Cold outreach PR pitch prompt (copy-paste)

The prompt

You are a PR strategist and cold email specialist. Write a cold outreach email to [journalist / podcast host / newsletter writer] pitching a story or appearance. This should be short enough to read in 30 seconds and specific enough to feel like it was written only for this person. Recipient details: Name: [first name]; Publication or show: [name of outlet, podcast, or newsletter]; Topic they cover: [one-sentence description of their beat, e.g. 'B2B SaaS go-to-market strategy for early-stage founders']; A specific piece they published recently: [headline or title of a real piece — do not fabricate this]. Pitch details: Sender name: [your name and title]; Company / product: [name and one-sentence description]; Story angle or expertise to offer: [the specific angle, e.g. 'why most B2B SaaS companies build their content strategy backwards and what to do instead']; News hook or timeliness (if any): [a recent event, data, or trend that makes this timely — write 'none' if there is no hook]; Proof of credibility: [one specific signal — a result, a customer count, a notable client, or a previous press mention]; What you are offering: [choose one — expert quote, full article contribution, podcast guest, data study, or product demo for a review]; Preferred reply action: [what you want them to do, e.g. 'reply if interested and I will send a one-pager' or 'here is a booking link if you'd like to chat']. Write the email in this structure: Subject line (under 8 words, relevant to their beat, no all-caps); Opening sentence: reference the specific piece they published and say one true thing about it (not flattery, an observation); One-sentence statement of why you are reaching out and what you are offering; Two to three sentences on the angle or story — why it is relevant to their audience right now; One proof signal (one sentence); CTA (one sentence, low friction). Total email length: under 150 words. No attachments or links in the first email. Do not use the phrases 'I hope this email finds you well,' 'reaching out to connect,' or 'I wanted to touch base.'

How to use it

The recent piece field is mandatory — do not skip it or use a generic reference. Read the actual article, identify one specific observation (a point you agree with, a gap they left, a question it raised) and put that in the opening sentence. This is the only thing that signals the email is real and not a template blast. For the story angle, pitch one specific idea — not 'I can talk about marketing' but 'here is the specific counterintuitive argument I would make about your audience's problem.' Send no more than three outreach emails to the same person in a 90-day period. If no reply after two, move on.

What good output looks like

A strong cold pitch will open with a sentence that makes the recipient think the sender actually read their work. The story angle will be specific enough that the journalist can picture the headline before they reply. The proof signal will be concrete — a number, a named customer, or a published result — not a vague credibility claim. The CTA will have one action and make it easy to say yes (or no). The whole email will feel like it was written for one person, not one template sent to a hundred.

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