Mastering The Follow-Up Frenzy

Hey Media Darlings,

I hope everyone had a relaxing and firecracker-filled holiday!?To make up for enjoying the break and not publishing an edition last week, I'm bringing you?two doses of Media Darling this week?– packed with insights to help you dominate the PR game. First up this week, we’re tackling how to master the art of the follow-up email.

We've all been there. You craft the perfect pitch, a story you KNOW will resonate with readers. You hit send, brimming with confidence, only to be met with...silence.?Followed by more silence. Then, maybe, a dreaded "maybe" – a journalist purgatory that leaves you wondering if your pitch ever even landed. Now you owe your team members and client some answers and showing up to the next call without any feedback won’t reflect favorably on you (or the company). The obvious next step is to send a follow up email but follow ups are tricky. You don’t want to be the pesty PR person who ignores the fact that journalists don’t always have the time to reply (or even read) every pitch that plops into their inbox. You also don’t want to assume they ignored you and not at least check back in (a closed mouth never gets fed). Then there’s the generic Hi, wanted to follow up on this note to see if there was any interest in the below pitch, but let’s face it, nothing about that note screams READ ME!

A well-timed and well-crafted follow-up email is a delicate dance – you need to show persistence without appearing pushy, and offer value that keeps the journalist engaged with your story. But how do you stand out in a crowded inbox overflowing with pitches??Let's explore some general follow-up best practices before looking at some tips from a real-life journalist about what makes them tick.

• Don’t rush a reporter: If you sent the first pitch in the morning, it doesn’t make sense to follow up in the afternoon on the same day (even if time is of the essence). You risk burning a relationship if you try to rush a reporter to respond. Imagine if somebody kept calling your phone because they needed something from you without having any prior agreement that you were able to deliver on the ask. Chances are you would most likely be BEYOND annoyed. At best, take the old school route and give them a call if you're pressed for time but an email follow up on the same day is too much.
• Offer value, not pressure:?Don't just ask for a response.?Frame your follow-up as a way to provide additional details or answer potential questions.
• Focus on the "why" now:?Reporters are bombarded with pitches.?Emphasize why this story is relevant and timely for their audience (e.g.,?new data,?industry trends,?local impact).
• Follow up strategically:?If a reporter expresses interest but gets bogged down because the news cycle was disrupted or their editor gave them another story to prioritize,?send a friendly reminder a later to see if they need anything or have the time to revisit in the near future.
• Analyze editorial calendars:?Research upcoming editorial themes or special issues relevant to your pitch and tailor your follow-up to align with those themes.

While these are just general best practices around crafting follow-up emails, the main thing to remember is that a follow-up email shouldn’t be overly analyzed or simplified as it’s a strategic approach that should also focus on cutting through the noise to grab journalists’ attention.

Now, let's get some insider intel from the other side of the pitch to help take your follow-up game to the next level!? I went behind the scenes with Modern Retail reporter, Melissa Daniels to have her shares insights on crafting compelling follow-up emails and what separates a helpful PR pro from a spammer.

The Sweet Spot: Timing is Everything!

According to Melissa,?the ideal timeframe for a PR pro to follow up after an initial pitch is 48 hours as it can take her a day or two to get back to all the emails she wants to respond to when she’s on deadline to write stories three times a week. Hitting that sweet spot shows you're persistent without being pushy. Any sooner and you’re crossing over into spam territory!

Standing Out in the Inbox: Efficiency is Key!

When crafting your follow-up email,?keep it?brief and to the point.?Melissa suggests focusing on one clear sentence that reminds her of the value your client brings to her readers (especially if you’re following up on an initial pitch she has never responded to).

“If I didn’t respond because I didn’t see the initial email or was too busy to reply, I am more likely to take a second look if it is efficient. Additionally, if you’ve secured other coverage since emailing me last, sometimes sharing the link might help. I am not going to see every story about your client but (hopefully) you will, and maybe that will inspire me to take our own fresh look."

Beyond the Pitch: Building Relationships & Offering Value

A simple follow-up can feel impersonal.?Melissa suggests offering additional value to stand out.?In fact, if you really want to provide some additional context and value around your client, Melissa shared the following helpful tip:

“Can you talk to me off the record about why you are pitching this story, or what is happening behind the scenes? Ask me to hop on a quick call to speak OTR so we can be frank and I can better understand the stakes, the differentiator or the appeal. I think many of us are overwhelmed by emails and Zooms. And I can almost guarantee you that no one became a journalist because they love regurgitating corporate-speak or being a transcriptionist for quotes that are perfectly on message. That’s not just the job. But if we can connect on a professional level as experts working in media/business at a very strange time, and you can show me a shred of honesty, it can go a long way."

The Art of Reframing: Keeping the Conversation Going

A 'maybe' or no response doesn't have to be a dead end!?A tried-and-true tactic that works to keep the conversation going and make your follow up more enticing is to offer some sort of exclusive insight on the topic that no other outlets are receiving. Make it clear that there is some sort of exclusive available. Also, in Melissa’s opinion, sometimes asking what topics she’s already working on will yield a fit. Your pitch about a marketing campaign might not be of interest to but if she’s working on a story about a supply chain story and you ask your client if they have thoughts to share, it can lead to some great insights. Just because something feels like behind-the-scenes operations to you doesn’t mean it won’t be interesting to her readership that is looking to learn from other brands.

Red Flags & Boundaries

There are some definite red flags that can turn Melissa off.?Here's what to avoid:

• Pitching irrelevant topics:?If your pitch doesn't align with media's coverage area,?be respectful of their time and move on. “If you are pitching me on a topic that we do not cover and continue to follow up, you are being a spammer, not a PR pro!”
• Scripted interviews:?Asking for questions in advance can make interviews robotic and impersonal.?“To me, this means you just want to prep your client with on-message talking points and the interview will be as boring as unbuttered toast.” Instead, reassure your clients that they can trust Melissa's journalistic expertise to guide the conversation.
• Lack of follow-up:?If Melissa interviews your client,?don't disappear!?She may reach out with additional questions, and responsiveness is key to building trust.

Melissa's Final Takeaways

“No email message or subject line or follow-up strategy can create a news story. There is no magic wand here. It is up to me and my editorial team to publish what we see as fitting news and interesting trends that our readers may learn from and care about. I don’t think anyone should ever feel bad about themselves or their skill set because their pitches are getting rejected, but they might be barking up the wrong trees, so to speak.”

Do you have any battle-tested follow-up tactics that have worked wonders for you? Share your tips and success stories in the comments below!

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