Part 3 of 3: Pitching Journalists Series
How to Find the Right Journalists (And the 10-15-3 Rule)
PR STRATEGY
Start Me Up PR Inc.
March 2026
- Build a list of 10–15 journalists who actually cover your space
- Research each one — read their last 3–5 articles
- Pitch 3 at a time with custom angles
- That is the 10-15-3 rule
Part 1 of this series was why pitches fail. Part 2 was how to write and time a pitch. This post is who to send it to — the part most PR guides skip entirely.
The Research-First Rule
What Journalists Actually Want — Cision 2025
Email explaining why you’re pitching them specifically
85%
Relationship started before you have something to pitch
85%
Evidence that someone read their recent work
70%
Open rates: single journalist vs. spray campaign
55%
Source: Cision 2025 · BuzzStream 5.2M pitches, 2024
From 15 years in the newsroom
“The pitches I opened had one thing in common: the sender had clearly read something I wrote. Not a fancy subject line. Just evidence that someone spent five minutes understanding what I actually cover.”
The Framework
The 10-15-3 Rule
The industry average is 31 journalists pitched per campaign to get one meaningful response. Agencies do this with volume. Founders cannot afford to burn their reputation that way.
10
Build Your List
10–15 journalists who actually cover your space. Not adjacent. Not aspirational. Actual coverage of your sector in the last 30 days.
15
Research Each One
3
Pitch 3 at a Time
Section 01
Where to Find Journalists (Free Tools First)
Start free. The research you do by hand gives you better angles than any database.
Google News Alerts
Set up alerts for your industry terms — follow what is being written and by whom
Twitter / X Lists
Most journalists maintain public lists of reporters on their beat
LinkedIn Search
Filter by journalist + your sector. Verify they’re still at their publication here too
Read the Bylines
In publications your customers, investors, or potential hires actually read
Publication Directories
Search the author directory of target publications for your beat
Muck Rack / Cision
Paid — makes research faster. But only after you’ve exhausted free options
Section 02
How to Qualify a Journalist Before You Pitch
Five questions before you add someone to your list. You need to answer yes to at least 3 — or they are not on your list.
Have they covered your industry in the last 30 days?
Do they work for a publication your customers, investors, or potential hires actually read?
Can you reference at least one of their recent stories in your pitch?
Are they still at this publication? (Check LinkedIn — newsrooms move fast)
Do they have a beat that specifically includes your sector?
Section 03
Do Not Forget Independent Journalists
1 in 3 journalists now self-publishes through Substacks, newsletters, and independent platforms (Muck Rack, 2025). A newsletter writer with 15,000 targeted subscribers can drive more qualified traffic than a single piece in a national publication.
Reddit accounts for 6.6% of Perplexity total citations. Community presence builds the kind of credibility that makes reporters come to you. Becoming a source — not just a pitcher — is the long game.
Source: Profound, 2025
Continue Reading: The Pitching Journalists Series
part 3
Finding the Right Journalists and the 10-15-3 Rule ← You are here
For the strategic foundation
STARTME UP PR INC.
Founded in 2021 by Theresa Tayler, the agency breaks away from traditional PR conventions by championing raw, unfiltered storytelling that helps brands own their voice unapologetically. With a three-tiered service structure — from self-service digital tools to full-scale PR strategy — Start Me Up PR meets you where you are and grows with you.
The firm blends time-tested media relations with cutting-edge, AI-driven tools, because good PR isn’t about fitting a mold. It’s about breaking it. Whether you’re launching, scaling, or disrupting, Start Me Up PR crafts multifaceted storytelling strategies that build real brand presence across paid, owned, and earned media.
