Building the Perfect AI Prompt for Media Pitch Subject Lines

You've crafted the perfect media pitch. The angle's sharp, the stats are compelling, and you've tailored it beautifully for that tech journalist who covers AI. Then you spend another 15 minutes agonising over the subject line, knowing that those seven words will determine whether your pitch even gets opened. Sound familiar?

The Prompt

Here's what we built:

You are an experienced PR professional specialising in media relations with 15+ years of crafting successful pitches. Your expertise includes understanding journalist psychology, news values, and inbox management patterns.

I need you to optimise email subject lines for media pitches using a systematic approach.

First, ask me these 5 strategic questions:
1. What's the core news angle of your story? (product launch, research findings, expert commentary, etc.)
2. Which journalist/publication are you targeting and what's their typical beat?
3. What's the most surprising or counterintuitive element of your story?
4. Is there a timely hook (trending topic, upcoming event, news cycle)?
5. Do you have any exclusive angles or data to offer?

Based on my answers, generate 5 optimised subject lines that:
- Are 6-10 words maximum (50-60 characters)
- Front-load the most newsworthy element
- Include specific numbers/data when relevant
- Avoid PR clichés ("excited to announce", "groundbreaking", "revolutionary")
- Match the journalist's demonstrated interests and style

For each subject line, provide:
1. The subject line
2. Why it works (25 words)
3. Risk level (Low/Medium/High) for being ignored
4. Best time to send (based on the angle)

Format as a table with clear rankings from strongest to weakest.

After presenting options, ask if I'd like variations on any specific approach or need subject lines for different journalist segments.

Quick Start Guide:

1. Copy the prompt above
2. Fill in the bracketed sections
3. Run through your preferred AI tool
4. Review and refine with human judgment

💡 Pro tip: Always A/B test your top two subject lines by sending to different journalists at the same publication

How We Got Here (The Journey)

The Problem

Every Comms and PR pro knows the brutal truth: journalists receive dozens of pitches daily. (I certainly did two decades ago back at The Herald, and the volume has only increased since then.)

With pressure on output greater than ever, your subject line has roughly two seconds to convince them not to hit delete (and that’s probably generous). Despite that, most of us have at times defaulted to tired formulas that scream "PR pitch" from a mile away.

Traditional approaches are already dead in the water, thanks to overuse. Today's journalists have developed an immunity to phrases like "thrilled to announce" and "industry-leading solution." They're looking for genuine news value, delivered efficiently.

So, how can we make use of AI to provide a systematic and efficient way to craft subject lines that think like journalists, not marketers?

Version 1: The Overly Basic Approach

When (understandably) pressed for time, the temptation is to bash out something simple, such as:

Write a compelling subject line for my media pitch about our new AI product launch.

The output? Most likely to be a generic, overpromising line that will barely register second glance, and be indistinguishable from the hundreds of other tech pitches flooding journalists' inboxes.

Key learning: Without added context, AI is likely to default to the mean – and in this case, that means PR clichés which will instantly turn the target audience away.

The Iteration Process

Iteration 1: The Q&A Strategy

The first major improvement came from implementing the Q&A Strategy - forcing the AI to ask clarifying questions before generating output. This prevents the AI from making assumptions and ensures we're working with complete information.

• The tweak: Added a structured discovery phase requiring the AI to gather specific context about news value, timing, and exclusivity angles.
• The result: Instead of generic subject lines, we now get targeted options that speak directly to what journalists care about. The AI asks about exclusive data, timely hooks, and surprising angles - exactly what makes editors take notice.

Iteration 2: Role Strategy with Domain Expertise Next, we enhanced the persona beyond just "experienced PR professional" by adding specific domain knowledge and behavioural patterns.

• The tweak: Specified 15+ years of media relations experience, understanding of journalist psychology, and inbox management patterns. This creates a more sophisticated "thinker" who understands the nuances of media gatekeeping.
• The result: Subject lines that avoid PR clichés and instead mirror the language patterns journalists use themselves. The AI now thinks like someone who's successfully pitched thousands of stories.

Iteration 3: Structured Output with Risk Assessment The final cherry on top came through adding systematic evaluation criteria to each suggestion.

• The tweak: Required the AI to provide risk levels and timing recommendations for each subject line, forcing deeper consideration of context and strategy.
• The result: Not just subject lines, but strategic intelligence about when and how to use them. This transforms a simple generation task into a decision-support tool.

Real-World Applications

From testing so far, this prompt provides great results across various pitch scenarios:

• For breaking news: Front-loads urgency and exclusivity, with high-risk/high-reward options for competitive stories where being first matters more than being perfect.
• For research launches: Emphasises surprising statistics or counterintuitive findings that challenge conventional wisdom - the kind of angles that make journalists think "my readers need to know this."
• For expert commentary: Connects your spokesperson to trending topics within the 24-48 hour news cycle, positioning them as the go-to voice on emerging issues.
• For feature pitches: Focuses on human interest angles and broader trend pieces that fit into journalists' forward planning cycles.

As a former subeditor who has spent far too long mulling over single word choice within a headline, the time savings here could be substantial, However, the real value here isn't speed - it's the systematic approach that ensures you're considering all the angles that make journalists pay attention, providing a variety of options and angles customised for your consideration.

The Technical Bits

This prompt makes the most of several techniques from prompt engineering research:

• The Q&A strategy prevents premature convergence on generic solutions by forcing information gathering first. This mirrors how experienced PR professionals actually work - understanding the full context before crafting the pitch.
• The role assignment goes beyond surface-level expertise to activate specific knowledge about journalist behaviour and news values. This isn't just about writing better - it's about thinking like the person receiving your pitch.
• The structured output format with risk assessment adds a strategic layer often missing from creative tasks. It acknowledges that different situations call for different levels of boldness.

For edge cases – like pitching breaking news where speed matters more than optimisation – you can skip the Q&A phase by providing all context upfront. The framework is flexible enough to adapt to your workflow.

Your Turn

Try adapting this prompt for your specific media lists. Consider:

• Do certain journalists respond better to data-driven subject lines versus human interest angles?
• Should you adjust the word count for mobile-first readers who see even less in preview?
• Would benefit/impact-focused lines work better for trade publications versus consumer media?

Track which subject line styles work best for different types of journalists and publications. The prompt is designed to evolve with your learnings, and can of course be adapted and iterated on as you venture forth. (For example, you could within the prompt provide extra detail about a specific journalist, or point to a database containing additional information.)

The Bottom Line

This prompt aims to solve the subject line paralysis that kills pitch momentum. It's particularly valuable for PR teams juggling multiple clients, stories, and deadlines.

Remember: even the best subject line can't save a weak story, but a weak subject line will definitely kill a strong one. This prompt ensures that never happens on your watch.

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