There were estimated to be approximately 75,100 public relations professionals working in the UK as of Q2 2023. With this number continuously growing and business’ demand for PR services in 2024, it is no wonder the competition is so high to get your press features in National press. 

Just over 42% of writers reported receiving 11 to 100 pitches a day, and almost 5% receive 100+ email pitches per day.

To grab their attention and make your story stand out from the crowd, here are 5 ways to make your press feature pitch perfect:

1. Punchy title

Based on the facts above, journalists receive hundreds of press features per day, meaning that the likelihood of every single one being read, is very slim. This is where a punchy title is a MUST! Imagine you are tasked to run to the top of a mountain and in one line shout your pitch story, what would that be? That is your title!

2. Why them? 

Journalists don’t want to be part of the many copy and paste contacts that you are pitching a story to, but rather want to know why your story would work for them and the newspaper in which they are writing for. Finding a past story that the journalist has published before and is of interest to you, can be a great conversation starter to open your pitch. This way, you can show the journalist that not only are you interested in their work but also why your story would work for their paper.

3. Finding a relevant hook

As PRs we are constantly exposed to industry updates, and with new statistics, data and schemes being revealed frequently, it’s a great way to grab the journalists attention. Using a figure in the subject line can make your press features stand out as they are easily digestible and quick to understand. 

4. Keeping it sharp

Remember as PR’s we don’t create the final story, we pitch our clients. It’s the journalist’s job to research and produce the copy, so sending over paragraphs of long winded ideas won’t be used. A simple fact, figure or announcement should be used to pitch your client, making it easier for the journalist to then add their creative flare.

5. Building and maintaining relationships

It can be super disheartening when you’ve spent ages researching and aligning clients with a feature pitch idea and not a single journalists replies. But on any response, good or bad, keep that relationship going. Even if they decline your idea, we recommend building up a relationship by asking what they’re working on and how you can be of assistance. This may spark their memory on any other projects that our clients could benefit from.

Follow these steps…

By following these steps, you are on the right track to making your press release pitch not only recognised by the journalist but are also creating an email which is easier to read, punchy, and much more engaging for the journalist to also see your interest in their previous work. By shaping your pitch idea to fit the journalist in which you are sending it to, you are also on your way to creating a great media contact for future pitches to come!

For more information on how BR can help support pitch your business and PR campaigns to national press publications, please contact us.