Press Basics: Announcements, Pitches, and Rapid Response

Newsworthiness = timeliness + relevance + human stakes. If you understand that formula, you can pitch your campaign to local media without a press secretary. Here's how.

Announcements

• Send an embargoed note 24–48 hours before your launch to your top 5–10 media targets.
• Include: 1-line bio, race context, your top 2 issues, kickoff event details and photo op info.
• Offer one exclusive interview to your best target in exchange for a story that drops on launch day.
• Always include one strong quote from you.

Writing a Pitch That Gets Opened

Subject line

6–10 words, concrete, no clickbait. "Local teacher running for school board in [District]" beats "Exciting campaign announcement inside."

Lede (first sentence)

Why this matters now, who's affected. Skip the background. Lead with the consequence.

Body (3–5 sentences)

Context, your angle, what makes this a story. Link to a press kit or photo folder. Offer 2–3 specific interview windows.

Building Your Press List

• Start with 10–20 contacts: local reporters, columnists, newsletters, and radio hosts.
• Include hyperlocal blogs and neighborhood Facebook groups — they often have big readership.
• Track opens and replies; personalize follow-ups within 24–48 hours.
• Don't pitch everyone simultaneously — tier your list and offer exclusives strategically.

Rapid Response

• Assign a duty officer (rotating) responsible for monitoring breaking news and opponent activity.
• Draft 2–3 holding lines in advance for your most likely rapid-response scenarios.
• Publish to owned channels (site, email, social) within 2 hours of a news event.
• Keep rapid response short: 2–3 sentences max. Save the full statement for reporters who ask.

Media Assets to Have Ready

• Headshot (1080×1080)
• Campaign logo (PNG and SVG)
• 3–5 b-roll photos (events, community, the candidate in the field)
• "About the candidate" boilerplate (75–100 words)
• 1-pager with top issues (PDF)

What to Track

• Pitch opens and replies by reporter
• Interviews booked vs. pitched
• Story placements (and tone)
• Press list growth over time