How to craft the perfect PR pitch for an AI startup

News publications are snapping up stories about AI startups, but for every article about AI that a journalist writes, rest assured there is a flurry of pitches discarded in their inbox because they just didn’t have that special something to set them apart. Pitching journalists is an art form. Pitching AI stories doubly so. Here’s a crash course in crafting the perfect pitch in AI public relations: 

Lead AI journalists straight to the point with a subject line

The perfect pitch for an AI startup starts with an attention-grabbing subject line. The subject line is designed to hook your reader’s attention and draw them into your piece. AI startups should focus on what sets them apart and what makes them intriguing to the reader. For instance, a startup bringing AI to healthcare could focus on the new diagnoses that doctors might be able to make with its technology.

Subject lines should hover around 88 characters and include the company name, the critical information, and action verbs that aren’t overused in the AI startup space. Avoid adjectives like innovative, revolutionary, and disruptive, and aim instead for something more specific to your AI. In the case of the health tech startup, implementing AI, you could use phrases like launch, roll-out, or announces.

Pitch AI stories at the right angle 

Like many art forms, the elements of a perfect pitch are easy to explain and hard to master. The perfect pitch starts with the building blocks of all great pitches and adds some extra finesse to hit just the right note. 

Let’s start with the basics: 68% of journalists prefer pitches to be less than 200 words. By keeping your message short, you show the journalist that you respect them and don’t want to waste their time. You also show that you’re a talented communicator who can condense complex messages into just a few essential sentences. 

Phrasing is also important. This is another place to avoid trendy jargon that might sound exciting but doesn’t convey much meaning (see innovative and disruptive). Keep in mind that journalists’ job is to search for the truth so they can tell when someone is obfuscating and appreciate it when they get straight to the facts.

Now, onto AI startup specifics: Angle is everything. Artificial intelligence isn’t news anymore, but a breakthrough in AI technology is. A new application of AI in an emerging industry is. AI making a new and unexpected impact on people’s lives most certainly is. Your AI will have its own unique strengths that lend themselves to a specific angle. Figure out what those are and play with them.

Personalization matters, too. If the journalist you pitch regularly covers AI, show that you’ve read their stories and appreciate them, and in your diction, demonstrate that you understand AI as well.

 The fine art of AI startup follow-ups

If a pitch doesn't receive a prompt response, that’s ok. Journalists are tremendously busy people, especially those covering the AI startup space. There are a hundred and one reasons they could’ve missed your message or seen it and forgotten to respond. That’s why it's especially important for AI startups to have strong follow-ups. 

Follow-ups should clearly restate the main point of the first email. In the case of the health tech startup, you would restate that AI technology could help doctors make a diagnosis. And restate your call to action with a final line like “let me know if you’re interested in covering this story.” 

An important thing to note is that while one follow-up can remind journalists of a story they forgot to check out, multiple follow-ups will only serve to make them irritated and disagreeable to any future outreaches. So stick to one strong follow-up, and leave it at that. 

Also add an offer, which could be anything from useful statistics to an interview with an AI expert. This shows the journalist that you’re serious about this story and you have the resources they’ll need to write a high-quality article.

If at first you don’t succeed, try AI again It’s critical to keep learning what works and what doesn't since PR is a dynamic and ever-changing industry. Pitching, ironically, is a lot more like batting in baseball. No amount of talent will ensure success every time. It’s only through persistence—whether that be workshopping pitches with the team, listening to the ongoing conversations surrounding the AI industry and building relationships with journalists—that will craft the perfect pitch to hit a home run.