We sometimes ask journalists on the We Earn Media podcast if pitching exclusives increases the odds of getting a story covered.
Exclusive may mean something different to each journalist. For the purpose of this article, we’ll define it as– a situation in which a publicist promises exclusive rights to publish a story, data, content, or expert commentary that they aren’t giving to anyone else, allowing the journalist to be the first to write about it.
First, let’s look at some firsthand opinions our guests have shared. Then, I’ll provide my personal tips for using this strategy.
Provide Breaking News
Episode #1 featuring Noah Manskar, former business reporter for the New York Post
In this episode, Noah told us that “exclusive stories” are highly valued at the NY Post, especially at the business desk, where the focus is often breaking news. According to Noah, there’s a big emphasis on reporting stories that their readers will not find anywhere else.
“Exclusives are valuable for the journalists, the readers, and the Post as a business,” explained Noah.
If you have news that is highly relevant to a reporter at an outlet that focuses on breaking news, like NY Post, offering it as an exclusive could be a surefire way to land it.
Offer Up Coveted Content
Episode #21 featuring Joey Nolfi, reporter, podcast, and show host at Entertainment Weekly
I highly recommend it if you haven’t listened to this episode yet. Joey, who covers drag entertainment (& more!) for Entertainment Weekly, tells how he met and became good friends with a publicist.
Entertainment Weekly and similar entertainment publications use the word exclusive quite frequently, typically in cover stories but even in short, online pieces.
Joey confirmed with us that exclusivity indeed matters in entertainment journalism. Having exclusive images/videos are highly coveted in this industry. EW often puts watermarks over their photos to ensure other publications do not repurpose them (although many outlets remove the watermark and use it anyway).
Original photos and charts can help “sweeten the deal” when pitching exclusives. If you go this route, be up-front about what is and isn’t theirs and if there are any other time and use limitations so you avoid any confusion in the process.
Supply Unique Perspective
Episode #31 featuring Nicole Shuman, senior editor at PRNews
Nicole reports on all things related to public relations and their impact on the public. In her episode, Nicole said she prefers commentaries to be exclusive.
When we spoke, the Oprah interview featuring Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had just aired. As an example of an exclusive pitch she’d like to receive, Nicole told us that she would love to consider commentary from an expert who focuses on crisis response management, especially those with experience with public figures.
”Exclusives are great. We don’t want to be writing about the same thing everybody else is writing about,” explained Nicole.
Exclusive commentary on a trending topic you know will be written about may be very appealing to a journalist, especially if it helps them differentiate their story from similar pieces published by a competing publication.
Tailor Content For Their Audience
Episode #34 featuring Tercius Bufete, former Deals Editor for Insider's reviews team
As someone in charge of the selection process for a daily deals section of a publication centered on product reviews, Tercius centered the discussion on e-commerce and service journalism.
Tercius’ inbox is constantly bombarded with product pitches, and we wondered if offering up an exclusive might help the pitch stand out.
When a brand offers up an exclusive promo code for a product they’re pushing, this gets Tercius excited. “There’s nothing better than sharing a deal exclusive to our readers,” explained Tercius.
When pitching a product, offering up an exclusive promo code unique to the publication could be a massive incentive as it is truly tailored for their readers.
My personal recommendations when sending exclusive pitches
Be clear about the exclusive offer timeline.
When offering exclusive rights to anything you’re pitching, be clear when you plan to share the exclusive offer with a different outlet or journalist. Always include a sentence such as, “I will be pitching this exclusive to other outlets on X date.” By not doing so upfront, you’ll only set yourself up to break promises that could tarnish your reputation or relationship with that journalist.
Breaking news could likely be offered up as an “exclusive.”
As many of the guests mentioned above, If you have a high-profile client, such as a nationally recognized company, and you’re breaking a significant news story, this could warrant the strategy of pitching an “exclusive.” Examples could include announcing a new collaboration, a revolutionary product, a change-up of the board, or even promoting a massive award. Successfully landing this kind of exclusive can depend on how recognizable and distinguished the brand is or how innovative and influential the product or announcement is.
Expert commentary is appealing, but make sure it provides a new and unique perspective.
Journalists, especially at top-tier, nationally recognized, and highly respected outlets, will value the opportunity to use or interview your expert source if they’re guaranteed the chance to be the first to publish this news.
Reader: these are key! Not only should your topic be relevant and unique, but the expert you’re pitching needs the relevant certifications that qualify them to speak on the topic. Do not pitch exclusives if you can’t check off all those boxes first.
When promoting asset-led pitches such as data or survey-based reports, use this tactic sparingly.
I don’t think it is always necessary to pitch asset-led content as an exclusive to find success. I recommend this strategy if your client has a “dream publication” in which they’d like to be featured.
To help increase the odds of landing this type of exclusive pitch, consider offering up additional data or visualizations that only the journalist you’re pitching could use in their article. Another plus is that you have more freedom and flexibility to continue pitching the content to other outlets once the story is out there.
As always, proceed with caution: if you pitch a reporter an “exclusive,” make sure you pitch something that reflects the type of stories they write. Otherwise, you’re wasting your time.
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