Whether you’re new to PR or you’re a seasoned PR professional, one thing remains clear.

Pitching can be hard.

It seems tougher than ever to get the ‘Yes’ in response to a pitch. From journalists being busy and not seeing an email, or emails getting sent to spam folders, how do we know what works?

With some surveys telling PRs to follow-up, while others saying it’s a one-and-done-situation, how do you get that yes when pitching? And what’s the line between being persistent, and being professional?

The early bird gets the worm

The time in which you pitch to a journalist is one of, if not the most, important things to consider.

For most journalists, they have daily editorial meetings to go over and plan the content that they’ll be covering for that day, or even for the next few days. Meetings tend to be late morning, so it’s important you get your pitch in before then.

Pitching first thing in the morning, with a snappy headline to catch their attention, is the best bet to getting the ‘Yes’ after sending a pitch. Journalists and reporters will likely see it before their meeting, allowing them to consider the pitch or bring it up in the meeting with other editors.

Being early doesn’t just apply for the time, it applies for the day you pitch on too. Based on personal experience, the day that seems to have more success tends to be a Monday. It’s a clean slate, and many writers are likely planning their content for the week ahead. Getting in there early can make you stand out.

Tuesdays and Wednesdays have had slightly more success as well. Some journalists may be finishing projects from the week prior on a Monday, and by Tuesday or Wednesday, they’re more settled, and can start new tasks and plan upcoming content.

Fridays though, are often considered a no-go. It’s the end of the week, tasks are being finished and copy is going through edits, and many may not see the point in planning content with the weekend coming up. Save your pitch for the start of the following week, or a few days into the week.

Hunting for your dream

People say that if you want something, you have to go and get it… but does this apply for following up on a pitch?

The 2026 State of Media Report by Cision found that 64% of journalists believe it is okay to follow up once after sending out a pitch, compared to a significantly lower 8% who said it’s okay to follow-up more than once.

Additionally, the 2026 State of Journalism Muck Rack survey has similar findings, with 50% of reports saying that one follow-up is an ideal amount. This survey also found that 51% of reports said follow-ups should happen a few days after the first pitch is sent out.

Chasing up can work, as sometimes the emailed pitch may have been sent to a junk or spam folder, and the journalist has missed it. Journalists are also flooded with emails each day, and the pitch could have been imbedded into an influx of other emails – they just need to find it. Think of it as the needle in the haystack.

Anything more than one can become too much. However, if the journalist has already accepted your pitch and you’ve been in contact, it’s okay to politely follow-up and enquire about the progress and expected publishing dates for any articles if you haven’t heard back after a while.

It’s important to respect a journalist’s time and not be overly persistent. Treat others how you want to be treated, right?

Human-made content, for humans

The topic of artificial intelligence (AI) is being thrown around, and whether you love it or hate it, it doesn’t seem to be disappearing anytime soon. That being said, it has rapidly changed how many industries perform, specifically writing-heavy industries, such as journalism and PR. 

A 2026 survey by Medianet found that 78% of journalists are less likely to trust PRs who send AI-generated pitches. Alongside this, 43% of reporters in the survey said they have a negative perception of AI pitches.

If you are a PR professional who uses AI in work, it’s clear that AI pitches are not the way to go, and generating one is a sure-fire way to get either ghosted, or a definite ‘no’. Don’t think it’s worth risking either, as AI writing has many signs which people can use to tell if it’s authentically written. There are also AI writing checkers people can scan writing in to see how much of it seems to be AI.

It’s true that AI is changing language, and many people are being accused of using AI to write, even though they aren’t. Em dashes are slowly vanishing, and people always bat an eye now if you use the ‘It’s not this, it’s that’ formula.

To ensure journalists aren’t second guessing whether it’s a human writing a pitch, leading to them ignoring you, it’s important to sound human in writing. Journalists like personality, and in these AI times, it’s worth going that extra step of the way to ensure content is genuine, human, and kind.

Being respectful is still important, but adding some personality, or even going out of your way beforehand to research the journalist you’re pitching to and mentioning a previous article they wrote, or something you know they like, is another way to grab their attention.

Everyone has a unique personality, and now, more than ever, it’s important to show it.

The Slow Burn

Building connections with journalists, although a slow burn and long-term goal, establishes mutual trust and improves your chances of receiving the ‘Yes’ to a pitch after sending it.

Inviting the journalist out for coffee is not only a good way to catch their attention, but it shows you’re interested in them and what they do. Before sending a pitch, think about inviting them for coffee or lunch in a city you’re both close to.

If it’ s a journalist you want to work with, but they don’t live close, asking them for a virtual coffee via video call is an easy alternative. Journalists have busy schedules, and this method also works if they’re too busy to meet in person.

It seems many are missing the more ‘old-fashioned’ way of communication and crave the connection of meeting in person and discussing the pitch. I’ve found this method works well, and even if they don’t agree to a coffee, I have received a response because inviting someone directly is the perfect way to stand out and show your enthusiasm.

To call it a friendship may be a stretch, but after meeting a journalist, or even if they approve your pitch, it’s always a good idea to keep note of their name and check in. Next time you want to pitch something that is a similar subject area, they can be your first call of action. As they already know you, and mutual trust has been established.

This works vice-versa, and perhaps one day the journalist is looking for specific comments, and knows that you may know someone. It’s a slow burn, but building any connection or relationship takes time, and that’s what makes it so special.

Sometimes, even after writing a human-made pitch inviting them out and following up, you may still get a no, or not receive a response at all. The best thing to remember is that it isn’t personal to you. The journalist may be too busy to respond, or it’s not a subject they’re interested in.

BlueSky Education can help you secure media opportunities. Get in touch with us to find out how we can help.

Author: Rachel Varnham 
With an impressive academic and journalistic background, Rachel brings the ideal experience to her role in education PR. Boasting an Undergraduate Degree in Sociology from the University of Kent and a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing from Anglia Ruskin University, she has a personal understanding of the inner workings of universities, which she subsequently built on in her career as a staff writer and editor prior to BlueSky Education.