The best pitch email I ever wrote 

July 18, 2025

One pitch. Eight placements. Including an FT exclusive that was published within an hour of my email hitting send. 

Luck? No, it was having expert commentary ready 15 minutes before the news broke. 

When the International Maritime Organisation announced that ships would face charges of at least $100 per tonne of CO₂ emitted above decarbonisation targets, we weren’t scrambling for a quote. We were first to market with analysis that actually mattered. 

This is the story of my best pitch.  

For the month prior, I’d been tracking IMO committee meetings. The signals were clear: this wasn’t routine regulatory meetings. Global carbon pricing for an entire industry was coming. 

I flagged this to our banking client’s transport economist. He understood both the financing realities and the policy nuances – more importantly, he could translate maritime bureaucracy into quotable insight. We prepared commentary in advance, monitoring developments and ensuring availability for immediate response. 

When the announcement hit, our response was quick. The email opened with the breaking news hook, immediately positioning our expert as the voice who could cut through predictable reactions. His angle was contrarian yet balanced: “The IMO agreement exceeds expectations… but the vast majority of shipping emissions will be exempted, which limits the system’s strength.” 

We skewed corporate cheerleading or reflexive criticism for analysis that helped journalists write better stories. While competitors issued generic statements about “welcoming developments,” our expert explained why this was simultaneously a breakthrough and a compromise, the kind of nuanced perspective that won’t be a casualty of an editor’s red pen. 

Simon Mundy, Moral Money Editor at the Financial Times, rang me within ten minutes. Following a quick video call with our client’s spokesperson, the analysis anchored his Moral Money coverage. Over the next week, seven more outlets picked up the original commentary: Lloyd’s List, S&P Journal of Commerce, Edie, and specialist trade publications that matter to our client’s prospects. Off the back of the commentary, the expert was included in a podcast episode from a leading shipping publication. 

The campaign worked because instead of reacting to news, we anticipated it. Instead of generic corporate speak, we offered genuine insight. Instead of making journalists work harder, we made their jobs easier. 

This one pitch illustrated three principles that turn single pitches into sustained coverage: 

Position ahead of the news cycle. Monitor the committees, regulatory calendars, and policy discussions that will generate tomorrow’s stories. Most teams wait for announcements; smart teams prepare for them. Be comfortable working with and getting the most of our experts inside organisations.  

Prepare commentary that journalists can’t get elsewhere. Generic reactions are worthless. Delete the word “excited” from your vocabulary – it’s doing nothing. Your expert should explain not just what happened, but why it matters and what everyone else is missing. Create quotes that could be interesting headlines.  

Be available immediately. Having the right commentary means nothing if your expert is unreachable. When news breaks, you have minutes – not hours – to be first to market with substantive analysis. The window for being memorable closes fast. 

The difference between reactive PR and strategic communications is timing and precision. One sharp, quotable comment can shape the narrative before anyone else has a chance. That’s how single emails turn into industry-defining coverage. 

Jessica Bromham is an account manager in London 

Jessica Bromham
Account Manager / United Kingdom
Article Link
The best pitch email I ever wrote 
Read More
Article Link
The Singapore ambassador hearing: why media training isn’t optional
Read More
Article Link
Stand out at Sibos in Frankfurt – how to make sure you elevate your brand
Read More
Article Link
Cognito’s That’s What You Think Podcast #1: Ben Ford on the Evolution of Open Banking in Australia
Read More
Article Link
Jennifer Riggins: The Human Side of Tech – AI Should Enhance, Not Replace, Developer Creativity
Read More