Why Your Email Goes to Trash
Every day, an editor at a news website gets 300+ emails. From PR people, brands, and agencies. 90% get deleted in 2 seconds.
Why? Because most emails are boring, long, or about the wrong topic.
We spoke to 50 editors and reporters in India from Times of India, Economic Times, Mint, YourStory, and local papers like Lokmat. We asked: “What makes you open, read, and reply to a PR email?”
This blog gives you their answers. No jargon. Just real tips you can use today.
1. “Send It to ME, Not Just the Company” : 48 out of 50 editors said this*
Wrong way: `editor@timesofindia.com` or `newsdesk@yourstory.com`
Right way: `priya.sharma@timesofindia.com`
Why:
Big email IDs get 1,000 emails a day. No one owns it. The reporter who covers “retail” or “startups” owns their beat. Send it to them directly.
Layman tip: How to find them? Go to the website. Search “gold price” or “jewellery”. See who wrote the last 3 articles. That’s your person. Find their email on LinkedIn or Muck Rack. If you can’t, try firstname.lastname@publication.com. It works 70% of the time.
Editor quote: “If you don’t know my name, you don’t know my beat. Why should I read your pitch?” — Business reporter, ET
2. “Subject Line = Headline. Make It 6-8 Words” : 46 out of 50
Bad subject lines:
– “Press Release: Launch of New Collection” — boring, sounds like an ad
– “Collaboration Opportunity” — vague
– “Greetings from Batukbhai Jewellers” — delete
Good subject lines editors like:
– “Survey: 68% Nagpur Women Buy Gold on EMI”
– “Data: Lab-Grown Diamond Sales Up 41% in 2026”
– “Exclusive: CEO Explains New Hallmark Rule Impact”
Rule: Write your subject like it could be the news headline tomorrow. If it is interesting, they open.
3. “First 2 Lines Must Answer: Why Now? Why You?” : 45 out of 50
Editors don’t scroll. They read 2 lines and decide.
Bad start:
“Greetings of the day! Batukbhai Jewellers has been a trusted name in Nagpur since 1960. We are happy to announce…” — Deleted. Too much about you.
Good start:
“Hi Priya,
The new RBI rule on gold loans starts next week. We surveyed 1,000 buyers and found 54% are confused about it. Our founder can explain in 5 points for your readers.”
Why it works: Line 1 = “Why now” → RBI rule next week = timely. Line 2 = “Why you” → Exclusive data + expert quote. You are helping her do her job.
4. “Give Me the Full Story, Not a Teaser” : 42 out of 50
Old thinking: “We’ll share details if you are interested.”
2026 reality: Editors are busy. If they have to reply to ask for details, they won’t.
What to include in first email:
- The full story in 3 bullets
- 1 chart or image — attached, not in drive link
- Founder quote — ready to copy-paste
- Your mobile number
Editor quote: “If I can copy-paste your email into my CMS and publish it in 10 mins, you win. If I need to chase you, I will move to the next mail.” — Digital editor, Mint
5. “Don’t Pitch Me Ads. Pitch Me Trends” : 50 out of 50
What gets deleted:
– “Our new diamond ring is beautiful.”
– “Please cover our store launch.”
– “We are the best in the city.”
What gets covered:
– “Trend: Young couples now buy rings together vs. men buying alone : our sales data shows 3x rise”
– “Problem: 1 in 3 Indians can’t read the hallmark code. We created a “1-min video guide”
– “Number: Akshay Tritiya bookings up 60% vs last year despite gold price rise”
Rule: Talk about _change in the world_. Your brand is just the _example_ in that story. Not the hero.
6. “Tuesday 9-11am Is Best. Friday 5pm Is Worst” : 38 out of 50
When to send:
– Best: Tuesday to Thursday, 9am to 11am. Editors plan their day then.
– Okay: Monday 11am, after they clear weekend mail.
– Worst: Friday after 3pm, Saturday, Sunday. They won’t see it till Monday, and it’s buried.
Layman’s tip: Use Boomerang or Gmail Schedule. Write on Sunday night, send Tuesday at 9am.
7. “One Follow-Up Only. Then Stop” : 44 out of 50
Editors are not ignoring you to be rude. They are drowning.
Rule: Send 1 follow-up after 2-3 days. That’s it.
Good follow-up:
“Hi Priya, just checking if the gold loan survey data is useful for your RBI story this week. Happy to share a full PDF or set up a 5-min call with the founder. If not relevant, no worries!”
Bad follow-up: “Did you see my mail?” “Reminder!!!” “Pls reply”. This gets you blocked.
8. “Exclusives Still Win, But Be Honest” : 40 out of 50
An exclusive means “I will give this story only to you for 24 hours.” Editors love it because they beat competition.
But don’t give the same “exclusive” to 5 people. You will be blacklisted forever. The PR world is small.
How to do it right: “This data is exclusive to Economic Times till Wednesday, 5pm. After that we pitch wider.” Then stick to your word.
Your New Pitch Checklist — Before You Hit Send
- Is it sent to the right reporter by name?
- Can my subject line be a headline tomorrow?
- Did I answer “Why now?” in line 1?
- Did I attach the chart + quote so they don’t have to ask?
- Am I pitching a trend, not an ad?
- Is it Tuesday at 9am?
If all 6 are YES, send. If not, edit.
The Bottom Line
Editors are not your enemy. They are your customers. Their job = find news. Your job = make news easy for them.
Stop sending press releases. Start sending stories. Use data and timing, and respect their inbox.
Do this, and your open rate goes from 11% to 40%. That’s not magic. That’s just listening to what 50 editors told us.
