What Journalists Secretly Hate About Most PR Emails

PR Emails are always a shot in the dark. Hours of research, with weeks of planning, but once you send it, there's no guarantee for a response.

But did you know why so many emails often end up dead in inboxes?

Because there are a lot of things journalists secretly hate about an email. Poor format and unusual timing are just a few to name.

So, let us pull back the curtain for you and name the top 5 things journalists hate about those pitches.

What Journalists Secretly Hate About Most PR Emails

On a serious note, as a founder, the last thing you can wish for is your PR email, posting on X, where journalists are laughing about those little mistakes.

And trust us, there’s a big reason why journalists hate these mistakes and make a laughing stock out of them. Here’s what you can learn from other people's mistakes and know what to avoid in your pitches.

1. Coming with "Hey Man or Hello Miss"

For any journalist, the epitome of witnessing laziness is a founder who sends a generic email without any specifications. Names are personal, and getting them wrong erodes trust before the email is even opened.

And think about it, wouldn’t it feel disrespectful in a meeting that someone doesn’t know you but wants a brand collaboration? Exactly!

Plus, journalists receive almost a dozen emails daily. If you’re using such generic words like man or miss, there’s a high chance your emails will go to the spam list.

2. Annoying Pitches in the Name of Persistence

There’s a common strategy we often advise our readers and fellow founders to use aka “Following-Up” after sending an email. This is totally fine and appreciated in the world of journalism since journalists often forget to read an email.

But, between annoying and following up, there’s a thin line that maintains all the difference. If you’re bombarding follow-ups, the journalist would probably get annoyed and block your account in return.

Limit your follow-ups to one or two emails, spaced at least a few days apart. Keep them brief and offer to answer questions. If the journalist doesn’t reply, maintain grace and move on.

3. Bossy Tone

One thing almost every journalist and even average human hates is reading emails that give a bossy attitude. And we know it’s hard to believe such emails exist but in the journalism world, some founders use sentences such as:

“You must cover this”

“This is perfect for your audience”

“You Don’t Want to Miss On Our Company”

And the reaction? It’s quite obvious.

Select email> Mark as spam > List all the future emails from this recipient as Spam.

So, instead of commanding, suggest how the pitch could align with their beat or interest their readers. Phrases like “I think this could be a great fit for…” or “If you’re interested, I’d love to provide more details” keep the tone collaborative and respectful.

4. GRAMMAR

Grammar mistakes make your pitch look unprofessional. And since journalists work with words, they’re naturally focused on spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

Grammar errors are a perfect way to show carelessness, making it less likely they’ll take your pitch seriously.

Tip: Use tools like Grammarly or Hemingway to proofread your emails before sending them. Better yet, read the email aloud to catch awkward phrasing or mistakes you might overlook.

5. Attachments Overload

Let alone opening a 25 MB file, a journalist won’t even consider your email if it’s around 10-15 MB.

Is this because they have a bad internet connection? No!

Journalists are always short on time. Even if there are a hundred emails in a single week, that’s like a gigabyte worth of data that needs to be viewed.

Plus, attachments can clutter inboxes and sometimes trigger spam filters.

If you need to share assets like images or press kits, use cloud-based links (Google Drive, Dropbox, or similar) instead of attaching large files. Clearly label the links, and only include essential materials.

In the case of small images, compress them through any file editor and try to send emails with max 1 or 2mb of data. This gives a much cleaner and more readable look to the email.

But, if journalists hate all these things, what do they actually love? How can your PR email be among that 4-5 percent of emails that journalists open?

Well, let’s talk about:

How to Make Journalists Love Your PR Emails

Journalists aren’t that horrific. Although yes, it almost looks as if they just hate reading your emails but no. The actual problem lies in those fluffy emails that don’t make a point at all.

Here are three things that will make journalists prioritize your emails over others.

1. Research > Jargon

Any journalist would pick up a short, 10-15 lined research-based email over a lengthy jargon email that uses fancy words.

The saying "Focus is slow, slow is steady, steady is fast" perfectly applies here. Journalists often switch through multiple emails before picking a story. They don’t have time to decode jargon-heavy language, they’re looking for pitches that are clear and well-researched.

Don’t rely on industry buzzwords, invest time in understanding the journalist’s recent work. Reference specific articles they’ve written or topics they’ve covered, and connect your pitch to their interests. If your startup doesn't have time to spend hours researching a journalist, use tools like Journalist Hunt.com to speed up the process.

For example, instead of saying, “This innovative SaaS solution will disrupt the market,” try: “Our platform helps small businesses save 20% on operating costs, an area I noticed you covered in your recent piece on tech tools for SMBs.”

2. Follow Time Zones

Nothing makes a journalist more happier than seeing the right email, at the right time.

And since these journalists are working on tight deadlines, emails that are sent during the night will automatically get buried under a list of 50 newer recipients. So, time your email to align with their workday respects their schedule and increases the likelihood they’ll see your pitch.

If you’re unsure of their time zone, look up where their publication is headquartered, it’s a good way to check.

The ideal time? Mid-morning or early afternoon, when journalists are less likely to be packed with breaking news or end-of-day deadlines.

Hint: Use tools like Boomerang or Mailchimp to schedule emails based on the journalist’s location.

3. Provide Value in Your Email

Journalists are constantly asking, “What’s in it for my readers?”

Your pitch should always be the answer to this question. Too often we have noticed that emails that are too focused on the brand or product fall flat. It just doesn't spark the interest of the journalist because they are not your marketing tools.

A value-driven email positions your pitch as something worth their time.

You can Start by offering exclusivity, unique insights, or data that can enrich their story. For example:

"We have survey data on a topic your readers care about."

"This is a story no one else has covered yet."

"We can connect you with an expert for a deeper dive into this subject."

Show that your pitch is unique and not just another press release. End the email with an offer to provide additional materials or answer questions, making it easy for them to follow up.

Wrapping It Up: What To Expect Even With The Best Emails?

It’s not common for a journalist to ignore or overscroll an email that took:

• Days of research

• Months of planning

• Multiple Hours of Writing

And even with follow-ups, there are businesses that couldn’t get a response. Call it luck or something else, this happens almost every other day in the world of journalism.

As a founder, you should always maintain a calm temper. Too often, your emails may not be properly timed which could be the reason.

And of course, these tips should help you get on the favorite lists of many journalists (trust us, it’ll happen but with time)