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Module 01 / Lesson 03 · Read, apply, check
Write a concise pitch supported by a usable evidence pack and credible interview access.
A pitch should quickly answer what is new, why this audience cares, why the claim is credible and what you can offer next. Use a factual subject line and a short opening that leads with the development. Follow with the strongest supporting detail and a specific source offer. Avoid beginning with the agency’s history or a catalogue of client awards. There is no universal word limit that guarantees attention; aim for a message a busy reporter can evaluate without opening attachments, then provide clearly labelled links for deeper investigation if the material is public.
Prepare the evidence before sending the pitch. Match each claim to a document, dataset, demonstration or named person, with date and limitations. A growth figure needs a baseline and a consistent definition; a customer quote needs the speaker’s approval for the proposed use. Distinguish company records from independently collected evidence. When a document is confidential, describe its availability and agree an appropriate sharing method rather than placing it in an unrestricted press folder. The reporter should be able to see what is established, what is interpretation and what still needs checking.
Confirm interview availability with the founder, technical lead and any customer before offering them. Include a practical window and time zone, then hold capacity for a reasonable response period. Brief sources on the subject without giving them a memorized script. The strongest access often involves someone who can explain a difficult decision, show the process or discuss a limitation. A promised customer who cannot speak, or a founder who refuses all substantive questions, turns a promising pitch into extra work for the reporter and weakens the agency’s credibility.
Organize the press pack with a one-page fact sheet, evidence index, approved biographies, usable images with rights information and a responsive contact. Keep filenames and versions obvious. Offer clarification when asked, while recognizing that a reporter may seek other views or reach a different conclusion. Do not make routine fact access conditional on a positive headline, backlink or full draft approval. Internally, decide who can answer urgent evidence questions and how quickly. Good preparation creates reporting options; it does not transfer editorial ownership to the agency.
One new fact and its reader consequence.
A claim-to-source map with definitions and limits.
Confirmed people, demonstration and interview windows.
A small, clear invitation to investigate further.
A fictional repair-software business has found that small workshops lose time reconciling incompatible parts records. Its pitch opens with a documented workflow problem and a narrowly described pilot result, naming the sample and period. The agency offers the operations lead for a demonstration and a participating workshop owner for an interview. A linked public fact sheet explains what the pilot measured, what it excluded and how the company makes money. The underlying customer records remain restricted, with a contact available to arrange appropriate review. Before sending, the editor checks every figure against the approved version. The founder can speak on Tuesday afternoon, and the workshop owner has separately confirmed availability. The pitch asks whether the evidence would be useful for the reporter’s ongoing coverage of service-business productivity.
The alternative pitch claims that artificial intelligence has transformed every repair business and offers an impressive revenue number with no period. Its press folder contains six conflicting decks and a customer testimonial copied from an internal sales call. The founder is travelling and cannot be interviewed. A reporter who asks for the methodology receives another promotional paragraph. The message sounds polished, but the agency has made verification difficult and promised access it cannot deliver.
A press release is a reference document, not a substitute for a relevant pitch. You can attach or link an approved announcement when it helps, but the initial proposition still needs a reader-focused reason to investigate. Similarly, a large evidence folder is not useful unless the important claims can be located and understood quickly.
Keep sources and commercial interests explicit. Do not invent customer quotes, imply independent validation of company-controlled data or publish restricted evidence to make the pitch easier. Agree any unusual source terms before the conversation; an agency’s internal approval process does not automatically bind the journalist.
Do this today · 30 minutes
Draft a first-screen pitch and evidence index for the repair-software case.
Use a document or spreadsheet and the fictional case in this lesson. Public or synthetic evidence is sufficient; no purchase or real outreach is required.
Before: One new fact and its reader consequence.
After: A small, clear invitation to investigate further.
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Have a colleague review your decision and evidence. Record the unresolved question, its owner and the next review date before using the plan with a client.
Before you move on
A reporter likes your pilot story and asks for the methodology and a customer interview. The public deck omits the sample size, and the customer has never agreed to speak. The founder wants you to promise both immediately to keep the opportunity alive. What is the best response?
Next lesson →Society of Professional Journalists: ethics resources
Lesson edition 1.0 · References reviewed 16 October 2026 · Practical exercise reviewed 16 October 2026. Examples are illustrative teaching scenarios.
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