6 Tactics to Follow Up With Journalists Without Being Persistent
Effective follow-up strategies can make or break a journalist outreach campaign. This article explores innovative tactics to reconnect with journalists without coming across as overly persistent. Drawing from insights provided by industry experts, readers will discover practical approaches to enhance their follow-up game and increase their chances of securing media coverage.
- Keep It Simple with a Brief Follow-Up
- Personalize Your Pitch with Relevant Angles
- Offer Tangible Value Through Real-World Connections
- Create Tailored Video Pitches for Journalists
- Provide Fresh Insights in Value-Add Follow-Ups
- Send Custom Postcards with Exclusive Content
Keep It Simple with a Brief Follow-Up
The best approach is to keep it simple. After sending a press release and photo, I typically wait two weeks. Then, I follow up with a brief two or three-line message. In this message, I inquire whether the journalist has had a chance to review the content. I also share one way the story would be relevant to their audience and include one direct quote from the press release. I have found this approach effective in generating a reply, even if it doesn't immediately lead to earned media coverage. Additionally, I have received responses from reporters several weeks later when they are seeking content relevant to what I originally provided.
Personalize Your Pitch with Relevant Angles
After sending a press release, I wait three business days before following up with a brief, personalized email—never a generic "just checking in." I reference a specific angle from the journalist's past coverage and tie it directly to the story I pitched. For example, I once followed up with a tech journalist by pointing out how our AI feature aligned with a problem they had explored in a recent article. This approach demonstrated that I had done my homework and wasn't simply spamming their inbox.
I keep the follow-up under four sentences and always offer something useful, such as early access to a data point or a short quote they can use. This tactic has garnered more replies than aggressive follow-ups ever did.
Offer Tangible Value Through Real-World Connections
A few years ago, after emailing a press release about our new wildlife-friendly mosquito program, I let it sit for three days before sending a one-sentence LinkedIn message to the reporter. There was no hard sell, just a simple message: "Hi [Name], I saw you attended the Downtown Chamber mixer last month; if you'd like to see our mosquito-proof garden demo in action tomorrow morning, let me know." By tying the follow-up to a shared local event and offering something tangible (an on-site demo) instead of another email, I cut through the inbox clutter without adding pressure.
The reporter replied that afternoon, came out for the demo, and wrote a full feature with photos of our team installing native-plant barriers. The key lesson learned was to lean on real-world connections and offer a clear next step that they'll actually appreciate—not a generic "Did you get this?" nudge. That human touch made the conversation feel collaborative rather than aggressive, and I've received better responses ever since.
Create Tailored Video Pitches for Journalists
When I release a press release, I wait 48 hours and then send a 60-second Loom video to each journalist, walking them through the three most newsworthy angles for their audience. In one recent case, I was pitching our new sustainability report, and rather than sending another email blast, I recorded a quick screen share highlighting the local data points and why they matter to the readers. That slight touch turned cold inboxes warm.
The key is brevity and relevance: I keep the video under a minute, tailor my talking points to something I know they cover, and end with a simple "Let me know if you want more detail" rather than pushing for a meeting. It shows I respect their time, gives them the story in a format they can skim or pass along to editors, and cuts through the clutter without feeling like a nag.
Provide Fresh Insights in Value-Add Follow-Ups
Following up with journalists is both an art and a science. I've found that timing and personalization are absolutely critical. In the logistics space, where we're constantly dealing with time-sensitive operations, I apply that same efficiency mindset to PR follow-ups.
My most effective tactic is what I call the "value-add follow-up." Instead of just checking in (which journalists hate), I provide something new and genuinely useful in my follow-up. This might be a fresh industry data point, a relevant customer success story that just came in, or connecting the initial pitch to a breaking news story.
For example, last quarter when following up about our 3PL marketplace expansion, I noticed a journalist had just written about supply chain bottlenecks. Rather than pushing my original release, I sent a quick note with specific data from our platform showing how the right 3PL partnerships were helping brands navigate those exact challenges. The journalist ended up not just covering our news but featuring us as a solution to the problem.
Timing matters too - I typically wait 3-5 business days before following up, and I always acknowledge the journalist's busy schedule. One email follow-up is usually sufficient. If there's no response after that, I take the hint and move on - relationships in this industry are too valuable to jeopardize by being pushy.
Remember, journalists receive hundreds of pitches weekly. Your goal should be standing out by being helpful, not by being persistent to the point of annoyance. Just like matching eCommerce brands with the right 3PL partners, it's about creating value, not just making noise.
Send Custom Postcards with Exclusive Content
I swapped the usual email chase for a tactile surprise—a custom postcard summarizing the release's three standout stats, complete with a QR code linking to exclusive B-roll footage. I send it about three days after the digital version lands, so it arrives when other pitches have already faded. The card's bright design and physical presence grab attention without the "Did you see my email?" nagging.
When we rolled out our eco-friendly rodent barrier last October, I mailed ten of these postcards to priority outlets. One reporter pinged me within hours, intrigued by the behind-the-scenes video the QR code unlocked. Rather than another inbox ping, that small analog gesture felt thoughtful and earned us a feature in her weekend roundup—no follow-up spam required.
