Steps To Take When Journalists Stop Responding To Your Pitches

It can feel frustrating when journalists stop replying to your press pitches. You craft a strong story, press send, and then silence. If that silence drags on, it becomes hard to know what to do next or how to fix it. You worry the story might not be strong enough, or that your timing is off. But often, it’s a mix of small things adding up over time.

When media relations slip, it doesn’t always mean you’re doing everything wrong. Sometimes, it’s about timing. Sometimes, the journalist's priorities have changed. Either way, it's a good moment to pause, take stock of your approach, and make improvements where it counts. Knowing how to respond calmly and practically can get things back on track.

It can feel frustrating when journalists stop replying to your press pitches. You craft a strong story, press send, and then silence. If that silence drags on, it becomes hard to know what to do next or how to fix it. You worry the story might not be strong enough, or that your timing is off. But often, it’s a mix of small things adding up over time. Many think PR is as simple as sending an email, but navigating media relations effectively requires a nuanced understanding of journalist expectations and industry dynamics. Without working with a PR agency, missteps can lead to missed opportunities or even damage relationships.

When media relations slip, it doesn’t always mean you’re doing everything wrong. Sometimes, it’s about timing. Sometimes, the journalist's priorities have changed. Either way, it's a good moment to pause, take stock of your approach, and make improvements where it counts. Knowing how to respond calmly and practically can get things back on track.

Analyse Your Approach

Before making changes, take a step back and look at your past efforts. Review the pitches you’ve sent over the last few months. What topics did you focus on? How were those stories framed? Whom did you target? The goal here isn’t just to guess what went wrong. It’s to find patterns, so you can adjust with purpose.

Ask yourself the following:

- Are your pitches too general or lacking a clear angle?

- Have you been targeting the right people for the story?

- Are you giving enough notice or sending too close to deadline?

- Do your subject lines and introductions make someone want to read more?

It helps to compare a few replies you did get against the ones that were ignored. Maybe the positive responses had a sharper subject line or referenced something relevant to the journalist’s beat. Or maybe they were shorter, quicker to get to the point.

It’s also worth checking how often you’ve pitched. Sending too frequently or too rarely can affect response rates. Journalists are busy. If your name shows up too often without fresh ideas, they may tune out. But if you only appear when you need coverage, you risk being forgotten. Consistency and relevance matter.

One example might be sending multiple releases on company news that doesn’t really affect people outside your business. Instead of angles like “We launched a new product,” try shifting the focus towards what problem that product solves. If the reader sees its impact, they’re more likely to care.

Refresh Your Pitch Strategy

Once you've had a proper look at what's happening, it’s time to work on the way you pitch. It’s not just about being more creative. It’s about being more thoughtful. Journalists want stories that match their niche and speak to their audience. To do that, your pitch needs a real hook.

Here’s how you can breathe life into your pitch:

1. Find a stronger angle – Tie it to a bigger trend or issue. If it connects to something people are already talking about, it’s more likely to get attention.

2. Personalise it – Address the journalist by name. Mention a recent article of theirs and explain how your story adds to it or presents a fresh view.

3. Make it brief and clear – Keep intros short. Lead with the strongest point in the first two lines. Journalists skim, so make those lines count.

4. Offer something exclusive – Even if it’s a quote, video, or data point, having content no one else has access to makes an email more tempting to open.

5. Include all the key info – Journalists shouldn’t have to dig or ask for more. Make it easy to use what you’re sharing.

Changing your pitch approach might not guarantee immediate responses, but it can show genuine effort. That often makes a difference over time. Try not to fall into the trap of sending template emails to everyone on your list. A little bit of personal effort can go a long way.

Strengthen Relationships With Journalists

Even the best pitches can go unanswered when there's no rapport behind them. Building real relationships with journalists gives you more than just email replies. It helps both sides understand each other better and leads to stronger coverage in the long run.

One thing to remember: journalists get contacted all the time. If you’re only speaking to them when you need something, the connection won’t stick. Start small. Follow them on social media and engage with their content in a natural, respectful way. Don’t force it, just be present. Responding to posts, sharing their stories, or reacting to something they’ve written shows you're paying attention without being pushy.

You can also meet face-to-face through small industry events, media roundtables or low-key networking gatherings. These settings make it easier to talk casually and build trust. If those aren’t possible right now, short check-ins now and then via email work too without a pitch attached.

Providing value without demanding anything is a great way to stay on someone’s radar. Maybe that’s a heads-up about a story they might care about, or a quick comment on how you enjoyed a recent piece they wrote. These moments create goodwill that lasts beyond one press release.

Here’s a way to think about it: imagine someone only ever calls you when they’re asking for a favour. Now imagine another person who checks in, chats, and occasionally shares something you’d like. Whose call would you answer first?

Enhance Follow-Up Methods

Getting the follow-up just right can make the difference between a reply and radio silence. If your first pitch didn’t land a response, your second message should feel like a polite reminder, not a push. Timing matters just as much as tone.

Aim to send your follow-up between two and five days after the original pitch, depending on the urgency of the topic. Wait too long and the story may feel stale. Send it too quickly and you risk coming across as impatient. The best pitch follow-ups are kind, clear, and brief.

Try saying:

- Just checking in to see if this might be of interest.

- Wanted to bump this up in case it got buried.

- Happy to send more details if that helps you decide.

Be honest but keep your tone professional, never passive-aggressive. If a pitch hasn’t had any response after your second attempt, let it go for now. You could revisit the same journalist when you’ve got something new to offer.

It helps to vary your approach slightly. Add a new angle or include something you didn’t send the first time, like a quote or updated image. You’ll show that you’re trying, without sounding repetitive.

And don’t forget, sometimes it’s not you. Journalists face packed schedules, changing shifts, and unexpected deadlines. A non-response isn’t always a rejection. It might just be bad timing.

Keeping Your Media Relations Active

Once you’ve patched up your strategy and improved your outreach, the next step is to keep the momentum going. Media relations work best when they’re ongoing, not just something you scramble to do when there’s an announcement coming up.

Take the time to review and update your media lists regularly. Journalists often change roles or beats, so keeping your records current avoids wasted emails. Pay attention to the stories your contacts are writing now, not just the ones they’re known for.

Set a routine for keeping in touch. This doesn’t mean sending constant messages but checking in every few months with a short, useful note. Keep it light, with no pressure. When there's something relevant for them, they’ll remember you.

To keep up the flow of value over time:

- Share useful background info, even if it’s not linked to a pitch.

- Offer interview access or behind-the-scenes content they might not expect.

- Send short, friendly messages to say hello or offer a heads-up about trends.

Media relations isn’t about chasing coverage every week. It’s about being reliable, thoughtful, and easy to work with. That kind of presence stays with people, especially when they’re looking for someone to reach out to for future stories.

Rebuilding Trust and Connection Takes Time

When journalists stop replying, it’s easy to think nothing’s working but most of the time, the fix is closer than it seems. By reviewing your past efforts, refreshing your approach, and focusing on genuine connection, you’ll put yourself in a better position to earn their trust again.

It takes effort, and it’s never instant. But with steady, thoughtful moves, you can build relationships that last longer than one press release. While it’s possible to manage media relations on your own, partnering with a specialized PR agency can often provide the expertise and resources needed to consistently achieve better results. Stay respectful of their time, be clear in your message, and most of all, be human. Good media relations grow from honesty, patience, and purpose.

With these insights to refine your media outreach, it's time to take action and improve your connections with journalists. To explore how our team can support stronger media relations, reach out to Blue Totem Communications and see how we can help you craft strategies that resonate.