majiayu000 Media Pitch Skill
Writes media pitches that journalists actually respond to — built around the story angle, not the company's desire for coverage. Most pitches fail because they are press releases in an email. Good pitches are a human proposing a story to another human.
Required Inputs
Ask the user for these if not provided:
- The story (what is the actual news or interesting angle?)
- Target publication or journalist (who are you pitching to and what do they cover?)
- Company or organisation (who is behind this?)
- Key proof point (data, customer story, or exclusive that makes this credible)
- Why now (why is this timely?)
- What you are offering (interview / exclusive data / embargoed information / spokespeople)
Output Structure
Pitch: [Target journalist / outlet]
Subject line: [Under 10 words. The story angle, not the company name. Specific, not "Exciting news from [Company]"]
Hi [First name],
[Opening sentence — one hook that makes them want to read the next line. Reference their recent work if genuinely relevant: "I read your piece on X last week, which is why I thought you'd be interested in this."]
[Paragraph 1 — The story in 2–3 sentences. Lead with why the reader of [publication] would care. Not what the company does. The news angle, with the most interesting fact first.]
[Paragraph 2 — Why this is a story now. One data point, trend, or timely hook. Be specific: "In the last 6 months, X has increased by Y, according to [source]." Generic claims about "growing trends" are ignored.]
[Paragraph 3 — What you are offering. Interview with [specific person + their relevant credential]. Exclusive data / first look. Access to [specific thing]. One clear offering.]
[Brief company context — 1 sentence maximum. Journalists don't need your history; they need to know you're credible.]
Happy to send more details, connect you with [spokesperson], or share [specific exclusive asset] under embargo.
[Name] [Title, Company] [Mobile — journalists work on deadline and text faster than email]
Pitch Rules
- Subject line is the pitch — if it doesn't earn a click, nothing else matters
- The story angle is not "Company launches product" — it is what that product reveals about the world
- One pitch, one journalist — mass BCC pitches are recognisable and ignored
- Follow up once, after 3–5 business days, with new information (not "just checking in")
- If offering an exclusive, name it explicitly and set a response deadline
Angle Development Framework
If the user doesn't have a strong angle, help them find one:
| Angle type | Example | Works for |
|---|---|---|
| Data reveal | "Our research of 10,000 users shows X" | Survey findings, product insights |
| Trend + proof | "This is happening and here is evidence" | Market trends, behaviour change |
| Contrarian | "Everyone thinks X but actually Y" | Counter-intuitive findings |
| Human story | "This person's experience illustrates X" | Customer stories, case studies |
| Milestone | "First / fastest / largest in [category]" | Launches, records |
Quality Checks
- Subject line is the story angle (under 10 words, no company name)
- Opening doesn't start with "I'm reaching out" or "I hope this email finds you well"
- The story angle is clear in the first two sentences
- A specific exclusive or offer is named
- Journalist's name is used (not "Hi there")
- Mobile number included for deadline follow-up
Anti-Patterns
- Do not write a pitch that leads with the company's history or description — the story angle must come first, not who the company is
- Do not use vague data points ("significant growth", "thousands of users") — every statistic must be specific and verifiable
- Do not send the same pitch to multiple journalists in a BCC — pitches must be individually tailored to each journalist's beat and recent work
- Do not offer an exclusive without setting a response deadline — an open-ended exclusive invitation is ignored or used to delay indefinitely
- Do not follow up with "just checking in" — a follow-up must contain new information or a fresh angle, otherwise it is noise
Example Trigger Phrases
- "Write a media pitch for [story or announcement]"
- "Draft a journalist outreach email for [topic]"
- "Help me pitch [story] to [type of journalist or outlet]"
- "What is a good angle for a media pitch about [topic]?"