One of the hardest lessons for founders and comms teams to learn is this: coverage is not guaranteed. It doesn’t matter how strong the product is, how big the funding round was, or how much time was spent perfecting the pitch. The media doesn’t owe you a story. That’s not cynicism—it’s reality.
Journalists operate under pressure most people outside the industry don’t see. Their inboxes are flooded. Their deadlines are tight. Their attention is a limited resource. To earn space in that environment, a pitch has to do more than share news. It has to offer value.
That value starts with relevance. A journalist covers a beat, not a brand. If your story doesn’t fit their focus, even the best-written pitch will get skipped. This is where many campaigns fall short. The team builds a list based on outlet prestige instead of editorial alignment. That leads to mismatches and silent inboxes.
The second layer is timing. A story that would have landed last month might feel late today. Or a story that isn’t quite ready now might work better in a few weeks, once more context builds around it. Pitching is often about sensing the right moment, not just writing the right email.
Beyond that, there’s the substance. Most journalists are not interested in announcements. They’re looking for ideas that spark interest. That might mean a surprising data point. It might be a counter-narrative. It might be a fresh angle on a trend that’s gaining momentum. If the story feels obvious, it usually gets ignored.
It’s also important to remember that clarity wins. If a pitch takes too long to explain itself, it rarely gets read to the end. A clear subject line, a brief hook, and a single compelling takeaway make more difference than flashy language or creative formatting. The job isn’t to impress, it’s to inform.
Trust plays a role, too. Journalists remember the people who pitch well. They also remember the ones who don’t. If a company sends misleading headlines, pushes weak stories, or ignores feedback, they burn credibility. That matters more than most realize. A well-timed follow-up from a trusted source often carries more weight than a splashy first attempt from someone unknown.
Good pitching isn’t just about the pitch. It’s about the groundwork. If a company has been visible in smart ways—like thought leadership, speaking events, or well-placed guest articles, they’re more likely to be taken seriously. When a journalist can see a pattern of insight or impact, they’re more open to giving attention.
There’s also the idea of the right format. Not every story needs to be a full feature. Some might work better as commentary. Others might fit into a roundup or industry newsletter. Being open to different kinds of placements often opens more doors than aiming only for headline stories.
Ultimately, the best media strategy respects the journalist’s job. It doesn’t try to bend their beat to fit a brand’s goal. It looks for the overlap between what matters to the company and what matters to the world. That intersection is where real stories live.
So while no one is entitled to press, the odds aren’t random. They rise when a pitch is thoughtful, well-timed, clearly written, and built on mutual value. In that context, media becomes more than a megaphone. It becomes a relationship.
Looking for advice on media coverage or want to look into guaranteed options? Reach out directly at jordan@notabilitypartners.com.
