Think Like a Journalist: 5 Smart Questions to Ask Before Pitching Your Story

“Think Like a Journalist: 5 Smart Questions to Ask Before Pitching Your Story”

If your media pitch starts with “We’re excited to announce…” - Stop!. 

You’re not pitching a story. You’re sending a media release into space. And it’s not coming back. 

Too many organizations confuse announcements with news. They treat journalists like bulletin boards instead of storytellers. The result? Silence. No replies. No coverage. No clicks.

If you want your story to actually earn media attention and not just be deleted in 1.7 seconds flat you have to do better. That starts with asking the right questions before you ever hit send.

Let’s be honest: journalists are overwhelmed. Their inboxes are fire hoses of poorly written pitches, generic press releases, and self-promotional noise. If you want to stand out, you need to pitch from their perspective, not yours.

Here are 5 essential questions to ask before pitching your next story to media along with a few hard truths that can turn your “announcement” into a headline-worthy news item.

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1. Is it a story… or just an announcement?

Be ruthless here. Announcements are internal wins. Stories require audience relatability and value.

“We hired a new VP” = Announcement. ❌

“Our new VP overcame poverty to become a cybersecurity leader, and she’s now tackling digital safety for marginalized communities” = Story. ✅

Turn your internal moment into a bigger narrative. Ask yourself:

•Why would the public care about this?

•What impact does it have beyond our company walls?

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2. To whom—and whose audience—are you pitching?

Every journalist serves a specific audience. Your story has to fit that lane.

Are you pitching business news to a lifestyle reporter? A corporate initiative to a tech editor? That’s a fast track to their trash folder. Do your homework. Read what they’ve written. Learn what their readers (or viewers) care about.

Better yet—show them you’ve done your homework in your email. Make it clear why your story aligns with their beat and audience.

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3. Does your story have a clear, simple focus?

Clarity is everything. Journalists aren’t here to solve your communications jigsaw puzzle.

If your pitch meanders through 3 initiatives, 4 departments, and 5 buzzwords, it’s already lost.

Your message should be:

•Focused (one clear idea)

•Understandable (no insider jargon)

•Relevant (aligned with current news or public interests)

You don’t need to “dumb it down.” You do need to distill it.

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4. Do you have facts, visuals, or sound to support it?

Great stories need substance. That means data, quotes, case studies, photos, and—if you’re aiming for broadcast—video or soundbites.

Ask yourself:

•Do I have statistics to support my claims?

•Can I provide a compelling visual or sound element?

•Are there people who can speak authentically to the story’s impact?

Emotion grabs attention. Facts earn credibility. A powerful visual seals the deal.

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5. Will people talk about this story after they’ve read or seen it?

This might be the most important question of all: Why does this story stick?

Journalists don’t just want content—they want conversation. Will their audience care? Will they share it, repost it, comment on it? If not, the editor probably won’t assign it.

Your story needs to hit a nerve, a curiosity, or a cultural moment. The best pitches often answer these questions:

•Why now?

•What’s new, surprising, or urgent about this?

•What are people missing if they don’t hear this story?

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Final Thought: Respect the inbox. Respect the craft.

Before you pitch, take a moment to think about the human being on the other end the journalist or editor. They don’t owe you coverage. They’re not your PR rep. They’re storytellers with limited time and a high standard.

If you want their attention, earn it.

Craft your pitch with intention. Lead with value. Make it easy to say yes.

And if you’re not sure where to start or how to turn your internal moment into media gold, Speaking of Media can help. Our media training and strategic counsel are designed to get your story pitch-ready and newsworthy.

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