Start with the reader
A company announcement is information about a company. A news story gives a reader a reason to care. Before writing a headline, ask what has changed, who it affects and what a reader will learn. A useful angle can come from a surprising finding, a personal experience or a consequence that has been overlooked.
Find the human detail
An abstract claim becomes easier to understand when it is connected to a person, a decision or a concrete event. That does not mean manufacturing drama. It means finding the real detail that makes the subject understandable. Who faced the problem? What happened? What was at stake?
Separate the claim from the evidence
A strong pitch should make it easy to distinguish a fact, an opinion and a prediction. A number needs a source and a period. A case study needs permission and a clear account of what happened. If the evidence does not support the headline, change the headline.
Explain why it matters now
Timing can give a story relevance, but a passing trend is useful only when the connection is real. Explain the link between the event in the news and the expertise or experience being offered. A forced connection can distract from an otherwise useful story.
Make it usable
Prepare the details a journalist needs: the central finding, supporting facts, a relevant spokesperson and suitable images when available. Keep the opening clear and the supporting material easy to check. A pitch should reduce the work needed to assess a story.
A five-question test
What happened? Why should this audience care? What can be verified? Why now? Who can explain it credibly? If an idea cannot answer these questions, it usually needs more reporting before it needs more promotion.