Nick Huber recently shared five ways to improve tech pitches to national media on LinkedIn, and none of them had anything to do with AI. That was refreshing enough that I reached out and asked him to walk through each one on the show.
Nick has spent decades as a journalist. He’s worked as a reporter for a financial newswire and he still writes about tech. He also advises tech companies and PR agencies on landing national coverage, so he’s seen pitching from both sides of the desk.
We go through all five tips in this episode. Along the way, Nick talks candidly about clients who give their agencies crumbs and expect a banquet, explains why a six-month-old article can still be the right hook, and tells the story of a freedom of information request that turned into a national newspaper exclusive.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Why pitching a follow-up to a reporter’s past coverage works better than pitching product news
- How long-ignored pitches can still build credibility with a journalist over time
- Making the case for a half-day ideas session with three to six of a client’s senior people
- Why PR agencies need to be firmer with clients who give them little time, access or information
- How to choose a topic for original research, and why quotes from survey respondents make it more newsworthy
- What an in-person coffee with a journalist gets you that an email can’t, and how to pitch the meeting itself
- Looking beyond the capital city and print media to regional journalists and broadcast producers
- How to word a freedom of information request precisely enough to get a usable answer, and timing it as a “Sunday for Monday” exclusive
About Nick Huber
Nick Huber is a freelance tech copywriter and freelance tech journalist. He helps tech-focused companies create original and premium thought-leadership content that builds credibility, gets them noticed and increases sales opportunities.
Links mentioned:
Nick’s LinkedIn post on improving tech pitches to national media