Want to see your healthcare story in the news? With niche sectors like health and wellbeing, it can be tough. UK health journalists are the bouncers to an exclusive club. They only let the best pitches through the door. But, you’re in luck. We’re a B2B PR and healthcare media relations agency that knows how to make sure your pitches get VIP treatment.
Know your journo
Don’t send the same pitch to everyone. Sarah at The Guardian won’t care about the same stuff as Mike at The Times. Read their pieces. Get a feel for their style and interests. Pitching a fad diet story to a medical research writer is like offering steak to a vegan. Rookie error. As well as the style and content of individual journalists, bear the identity of your target publication as a whole in mind.
Write a killer subject line
Your subject line can make or break your pitch. It’s your headline. Keep it short and punchy. Avoid cringy clickbait like “You won’t believe this!”. Instead try “New Alzheimer’s treatment shows promise” or “Exclusive: top cardiologist busts heart health myths”.
Cut to the chase
Journos are busy. They don’t have time for waffle. Start with the key details: who, what, where, when, why and how. If you can’t grab them in two sentences, you’ve lost them. Be clear and simple. Don’t say “operational excellence” when you mean “doing everyday things better”.
Katie our Head of Media Relations adds, “ASAP not only means ‘as soon as possible’ – so fastest fingers first – but it also means ‘as short as possible’. Research has shown that pitches under 90 words are most successful.”
Dangle an exclusive
Writers love being first. Give them something no one else has – early research access, a first interview, breaking news. But just make sure it’s actually exclusive. If they find out their “scoop” is old news, your credibility will go pretty quickly.
Be on standby
If a journo is interested, they’ll need more info, quotes, and interviews – fast. Make sure you or your subject matter expert’s ready to deliver. Delays kill stories quicker than a bad headline. Going on holiday? Let them know who to contact instead.
Give them a gentle nudge
If you don’t hear back in a few days, you can give them a gentle nudge. Sometimes emails get buried. But don’t pester them daily. One nudge is enough. If they’re keen, they’ll reply. If not, move on to your next target or your next angle.
Build relationships
The best pitches come from the best relationships. Engage with their work – share their articles, and comment on their stories. Building rapport helps your emails stand out. It’s good to have journo friends in your corner. But remember, good relationships aren’t born from repeatedly asking journalists to write about uninteresting stories and products. Focus on the strength of your story. This is the most foolproof way to a healthcare journalist’s heart.
There you have it. Your guide to pitching healthcare stories that grab attention. Keep it simple, keep it real and you’ll be making headlines in no time.
Fancy a bit of help? Give us a shout. We’re healthcare PR pros.
Written by Hannah Syers, Social Impact Client Services Director at Definition