In the fast-paced world of public relations, tailoring your pitch to the journalist could be the difference between coverage and crickets. Journalists get emails every day promoting ‘the best new’ item or service, so in order to set your pitch apart from the others it is vital to make your email stand out. This is particularly true in the sexual wellness world where products are evolving and being developed at such a rapid pace! The method of mass-emailing to ‘see what sticks’ is not only an outdated and lazy approach, it indicates an inexperienced PR person who hasn’t spent the time and effort to get to know every journalist properly. That’s why it’s important to work with a PR agency that has both the knowledge and expertise to achieve your brand goals. At Little Leaf Agency, all of our PR experts have individual relationships with journalists at a wide range of publications in the sexual wellness industry, and it’s this bespoke attitude that is the main factor behind securing successful coverage. Here’s why:

Journalists are individuals

Journalists specialise in different beats, styles, and audiences. A pitch that works for a tech writer will not resonate with a lifestyle editor, and even within the sexual wellness industry, each writer will have their areas of specialities and favourite topics. Tailoring pitches allows PR professionals to align their story with the journalist’s expertise, increasing the likelihood of interest and allowing that journalist’s expertise to enrich the topic. For example, a journalist who writes a lot about queer topics would bring a level of enthusiasm and experience to a relevant pitch topic, so it’s important to have an insight into what topics they would be receptive to and excited about. This is why it’s important to work with a brand like Little Leaf where we do our homework and add value to a journalist’s inbox based off our professional working relationships.

Journalists are more likely to cover a story if they are familiar with the kinds of topics that we as PR professionals, are pitching about. Reputation ranks above everything – it’s the currency of this world, and if you have a good relationship with the journalist, then they will be more likely to open your email in the first instance if time has been taken to build on that relationship. It’s also vital to know what topics certain journalists won’t touch with a 10 foot barge pole, as there may be some topics that are totally outside of an individual writer’s comfort zone, and blindly sending pitches on topics that are on a journalist’s no-go list will earn nothing more than a damaged relationship, so we select wisely before reaching out!

Maintaining these good relationships is never more critical than when planning a press trip. Inviting journalists and treating them like a VIP whilst offering them a unique experience to get familiar with your brand and offering them insight that can be used to tailor a good story will be beneficial to all parties involved. In our experience, organizing press trips not only benefits the client from the coverage great story, but also strengthening our interpersonal working relationships between Little Leaf’s PR managers who executed the event.

We know our publications

Just like journalists, publications may have certain topics they favour and avoid. For example, a pitch about fisting dildos is unlikely to land in a UK publication like The Sun, but may excel in other magazines. Whilst we are selecting the perfect journalist and tailoring our pitches specifically to them, it is also conducive to keep in mind who they write for, and whether your content is suitable for that platform.

Thanks to our wide network of writers, we know exactly which pitches to send to the right publication, and that’s the key to our PR success.

Clarity in pitches

It is immediately and embarrassingly obvious to journalists when they receive a pitch that isn’t well-researched or displays a glaring misunderstanding of the topics they are familiar with writing about. Once we have made certain that our pitch is tailored to the perfect journalist, we then focus on making the points as clear is possible to show how we are offering value. Beyond being familiar with their past works, our pitches often offer an exciting aspect that could be made into a hook-worthy story. It is up to us and our team of PR professionals to know exactly where the story is and what angle that the selected journalist could include to add their own insight into the story.

We know when to follow up (and when not to!)

Whilst nobody likes to be hounded by emails, it’s equally important we don’t toleave a good thing hanging. Following up with journalists is a delicate dance and one that all too many amateurs ruin their chances by spoiling with a heavy-handed or flippant attitude. Knowing when a writer is off on vacation, for example, is key. They may be overwhelmed by dozens of follow-up emails, but a friendly greeting upon their return tends to be welcomed with a much warmer attitude. 

Again, our approach is testament to our close relationships with journalists and writers, and the fact that we are familiar with their schedules means that we are adept at timing our email send-outs and are in turn more likely to receive a much better response.

Impoacts of not working with a PR agency to send personalized pitches

Neglecting to personalize pitches isn’t just lazy, it’s reckless. Beyond missed opportunities, it signals a lack of respect for journalists and their craft, jeopardizing long-term relationships and an agency’s credibility. In a field built on trust and connection, a scattershot approach undermines everything PR stands for: thoughtful storytelling, strategic communication, and meaningful collaboration. For PR agencies, tailoring each pitch is the cornerstone of relevance, effectiveness, and results for our clients.

Our team makes it look like light work, when it’s all about consistency, building on our good relationships, and earning a great reputation under the Little Leaf brand. So get in touch now to see where an expert-led PR campaign could do for your brand!