At 12:30 p.m., a reporter on the markets desk at Reuters emailed asking for a quote on the Fed’s rate decision with a 4 p.m. deadline. I forwarded the request to my client immediately with the journalist’s exact questions. By 3:45 p.m., I had the quote. At 3:58p.m., it was in the reporter’s inbox.
Journalists need credible voices who can respond in minutes. My job is to make that happen. As an account executive at Cognito working with financial services companies in trading, tax, insurance and fintech, I ensure it’s fast, accurate, and seamless for both sides.
Here’s what a typical day actually looks like – and the role it plays in raising the profile of the companies I work with.
The first step is knowing what’s in the news: what’s coming and what happened overnight. News moves fast and close monitoring helps me to flag stories early. I keep Bloomberg on in the background and subscribe to weekly market newsletters like the WSJ’s Markets Daily. I track earnings announcements, environmental news and political events as well.
I also keep an eye on what my clients publish, such as blogs, newsletters and research notes. If they’ve already weighed in on a topic, I can go to journalists with a prepared quote that’s both fast and on brand, rather than waiting for the journalist to reach out. It’s a two-way process – responding to requests while also being proactive.
When sending a pitch email, I start with a clear subject line, usually the news hook plus ‘analyst commentary available.’ I’ll add two sentences of context, then the quote in bold so it’s obvious who’s speaking. I always close with an offer to answer any further questions the reporter might have.
With precious metals moving fast recently, I’ve sent pitches where speed mattered more than perfection. I follow the format I just described and the whole thing is written in under five minutes. Sometimes the quote isn’t perfectly polished, but if it’s credible and timely, journalists will use it. That’s the trade-off: fast and defensible beats slow and perfect.
Be reliable and prepared to build trust. Respond as fast as possible and over time, they’ll recognise your name whether you’re responding to their requests or pitching proactively. If reporters know your clients deliver credible, timely reactions, your clients will likely be featured and journalists will have the expert commentary they need.
Journalists remember two things: whether you answered and whether the quote was any good. The benefit of this job is watching that credibility compound. When a journalist emails you directly instead of the general inbox, you know you’ve built something worth keeping.
Sofia Glenville is an account executive in Cognito’s London office
