How to get in the Wall Street Journal or New York Times

I take my clients from a state of no one knows who they are to everyone in their market knows who they are. Because elements of my job are “PR-ish” I often get asked how to get in The Wall Street Journal or The New York Times and other super sexy publications. And yes, I have an answer: think like a journalist!

Yes, you can easily find a journalist’s email or even DM them on Twitter. Yes, you can pitch a journalist directly to float a story idea their way. And yes, they will write about you or your company if it fits a story. But there’s one major obstacle even most PR companies can’t get past. Getting a journalist interested.

The central question you need to ask yourself truthfully, before sending an idea their direction is this: If they included your story, would their readers click, read and share, or click excited to read it?

Spit out the Kool-Aid and ask yourself this hard question: Does your pitch still have the same value you once thought it did? I bet not.

Journalists won’t write a feature about you

Journalists generally don’t write features on companies, products, services or people—that’s a rarity. They write on trends, news, or data that will get readers excited.

I distinctly remember writing a piece on a new technology from a cool company many years ago for The Washington Post. I proudly sent it to my editor and his immediate response was, “dude, this reads like an advertisement.” The whole piece was gushing on this company and their technology. My editor correctly pushed back, explaining no one would likely read it because most people can’t make the connection why this company and product matter to them.

Readers, viewers, and listeners of media are selfish—not in a bad sense, they’re consuming media they are interested in. Typically, that interest is driven by current events and what’s happening in the world around them.

Examples of what makes a good pitch

Practically, what’s this look like for you?

A journalist may write on why Americans are doing more arts and crafts. They won’t focus on a particular craft store.

A journalist may write on why low-carb foods are healthier for your gut. They won’t focus on your particular meal-replacement bar company.

A journalist may write on the problem of ocean plastic. They won’t focus on your effort to clean up a beach.

To make this simple, use the following trick: is your pitch still a great story without you? If it’s useful even without you, it might be a good story. If your pitch requires your input, there’s a great chance it sucks.

You need to think about being part of the story, not THE story.