Outreach Errors That Cost Brands Coverage
In public relations, one email can open doors to national coverage — or shut them just as quickly. But even seasoned professionals can fall into habits that end up costing their brand precious visibility. With shrinking newsrooms, overloaded inboxes, and evolving editorial priorities, journalists don’t just expect well-crafted pitches — they need them.
At Skribe, we’ve seen the patterns. And we’ve also seen what happens when the basics get overlooked.
Here are some of the most common PR outreach mistakes — and how to avoid them if you want your story to stand a chance.
1. Spray-and-Pray Pitching
The Mistake: Sending the same generic pitch to dozens (or hundreds) of journalists.
Why it fails:Why it fails: Journalists can spot a mass pitch in seconds. No personalization, no relevance, no reason to respond.
What to do instead:What to do instead: Research your targets. Tailor each pitch to the journalist’s beat, past stories, and tone. A little effort goes a long way — and shows respect for their time.
Pro tip: Use a media intelligence tool (like Skribe) to track what journalists are covering and personalize accordingly.
2. Ignoring the Newsroom Calendar
The Mistake: Pitching irrelevant stories during busy news cycles or right after major events.
Why it fails:Your story gets buried — or worse, ignored for being out of touch.
What to do instead:Time your outreach smartly. Avoid Mondays (when inboxes are full) and big news days. Use editorial calendars and industry events to align your pitch with what’s already trending.
3. Forgetting the “Why Now?”
The Mistake: Sending evergreen or stale story ideas with no urgency or timely hook.
Why it fails: Journalists need a reason to care now. Without one, your pitch gets archived — or deleted.
What to do instead:Tie your story to current trends, awareness days, data releases, or breaking news. Add urgency with a clear angle that explains why it matters today.
4. Overhyping or Under-delivering
The Mistake: Pitching irrelevant stories during busy news cycles or right after major events.
Why it fails:Your story gets buried — or worse, ignored for being out of touch.
What to do instead:Time your outreach smartly. Avoid Mondays (when inboxes are full) and big news days. Use editorial calendars and industry events to align your pitch with what’s already trending.
5. Skipping Key Assets
The Mistake: Sending a pitch with no supporting assets — or attaching huge files that clog inboxes.
Why it fails: Journalists don’t have time to follow up for basic info. Missing images, quotes, or data = missed opportunity.
What to do instead:Include a link to a press kit or Dropbox/Google Drive folder with:
- A short press release or summary
- High-res visuals
- Key spokesperson quotes
- Contact info
6. No Follow-Up (or Too Much Follow-Up)
The Mistake: Either ghosting the journalist after your first pitch — or bombarding them with follow-ups every 24 hours.
Why it fails:The former shows disinterest. The latter risks burning bridges.
What to do instead:Follow up once, 3–4 days after the initial pitch. Keep it short, polite, and useful (e.g., “Just checking if this is of interest. Happy to provide more context or exclusive data.”). After that, let it go.
7. Pitching the Wrong Person
The Mistake: Reaching out to a reporter who doesn’t cover your topic — or no longer works at that outlet.
Why it fails:It wastes both your time and theirs — and damages your credibility.
What to do instead:Double-check beats and publication changes. Use up-to-date media databases and look at recent bylines. Twitter, LinkedIn, and Skribe’s journalist tracking can help confirm current roles.
Conclusion: Get the Basics Right
PR success isn’t just about creative storytelling — it’s about disciplined execution. The best stories still need the right timing, audience, and delivery to get picked up. Avoiding these common mistakes won’t guarantee coverage — but it will dramatically increase your odds.
At Skribe, we help brands fine-tune every part of their media outreach — from identifying the right journalists to tracking real-time sentiment and impact post-publication.
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Book a free demo with Skribe and see how we help communications teams get smarter with their PR.
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