6 ways to handle a failed pitch

You’ve done your research, written and rewritten, read and re-read. You just know that this is going to score a win for the client.

You send it out, expecting the best, but all you hear are crickets chirping. How can this happen, and now what should you do?

Don’t give up, especially if you know it’s a great story idea. There are things you can do besides letting your failed pitch attempt slide into the trash bin.

When you’ve sent your pitch and there’s no response—it happens to all of us—here are six options to redeem yourself:

1. Re-send the pitch.

Yes, it’s OK to send it again. Sometimes, the journalist simply didn’t see it the first time around. If they’re like most reporters, their inbox is full to the brim with media pitches.

When you re-send it, add a note to say, “Just wanted to follow up on this—please let me know if you have any questions or need anything further.” Always thank them for their time.

2. Rewrite the pitch—and send again.

If you’ve sent the pitch and followed up, and still haven’t heard anything, you might need to rewrite it. Take a careful look at the subject line and the pitch itself to see if you could take another approach.