Editors and journalists are not short of pitches. They are short of stories worth their readers' time.
Originality is the entry fee
A story earns attention when it tells an editor something they did not already know, in a form their audience already wants. Data they cannot get elsewhere. Access they have been refused. A view that is genuinely held rather than committee-approved.
Relationships are not a shortcut
Good media relations shorten the distance between a story and the right desk. They do not turn a weak story into a strong one. Transparency, honesty and a working knowledge of each title are what keep a contact returning your call next quarter.
Report the outcome, not the activity
Coverage should be analysed and reported back with the same rigour as any other business investment: reach, quality, message penetration and what it changed.