An innovation I saw in best pitches of 2022

Here’s one insight I shared with my Inner Circle a few weeks ago when showcasing the Best Pitches of 2022.

It’s the concept of a flexible embargo time, and I saw it in three of the finalists in the competition. Had never seen it before that.

The idea is that you send a single pitch to your top media target, in which you tease the announcement. Then you end with something like, “As far as timing, we can be a bit flexible to accommodate your schedule. We’re looking at the last week of January – what works for you? Please let me know by (day) if you are interested.”

Bridgette Borst Ombres placed two stories in TechCrunch last year using this approach (for clients who normally wouldn’t be considered TC regulars). She explains her strategy: “If [journalists have] committed to covering several announcements already one week and then your pitch comes along (even if it's interesting), they might not be able to cover it so they have to pass. I've counseled clients to stay nimble and patient with the exact release date and see what works best for our top target.”

When another Inner Circle member demonstrated success with the same approach, I knew we were on to something.

Some of the other trends in best pitches we discussed:

• Turning relationships with social media influencers into traditional earned media coverage
• A trick to boost the timeliness of your newsjacking pitches
• The average word count of the best pitches (and of their subject lines)

The Best Pitches landed a CEO Q&A in Fortune, a three-minute story on NBC Nightly News, a company profile in the Washington Post, plus many other top-tier and key industry placements.

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