just sending a pitch and hoping for the best. A colleague and I kept track of this for six months, and we noticed that journalists found it easier to engage when we provided MORE SPECIFIC follow-up that reflected any new angles or timely developments. For example, mentioning a relevant breaking news story as part of our pitch often moved us to their "interesting" pile. We learned that it pays to be persistent, but few things are worse than coming off as pushy -- two follow-ups are usually sufficient before it makes sense to leave them alone and reach out again later.
Persist with Brief and Respectful Follow-Ups
I find that there's a better way to follow up with journalists, and that's to keep on following up -- but briefly, respectfully, and with intent. At Freight Right Global Logistics, I wait another 2-3 days after the pitch and then follow up with a short email that lightly reminds them why our perspective might be of great value, explaining any additional context or data that may help them craft their story. So when I followed up on a recent pitch about supply chain disruptions from geopolitical events, I quickly noted some recent updates that week, like new data or industry insights, to add some value to the journalist. This approach also respects their time and makes my follow-up better positioned to stand out. Sending the follow-up brief filled with value also lets me know I understand their priorities and deadlines. Journalists tend to like this approach, and it's led to successful placements, including coverage with major outlets like Fox Business.
