Your press release is probably fine. It just isn’t what a reporter needs at 9:12 a.m. on a Tuesday.
If your outreach is a 900-word PDF attachment plus a subject line that screams “BLAST,” expect silence. Not because journalists are mean. Because they are busy.
Muck Rack’s State of Journalism 2026 survey found that 88% of journalists delete pitches that miss their beat. That number should haunt your inbox filters.
What a reporter actually needs
They need a story angle that fits their coverage. They need a reason it matters now. They need proof that you are not wasting their time.
So stop sending “all the details.” Send the decision. Your pitch should make it easy to say yes or no in 15 seconds.
Write the pitch for the delete button. If it survives that, you have a chance.
The five-sentence pitch (steal this)
This is the simplest format I have seen work across local business, nonprofits, and professional services. No fluff. No throat clearing.
Subject line
Be specific. Show the hook. If you have a number, use it.
- Good: Milwaukee employers: 3 hiring trends we’re seeing in 2026 (with data)
- Bad: Press Release: New partnership announcement
Email body
- One sentence: What happened, and why it matters now.
- One sentence: Why their audience should care (local angle counts).
- One sentence: The proof. Link to a one-page fact sheet, dataset, or a simple proof asset page.
- One sentence: Who you can put on the phone today. Name + title + why they are worth talking to.
- One sentence: The ask. Interview? Quick call? Background? On-record quote?
If you want a second opinion, Muck Rack’s guide breaks down the same core components: subject line, core message, supporting info, credible sources, CTA. Worth a skim.
Copy/paste pitch email template
Replace the brackets. Keep the length. Send it to one person, not 70.
- Subject: [City/Industry] [specific hook] (1 number helps)
- Hi [Name],
- [One sentence: your story idea, plus what changed or why it matters this week.]
- [One sentence: why your audience in [place/beat] would care. Make it concrete.]
- [One sentence: proof link. Example: a one-page fact sheet, short case study, or a public doc with numbers.]
- [One sentence: spokesperson + availability. “I can connect you with … today or tomorrow.”]
- [One sentence: the ask. “Interested in a quick 10-minute call?” works.]
- Thanks, [Name] / [Title] / [Phone]
What to attach (almost nothing)
Attachments are how you get ignored by spam filters and security training. Mention what you have. Link to it.
A helpful “proof pack” usually looks like:
- A one-page fact sheet with 3 to 6 bullets, one chart, and a source line.
- Two to three high-res images, hosted somewhere sane.
- A short bio for the spokesperson.
- A public page you can point to when someone says, “Who are you?” (Your About page counts.)
If you do not have proof assets, build them. Start with this: Case Studies That Close Deals: A Simple Proof Asset Template.
Follow-up rules (so you don’t become a blocked sender)
One polite follow-up is usually enough. If they did not bite, move on or change the angle. Do not “circle back” for two weeks straight.
Muck Rack says it plainly: one timely follow-up is often enough if the first pitch was ignored. Source.
Where SigServe fits
If you want earned media, you need more than “good writing.” You need a story angle, proof, and a spokesperson who can answer a hard question without melting.
That is the work. If you want help with PR strategy, media relations, and executive comms, it lives under PR & Communications.
Want better pitches and better proof?
We can help you shape the story, build the assets, and prep the people who have to answer the questions.