7 Reasons Your Pitch Was Rejected
“I’m not sure if this is the right fit right now. How about you circle back with me in September?”
I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count how many times a podcast host or a journalist has said something to that effect to me. If you’ve spent any time pitching yourself to people outside of your immediate network, it’s likely you’ve heard something similar, too.
Other answers you’ve received might have sounded like:
Pass.
No.
Not interested.
But when the rejection is vague, how can you not take it personally and figure out what to do differently in the future?To help you wade through this uncertainty, I’ve put together a list of the 7 most common reasons a pitch is rejected.
Reason 1: They’re not taking guests right now.
This reason is unique to the podcast guesting space. Some podcast hosts like to book out their interviews in advance, from 3 to 6 months at a time, so you won’t be strongly considered unless you pitch within their window.
Luckily, most hosts will tell you this and then let you know when they will be reviewing pitches again. Make sure to mark that in your project management system so you know when to follow up.
Reason 2: The journalist isn’t working on anything relevant to your expertise.
When you are an expert or a service provider, one of the easiest ways to land press in the mainstream media is to be quoted on topics related to your expertise. This is called “expert commentary” or a “source media mention.”
When you pitch journalists your background and a handful of your speaking points, you might never hear back and this isn’t because your expertise will never be relevant to them.
It’s simply because it might not be currently relevant to the pieces they’re writing or that they’ve been commissioned to write.
However, many journalists and editors will save your email for future reference. So, make sure you use plenty of labels so your email pops up when they search for an expert, e.g. doula, relationship therapist, DEI consultant, or weight loss expert.
Reason 3: Your message isn’t relevant to their demographic.
Even if you think your message applies to everyone, the host of a podcast or the producer for a segment might disagree. So, if you talk about the transformational power of menopause but most of their audience members are a couple decades away from experiencing that, it’s likely your pitch will end in a “no.”
Instances like that are always a gentle reminder to guide yourself back to your target audience.
Reason 4: There is no trend, season, or current piece of news that relates to your story.
When you’re pitching websites like Business Insider or Fast Company, you’ll see more success when your story relates to a current trend, season, piece of news rather than a generic piece of advice.
Media sites want to have targeted advice that matters to readers today, so your pitch will be more strongly considered when you can tailor it to the present.
Here are some headlines from actual publications to give you an example:
15 Thanksgiving Treats Your Kids Will Gobble up
Mindful Books and Podcasts to Keep You Warm This Winter
(Before the Holidays) 2 Seriously Simple Ways to Elevate Your At-Home Entertaining
(Earth Day) 45 Stress-Free Ways You Can Save The Planet
(During a Recession) 10 Reasons The Best Time To Start A Business Is During A Downturn
Reason 5: They don’t touch your topic.
Some journalists or podcast hosts refuse to cover the topic of weight loss. Others aren’t interested at all in body positivity.
Even if you’ve done your research, you can’t always know this for sure so you often have to wait to hear that feedback until after you’ve sent and followed up with the pitch.
Reason 6: They’re too busy to review your pitch.
It’s possible that your pitch is in limbo because the person in question is too busy to review it. When this happens, all you can do is follow up a couple of times and then let it go.
However, I recommend creating a reminder for yourself for 3-4 months from that initial outreach to pitch them again with a new angle.
Reason 7: They’re just not interested.
Alas, the most disappointing of reasons is probably the fact that many of the people receiving your pitch won’t be interested in your work or in covering the topics that you proposed.
While it might feel personal, it’s not. They have an obligation to protect their brand or the outlet that they work for, and they’re simply exercising their best judgment to make that happen.
Again, it doesn’t mean they won’t always be interested, so never write someone off entirely as “pitchable” or “not pitchable” unless they explicitly tell you that.